Absurd Ventures

Mission Designer

Absurd Ventures

Santa Monica$100k – $115kPosted Aug 3, 2026

Job description

** Summary **

We are seeking a ** Mission Designer ** to create highly memorable missions that combine best-in-class storytelling with action gameplay for an all-new open world IP built in Unreal Engine 5. As a ** Mission Designer ** , you will collaborate with a multi-disciplinary team and be a hands-on contributor and implementer of story missions including critical path and side missions alongside single-player campaign features.

** Core Responsibilities **

  • Own implementation of engaging, diverse, innovative missions within a story-driven, open-world game.

  • Work with the Lead Mission Designer to develop best practices and robust solutions for faster iteration across the team.

  • Challenge the status quo and demonstrate understanding of where open-world mission design can change and where it’s already working.

  • Build brand new, innovative game systems for missions that can help define core features across the rest of the game.

  • Leverage the game's existing open-world systems and mechanics to create dynamic and unpredictable mission experiences that adapt to player choices and actions.

  • Provide feedback to other mission designers to improve the quality of the design and storytelling.

  • Create documentation to support missions, mission tools, and game features developed for missions.

  • Ability to implement and design changes based on play testing data from both internal and external sources.

** Core Qualifications **

  • 1-2+ years of experience building mission content, ideally within an open-world game.

  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

  • Innovative thinker with creative problem-solving skills who can thrive in a collaborative team environment.

  • High-quality portfolio showcasing previous scripting, encounter or mission design work in games.

  • Strong understanding of storytelling and narrative design.

Plus If...

  • Experience building game-wide systems or features.

  • Experience with level design, blockout or world-building.

  • Experience in UE4 or UE5.

  • Experience working with co-development partners.

  • Experience working on an open world title.

** Description **

  • Full time job with benefits

  • Role is on-site in Santa Monica, CA

  • Office is located near downtown Santa Monica – near metro and freeways.

The base pay range for this position is $100,000 to $115,000 per year. Actual compensation is based on market location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. We also offer a competitive package of benefits including paid time off, sick time, company holidays, parental leave, medical/dental/vision insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, and 401(k) to regular full-time employees. Certain roles may also be eligible for bonus and equity.

** About Absurd Ventures **

Absurd Ventures is a media company creating new IP across all platforms and for all formats. Absurd Ventures is building narrative worlds, creating characters, and writing stories for a variety of genres, without regard to medium, to be produced for live-action and animation; video games and other interactive content; books, graphic novels, and scripted podcasts.