Systems Designer (senior level)
Umeå, on-site, Full-time. Start: February 2027.
About Winterkeep
Winterkeep is a studio in Umeå, founded in 2025 by developers who worked together at Paradox Interactive. We are developing a 4X fantasy strategy game built on our own IP.
We're an AA studio. Small enough to stay flexible, experienced enough to make ambitious games. The vision is set, and feature teams own their part of the game and decide how to get there. You shape the game, not just execute tasks.
Our culture
Openness and honesty. Share ideas freely, and give and take direct feedback.
Calm and focused. We don't crunch, and we don't panic. Sometimes we sprint to hit a goal we've promised, but that's the exception.
High standards and accountability. We hold our work, and each other's, to a high bar, and we take responsibility for the game and the studio.
We're playful and professional. We take the work seriously, not ourselves.
We share our office in central Umeå with two other game studios. Umeå is a university town with short commutes, reasonable housing, and a good life for families.
The role
We need a Senior Systems Designer to design and balance the systems that drive the game. You'll work with our feature teams to turn the game's vision into systems that are deep, readable and fun to master. We are a small team, and we sometimes work outside our ordinary roles.
What you will do
Design game systems, like economy, diplomacy, combat and progression
Balance and tune systems through data, playtesting and iteration
Prototype ideas quickly and test them in the game
Document systems so the team can build and extend them
Work with code, art and UI to get systems into the game
We are looking for
Senior experience as a systems or game designer on Strategy games
Experience designing and balancing interconnected systems
Comfortable working with spreadsheets, data and scripting
Clear communication with the rest of the team
Experience with Unreal Engine is a plus
Able to work full-time on site in Umeå
Extra bonuses, but not required: You play 4X and/or Strategy Games. You enjoy fantasy RPGs (tabletop or computer).
Salary
SEK 37,900 to 50,200 per month depending on experience, plus 6% occupational pension, a full insurance package, 5 weeks paid vacation per year and a wellness allowance. Your placement in the range depends on your experience, independence, ownership, and problem-solving.
How to apply
Email: jobs@winterkeep.com with your CV and portfolio links.
As a small studio, we're not able to sponsor work permits at this stage, so you'll need the right to work in Sweden.