UI/UX Designer (5-month contract)

Job description

Blackbird Interactive is a creative-fueled, future-driven, independent game studio where the best talent in the industry can find long-term careers to help grow their abilities while working on a wide range of projects, which encompass world-class IPs as well as our own creations across multiple genres. Our studio operates as a remote-first workplace, offering flexible work arrangements. **PLEASE NOTE: At this time, we are only able to hire candidates who are legally eligible to work in Canada and reside within Canada.** Blackbird Interactive is looking for a **UI/UX Designer** to help adapt a large, established simulation game to new platforms. You'll design intuitive, readable, and engaging player experiences that feel native to each platform while preserving the depth and functionality of the original game. Working closely with design, art, engineering, and production, you'll improve existing interfaces, create new interaction patterns, and help shape a polished, accessible player experience. If you enjoy solving usability challenges and making complex games approachable, we'd love to hear from you. ### Responsibilities - Collaborate with design, art, engineering, and production to adapt UI and UX systems for new platforms - Design user flows, wireframes, mockups, and interface layouts for new input methods and platform-specific interactions - Improve navigation, readability, accessibility, and overall usability - Identify UX challenges introduced by platform transitions and develop player-focused solutions - Maintain consistency with the game's visual style, information hierarchy, and interaction patterns - Participate in design reviews, playtests, and usability evaluations, incorporating player feedback into your work - Champion usability, accessibility, and player-centered design throughout development ### Requirements - 3+ years of professional UI/UX design experience in game development - Experience designing interfaces for complex gameplay systems or feature-rich applications - Strong understanding of UX, information hierarchy, accessibility, interaction design, and usability best practices - Proficiency with Figma, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Adobe Animate, or equivalent design tools - Experience designing controller-first interfaces and platform-specific UX - Strong communication and collaboration skills, with experience working across design, art, engineering, and QA - Ability to clearly communicate design intent through mockups, documentation, and presentations ### Pluses - Experience with game ports, remasters, or cross-platform development - Experience designing UI for simulation, strategy, management, or other systems-heavy games - Background in visual design, typography, iconography, or information visualization - Experience with usability testing and accessibility - Familiarity with console, PC, and cross-platform UX - Passion for creating elegant, intuitive interfaces for deep gameplay systems