Technical Designer – Combat & Gameplay Feel (Unreal Engine 5)

Technical Designer – Combat & Gameplay Feel (Unreal Engine 5)LocationDubai, UAE (On-site preferred; remote considered for exceptional candidates with strong timezone alignment)About StrayShot / iBLOXX StudiosStrayShot is an ambitious third-person shooter built in Unreal Engine 5, blending fast-paced extraction gameplay, battle royale action, team deathmatch, and intense boss encounters. We're pushing high-fidelity visuals and responsive combat to make every shot, hit, and fight feel impactful and addictive. Join a passionate team in Dubai to elevate the core player experience.Role OverviewWe're seeking a Technical Designer with strong ownership mindset to take end-to-end responsibility for making combat — especially boss fights and enemy behaviors — look stunning, feel incredibly satisfying, and deliver that "juicy" third-person shooter polish. You'll own the full pipeline: prototyping, implementing, tuning, integrating feedback layers, identifying and resolving asset gaps (e.g., missing animations, VFX, or sounds), and driving cross-team alignment until the combat feels perfect in-game. This is Blueprints-heavy work in UE5 with a focus on rapid iteration and subjective feel, not deep engine-level C++ programming.Key ResponsibilitiesTake full end-to-end ownership of combat polish features (boss fights, enemy behaviors, hit feedback, etc.): from initial prototyping and design intent through final implementation, tuning, integration, and ship-ready quality.Prototype and implement responsive combat mechanics and boss/enemy behaviors using Unreal Engine 5 (primarily Blueprints, data-driven systems).Own the "feel-good" tuning loop: hit reactions, impact feedback, recoil, aim/momentum preservation, input buffering, procedural elements — iterating until it feels snappy, weighty, and rewarding.Set up and refine combat animation systems (Montages, Blend Spaces, notifies, Control Rig basics, IK) — and if animations are missing or need tweaks, proactively align with animators to define requirements, provide feedback, and integrate updates.Layer juicy visual/audio feedback: hit-stop, camera shakes, Niagara particles, synced sound cues — and if VFX or sounds are incomplete/mismatched, drive alignment with VFX artists and sound designers to spec, iterate, and ensure perfect sync.Design and implement boss fight patterns/phases (telegraphs, vulnerability windows, minion spawning, state transitions) with strong emphasis on readability, pacing, satisfaction, and end-to-end execution.Rapidly iterate via playtesting: identify feel issues, adjust timings/values/effects, and own the fixes until combat passes subjective polish benchmarks.Create/support simple tools or data setups (data tables for behaviors/stats) to enable efficient tuning and future-proofing.Collaborate cross-discipline as the combat owner: work closely with animators, VFX artists, sound designers (and programmers when needed) to fill gaps, provide clear direction/feedback, and ensure assets integrate seamlessly for the best possible player feel.Ensure combat polish holds up in multiplayer contexts (extraction, battle royale, team modes).Requirements4+ years professional experience as a Technical Designer, Combat Designer, or similar in Unreal Engine projects (UE4/UE5 strongly preferred).Proven portfolio/reel demonstrating end-to-end combat ownership: examples of juicing hits, polishing boss fights, or third-person action feel — showing before/after passes, asset integration, and cross-team collaboration results.Strong UE5 hands‑on skills: Blueprints mastery, animation integration, Niagara/particle systems, camera tools, behavior trees/EQS for enemy logic.Demonstrated ownership mindset: you take features from concept to final polish, proactively spotting/fixing gaps (e.g., "this hit needs better VFX — let's align with the artist") rather than handing off prematurely.Deep passion for game feel — you can diagnose why combat feels "off" and drive iterations (including cross-team) to make it exceptional.Experience in third-person shooters/action games — bonus for boss fight polish and end-to-end delivery.Excellent collaboration and communication: you thrive on aligning specialists (animators, VFX, sound, gameplay programmers) with clear specs, feedback, and follow-through.Ability to own rapid playtest → iteration cycles independently.Nice‑to‑HavesShipped titles with standout combat feedback (indie/AA/AAA).Experience leading boss phase balancing and polish passes.Light C++ exposure for reading/modifying existing code.Dubai-based/relocation willingness preferred but remote candidates will also be considered.What We OfferOwnership of high-impact features in a growing UE5 shooter.Creative freedom to chase perfect combat feel.Chance to define StrayShot's addictive core loop.How to ApplySend your resume, portfolio/reel (focus on end-to-end combat examples, boss polish, feel iterations), and a short note on a combat feature you owned from start to finish (including any cro