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Throughout my career, I’ve conducted over a hundred level design interviews, and in this article, I want to outline the key qualities I look for in candidates, based on their level of seniority.

While the nuances of evaluating candidates can vary depending on the specific role and the team’s current needs, I’ll focus on the most important aspects that guide my hiring decisions for level designers. 

JUNIOR LEVEL DESIGNER

Hiring junior level designers is both exciting and rewarding. This is where you seek out the talent that could shape the future of your company.

Since candidates at this stage often lack extensive experience or proven expertise, the decision to hire is more subjective than for other roles. It ultimately comes down to one key question: How confident am I that this person has the potential to succeed?

I look at it from three specific perspectives:

Curiosity and Desire to Learn

For a Junior Level Designer, curiosity and a strong desire to learn are absolutely essential. Their entire career will be shaped by these qualities, so if a candidate doesn’t demonstrate eagerness to grow and develop, it’s a definite red flag.

A candidate must show that they are profoundly curious. They should talk about all the interesting aspects of level design that they have thought a lot about and can’t wait to learn even more about. 

Ambition and Drive

When interviewing candidates at the start of their careers, I expect to see ambition and drive. If someone comes across as passive, and I have to coax information out of them, their chances of getting hired are slim. I’d much rather interview someone who’s so enthusiastic about level design and their future potential that I have to interrupt them because they can’t stop talking.

Potential

When hiring a Junior Level Designer, I’m not just looking for someone who will do their best, but someone with the potential to become exceptional. However, spotting potential is subjective and often hard to define – it’s not about a specific skill or trait, but a feeling you get from their curiosity, drive and willingness to grow.

There’s no exact formula for identifying future leaders, but I look for those intangible qualities that suggest a candidate could evolve into an industry leader with the right experience and mentorship.

Not as important as you may think

Years of experience is not really that important. I don’t think I have ever witnessed years of experience being a deciding factor when hiring juniors. A great candidate with 6 months or 1 year of experience will always trump a decent candidate with 3 years experience. 

Technical Ability. What’s more important is the drive, ambition and desire to learn that the candidate shows as part of highlighting their technical ability. 

More important than you may think

Ambitious, but not arrogant –  It’s important that a candidate for a junior position does not come across as arrogant. Being ambitious is, as described above, a key trait – but if this comes across as arrogance that is likely a deal breaker.

Focus – It’s important that I feel that a candidate is excited about level design and isn’t just applying to get a foot in the door, so to speak.

LEVEL DESIGNER (MID-LEVEL)

Hiring mid-level level designers presents an exciting opportunity to bring in talent with a bit more experience under their belt, while still maintaining a hunger for growth and new challenges. These are individuals who should already have proven skills and understanding of level design but are looking to further refine their craft and step into larger roles of responsibility.

Relevant experience is more important than for junior designers. Having worked on a similar game is a significant advantage, but it’s not a strict requirement. I won’t dismiss promising candidates simply because their previous level design experience comes from a different genre or style of game.

When hiring for mid-level designers, the decision becomes a bit more balanced between objective skills and subjective traits, but the weight is still on evaluating their potential for growth.

Here’s how I assess mid-level designers:

Proven Skills and Technical Expertise

At the mid-level, candidates should bring a solid foundation of proven skills. They should confidently discuss their past projects, detailing both their individual contributions and the challenges they encountered. At this point, I’m not just hiring based on potential – I’m looking for a demonstrated history of delivering quality work.

The ability to effectively present and articulate their previous work is critical. This typically happens early in the interview and sets the tone for the entire conversation. Strong candidates can showcase their work in ways that highlight their deep understanding of what truly matters in level design.

Additionally, a good candidate must demonstrate technical proficiency in level design fundamentals. They should be adept with industry-standard tools and exhibit a clear progression in their skillset since their junior years.

However, proven skills and technical ability alone aren’t enough. The best mid-level designers are those who continuously seek to enhance their expertise, never settling for what they already know.

Adaptability and Problem-Solving

Mid-level designers are expected to tackle more complex problems than juniors. I look for candidates who can adapt to new situations, iterate on feedback, and find creative solutions when things don’t go as planned. This requires a mix of practical problem-solving abilities and an openness to learning new approaches.

During the interview, I like to hear about specific examples of challenges they’ve faced in previous projects. How did they approach these problems? What solutions did they come up with? Were they able to collaborate with other departments, like art or programming, to find the right balance between creative vision and technical constraints?

The focus here isn’t on the solution they arrived at, but on why and how they reached that solution—and their ability to reflect on the process. We don’t hire candidates simply because they’ve designed a specific great level in another game. What matters is their ability to consistently deliver similarly great results in the future.

Ownership and Initiative

At this stage of their career, a mid-level designer should be starting to take ownership of projects, or at least significant pieces of them. They should demonstrate the ability to work independently, manage their own tasks, and contribute to the larger team without needing constant oversight.

I look for candidates who take initiative, come up with their own ideas, and are proactive in pushing a project forward. Whether it’s suggesting a design tweak or identifying a potential bottleneck, mid-level designers should have a growing confidence in their judgment and feel comfortable taking responsibility for their work.

Collaboration and Communication

As designers move into mid-level roles, the ability to collaborate effectively becomes even more critical. A candidate needs to show that they can communicate clearly with peers, leads, and other departments. They must be able to explain their design choices, take feedback constructively, and adapt their ideas as needed.

Mid-level designers often serve as a bridge between junior team members and senior staff, so strong communication skills are vital. This isn’t just about presenting their work but also about actively listening to others and fostering a team-oriented mindset.

In interviews, I always pay attention to how well candidates communicate their ideas. Do they come across as articulate and confident? Do they take criticism gracefully? And do they show that they can work in harmony with others, especially across disciplines?

Eagerness to Continue Growing

While a mid-level designer has experience, they should still be demonstrating a hunger to learn. I expect to see someone who’s invested in improving, not just staying at the level they’re at. They should be asking themselves: “How can I become a better designer?” and actively seeking opportunities for growth.

During interviews, I like to explore their future goals and what they’re currently learning or excited about. Are they driven to stay up to date with the latest industry trends? Do they show curiosity about other aspects of game development?

Not as Important as You May Think

Years of experience. While mid-level candidates should have some track record, the exact number of years they’ve spent in the industry is still less important than the quality of their work and how much they’ve grown during that time. Someone with fewer years but stronger projects and adaptability can still stand out over someone with longer but less impressive experience.

More Important Than You May Think

Leadership or Specialist Potential. Even at the mid-level, I’m looking for candidates who have potential towards either a leadership or specialist role. While they may not be ready to step into a senior role just yet, a strong mid-level designer should show signs of growing into that space. This means demonstrating initiative, mentoring junior team members, and having a vision for where they’d like to take their work.

Humility with Confidence. A delicate balance that’s important at this stage is a mix of humility and confidence. A good mid-level designer knows their worth but isn’t arrogant. They understand that they have valuable experience but are also willing to learn from others and recognize that they still have a lot to master. This humility, paired with the confidence to own their work, is crucial for success.

SENIOR LEVEL DESIGNERS

Hiring senior-level level designers is a critical decision for any company. These designers are expected to bring a wealth of experience, not just in crafting compelling levels, but in shaping the workflows, tools, and processes that enable the entire team to succeed. 

Here are the key areas I focus on when hiring senior-level designers:

Relevant Experience

At the senior level, having relevant experience from working on similar games is crucial. Senior designers are expected to bring not only technical expertise but also a deep understanding of genre-specific challenges and solutions.

When looking at portfolios, I’m much more selective compared to junior roles. Candidates usually have a lot more experience, and the specific games they’ve worked on and the studios they’ve been part of become key factors in the decision to move forward to an interview.

However, while relevant experience is a key consideration, it’s not just about ticking boxes. What’s most important is how candidates have applied their knowledge in previous projects—how they’ve solved design problems, pushed creative boundaries, and contributed to the overall vision. During interviews, I want to hear how their past experiences directly inform their design approach and how they can translate that experience to meet the unique challenges of our game.

Expertise in Level Design and Craftsmanship

At the senior level, candidates must demonstrate a deep mastery of level design. They should have a rich portfolio showcasing their ability and should understand the nuances of level design.

During interviews, I expect candidates to not only present examples of their work but to dive deep into the rationale behind their design choices. What problems were they solving? How did they balance creativity with technical constraints? They should be able to speak to their iterative process, how they incorporate feedback, and how they validate that their level is delivering the intended experience.

The best senior designers are those who can balance hands-on design with a higher-level understanding of the entire game experience.

Tool Development and Workflow Optimization

Senior designers are often expected to contribute to the development of level design tools and workflows. At this level, candidates should not only be proficient with industry-standard tools but also understand how to improve or create tools that streamline the level design process for the entire team. They should have a strong grasp of the technical aspects of level design and be able to collaborate closely with engineers and technical designers to build more efficient pipelines.

In some cases, they may even lead initiatives to introduce new tools or optimize existing ones. This might involve working with procedural generation tools, layout editors, or pathfinding systems to make sure the team can quickly iterate and refine level designs.

During the interview process, I look for evidence of candidates influencing or leading tool development. I want to hear about how they’ve worked with engineering teams to improve workflows, whether they’ve been involved in building custom tools, and how they ensure these tools serve the needs of the entire design team.

Team Leadership and Mentorship

A senior designer should have a significant impact on the team, acting not just as an expert but as a leader and mentor. Senior designers must be capable of guiding junior and mid-level designers, helping them grow their skills while ensuring that the overall quality of the level design remains high. This requires a mix of direct feedback, mentorship, and leading by example.

The ability to provide constructive feedback is key. A great senior designer can look at a junior designer’s work and help them improve it, not by taking over, but by guiding them toward better solutions. This is about cultivating talent within the team, encouraging collaboration, and helping the entire team level up.

In interviews, I like to ask how candidates have worked with others in their previous roles. Have they taken on mentorship responsibilities? How do they give feedback? How do they balance being a designer with being a leader? Candidates should be able to point to specific instances where they’ve helped junior team members or influenced team dynamics in a positive way.

Ownership of the Bigger Picture

At the senior level, it’s not just about designing individual levels—it’s about owning a portion of the entire game’s design vision. A senior designer should think about how their work fits into the overall experience, how levels interact with other elements like narrative, mechanics, and art direction, and how player progression flows throughout the game. They must have the ability to see beyond the scope of their immediate tasks and make decisions that impact the game holistically.

During interviews, I want to hear how a candidate has worked on a macro scale in previous projects. How have they contributed to the overall game vision? Have they been responsible for overseeing a section of the game or a feature that spans multiple levels? Candidates should show that they can think critically about the entire game, not just the levels they’ve worked on.

Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration

Senior designers must work closely with other departments—narrative, art, programming, audio, and more. They need to be strong collaborators, facilitating communication between teams to ensure the game’s vision is cohesive. They should also have a clear understanding of technical limitations and be able to communicate effectively with engineers to ensure that levels are not only creative but technically feasible.

In interviews, I ask candidates about specific examples of cross-disciplinary collaboration. I want to know how they’ve worked with other teams to resolve conflicts, integrate different aspects of the game, and find solutions that serve the broader project. Strong communication and collaboration skills are a must at this level.

Since collaboration with art is pivotal for level designers, I often ask about how their previous companies were structured in regards to art-design collaboration and their key learnings from those setups. 

Not as Important as You May Think

TBD

More Important Than You May Think

Team Impact and Culture Building. Senior designers should actively contribute to building a positive team culture. Beyond mentoring and leadership, they should work to foster an environment where ideas can flow freely, where feedback is given constructively, and where the team feels empowered to create their best work. A great senior designer doesn’t just focus on design—they also focus on making the team and studio a great place to work.

Adaptability in Leadership. Senior designers should demonstrate flexibility in how they lead, being able to adjust their approach depending on the needs of the team or project. Sometimes they’ll need to take charge and make critical decisions; other times, they’ll need to step back and let others lead. The ability to switch between these modes of leadership is key to thriving in a senior role.

Conclusion

Hiring senior-level level designers means bringing in someone who can not only execute at the highest level of design craftsmanship but also influence tools, workflows, and team dynamics. A great senior designer is a leader, a mentor, and a creative force who elevates the entire team and helps drive the game toward its ultimate vision. Their experience in both design and team leadership should make them a pillar of the company, helping to shape the future of not just the project, but the team that builds it.