Game Systems Director, Founders School - $400,000/year USD

Founders School is an unconventional new high school opening in New York City with a bold commitment: students will produce $1 million in profit before they graduate, or their tuition will be refunded. Yet our vision reaches beyond a single school. We are creating the first business simulation game in which every significant advancement is unlocked by mastering authentic entrepreneurial capabilities such as pricing, marketing, hiring, and operations. This is the founding leadership position that will drive that vision forward. You will control the game's creative direction, product strategy, and development team, collaborating directly with Founders School's executive leadership. Your responsibility is to evaluate the concept we have built, recognize where it falls short, and help craft a stronger vision before guiding the team that executes it. The opportunity is unlike any other in the games or education sectors. You need to create a simulation that players authentically want to engage with for ten consecutive hours while demonstrably improving their ability to operate a real business. Most games achieve entertainment. Most educational platforms fail to sustain engagement. We are convinced both objectives are attainable, and we are seeking the individual who can demonstrate it. You will also help establish how contemporary games are developed. AI must be integrated into every phase of your creative workflow, from design exploration and balance tuning to prototyping, content generation, playtest evaluation, and production execution. What You Will Be Doing Establish and control the creative vision, gameplay systems, and product strategy for a business simulation game that imparts genuine entrepreneurial skills through authentically engaging gameplay. Assemble and direct a senior game development team, recruiting exceptional professionals and fostering a culture that delivers rapidly and iterates continuously. Collaborate with Founders School leadership, educators, and entrepreneurs to convert real-world business fundamentals into compelling gameplay mechanics. Apply AI across the entire development lifecycle to expedite design, balance tuning, prototyping, content generation, and production processes. Achieve measurable milestones, including a playable vertical slice within 12 months, successful playtests with teenage users, and a scalable infrastructure for future simulation titles. What You Won’t Be Doing Producing another conventional simulation game with predictable mechanics and minimal real-world relevance. Devoting months to drafting design documentation rather than releasing playable prototypes. Operating within a large studio environment where creative choices are delayed by multiple approval layers. Regarding AI as an optional efficiency tool rather than a fundamental component of your creative workflow. Developing educational software that players endure rather than games they authentically enjoy. Game Systems Director Key Responsibilities Direct the development of the world's most captivating business simulation game by assembling the team, establishing the vision, and shipping a product that transforms players into better entrepreneurs through gameplay. Success in Your First Year Within 6 months, you have shipped a playable vertical slice in which players advance through authentic business skills by completing substantive gameplay challenges. Initial playtests reveal that teenagers routinely characterize the game as enjoyable before realizing the extent of their learning. You have recruited and integrated the founding game development team, maintaining regular, high-caliber releases. Within 12 months, you have deployed a closed beta with over 1,000 participants, reached 40%+ 30-day retention, and built a development rhythm capable of delivering new simulation experiences sustainably. Basic Requirements Track record of shipping at least one commercially successful game that players authentically enjoyed, preferably on a team of 10 or fewer members. Proven experience directing multidisciplinary game development from initial concept through launch. Deep proficiency in designing simulation, sandbox, systems-driven, strategy, or management games. Daily practical application of generative AI tools to accelerate game design and development, with the capacity to present recent examples of AI integration in your workflow. Enthusiasm for entrepreneurship and a sincere conviction in the importance of building profitable enterprises. Strong leadership, communication, and talent acquisition capabilities. Willingness to work on-site in New York City. Authorized to work in the US without sponsorship requirements. Nice-to-have Requirements Track record of shipping sandbox, tycoon, builder, management, or simulation games. Experience creating products for audiences under 18 years old. Experience embedding education or skill acquisition into entertainment offerings. Experience collaborating with high-profile brands, creators, or licensed intellectual property. Demonstrated success scaling a game team from early concept through successful market launch. About Founders School Founders School is a four-year high school built for ambitious students who want to create, build, and solve meaningful problems. The program combines Alpha School's elite academics, real-world experience, and mentorship from world-class entrepreneurs around three commitments to every student: Build a million-dollar business. Identify problems in the world worth solving. Master AI before adults do. This is a place for people who'd rather build the thing than manage the thing. We're hiring the founding team that builds the dream high school for the most entrepreneurial and ambitious students in the country. Launching in NYC Fall 2026. Working with us This is a full-time (40 hours per week), long-term position. The position is immediately available and requires entering into an independent contractor agreement with Crossover as a Contractor of Record. The compensation level for this role is $200 USD/hour, which equates to $400,000 USD/year assuming 40 hours per week and 50 weeks per year. The payment period is weekly. Consult for more details on this topic. Crossover Job Code: LJ-5829-US-NewYork-GameSystemsDir.004 #J-18808-Ljbffr Crossover