Senior Game Designer, Systems (Sand Table)

Senior Game Designer, Systems (Sand Table)

Costa Mesa, California, United States

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century's most innovative companies to the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold. Anduril's family of systems is powered by Lattice OS, an AI-powered operating system that turns thousands of data streams into a realtime, 3D command and control center. As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril is committed to bringing cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years.

About The Team

The Sand Table team at Anduril develops our revolutionary platform for visualizing future defense scenarios. We transform massive amounts of data into an intuitive, interactive 3D command center, serving as the visual interface for mission simulations, a key business development tool, and a powerful demonstration of our advanced capabilities to government and military leaders. We take ambitious ideas from concept to completion, building the core with high-performance C++ and enabling rapid feature expansion through modern scripting and plugin frameworks. The Sand Table team manages the complex logistics for delivering flawless augmented reality demonstrations in headset to critical stakeholders. As a cross-functional group of builders, strategists, and operators, we combine the creative energy of a top game studio with the rigorous discipline of national security to shape how the future of defense is visualized and understood.

About The Role

As a Systems Designer on the Sand Table team, you will be instrumental in creating engaging and realistic gameplay systems for our next-generation wargaming and briefing capabilities in XR headsets. You will work closely with our creative director and AI programmers to design, implement, and refine core gameplay features and systems that enable military users to interact meaningfully with complex simulations in immersive environments.

What You'll Do

Design Ownership & Execution

• Design and develop core gameplay systems including unit behavior models, command structures, and decision-making frameworks for military simulations
• Create detailed combat systems that accurately model weapons effectiveness, damage modeling, and battlefield outcomes
• Create design documentation that clearly communicates system functionality, user interactions, and expected outcomes
• Design scenario creation tools that allow users to quickly build and modify complex military simulations
• Balance simulation fidelity with usability to ensure systems are both realistic and accessible to military users

Technical Collaboration

• Work closely with AI programmers to design behavior trees, finite state machines, and other AI systems that drive realistic simulation behavior
• Collaborate with engineering teams to implement sensor modeling systems (radar, sonar, ELINT, etc.)
• Partner with UI/UX designers to create intuitive command interfaces for complex military operations that are presented effectively in XR environments
• Identify technical constraints early and develop creative solutions that maintain design integrity while meeting platform requirements
• Prototype gameplay systems to validate concepts before full implementation

Stakeholder Engagement & Communication

• Present gameplay system designs to stakeholders, explaining design decisions and gathering feedback
• Collaborate with business teams and defense subject matter experts to scope system design deliverables
• Maintain effective working relationships with military stakeholders to ensure gameplay systems support mission objectives
• Partner with project managers to ensure design deliverables align with program milestones and customer expectations
• Monitor design scope and iterate based on user feedback, technical constraints, and evolving requirements

Leadership & Innovation

• Champion best practices for systems design within the organization
• Mentor junior designers on gameplay systems development
• Foster a culture of open communication, and continuous improvement
• Drive innovation in military simulation design by researching and applying emerging game design methodologies
• Contribute to the overall vision of the Sand Table platform by identifying opportunities for gameplay and usability enhancements

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Game Design, Computer Science, or related field (or equivalent professional experience)
• 5+ years of professional experience in systems design for games or interactive simulations
• Strong portfolio demonstrating systems design work for complex interactive applications
• Experience with behavior trees, finite state machines, and other AI-driven gameplay systems
• Excellent documentation skills with the ability to create clear design specifications
• Strong analytical skills for gameplay balancing and iterative design
• Excellent spoken and written communication with experience presenting design concepts to stakeholders
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, autonomously driven environment
• Experience with Custom Game Engines, Unity or Unreal Engine
• Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret security clearance

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience designing RTS Games, military simulations, wargames, or defense applications
• Knowledge of XR design principles and constraints
• Background in AI design for games or simulations
• Experience shipping at least one AAA game title in a similar role
• Active security clearance

US Salary Range

$166,000 - $220,000 USD

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers; and are considered part of Anduril's total compensation package. Additionally, Anduril offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including:

Benefits

At Anduril, we invest in our people. Our comprehensive, competitive benefits package (available at little to no cost to employees) ensures you're supported in health, recovery, and whatever comes next. For more information, Explore Our Benefits.

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