About the role
Role Overview
You know that great game stories are designed, not just written. You also know they require setting up strong narrative tools, crafting choices that actually matter to the player, and above all, collaborating with other departments to make gameplay and narrative flawlessly support each other. The games you have already shipped show that you know how to deliver.
Mad Head Games are unconventional creators of action games for PC and consoles. Over the past decade, they have pioneered the local game dev scene, driven by the ambition to become the regional game dev leader. They utilize Unreal Engine to develop titles including Scars Above, Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival, and an unannounced AAA title set in a famous and beloved IP.
Offices are located in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Sarajevo, or remote (EMEA).
Responsibilities
As Senior Narrative Designer, you will be responsible for content development of significant scope and complexity. Duties include:
- Collaborating with other narrative team members, disciplines, and leadership to conceive, produce, and iterate on story elements.
- World building and dialogue writing.
- Implementation of narrative content.
- Creating and maintaining documentation.
- Other creative and production-related duties.
Requirements
- 5+ years of experience as a game writer or narrative designer.
- Shipped at least one title as a Senior Writer or Narrative Designer.
- Demonstrable experience creating non-linear stories with branching narratives.
- Experience writing dialogue for voice over.
- Proficiency in scriptwriting tools and game development software (e.g., Neverwinter Nights tool set, Final Draft, Celtx, Twine, or proprietary game engines).
- Ability to produce work quickly, reliably, and iterate effectively.
- Experience supporting team members, providing constructive feedback, and fostering a collaborative environment.
- Experience with mentoring junior members of the team.
- Excellent communication skills and clear communication of team needs and the product to stakeholders and collaborators.
- Mastery of the English language including written and verbal skills, exceptional grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Preferred Qualifications (Nice-to-Haves)
- Experience working on an established IP and with a license holder.
- AAA or CRPG-writing experience.
- Experience with voice over production.
- Familiarity with cinematic design and screenwriting.
- Familiarity with Unreal Engine 5 or similar engine.
- Working experience within Film, Television, or Animation environments.
- Native English speaker.
- Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing, English, Screenwriting, or a related field.
Benefits and Perks
The Base Game
- Competitive industry standard salary.
- Hybrid work preference with options for regular office attendance or remote work.
- Referral program.
Health and Stamina
- Flexible working hours.
- 25 days of vacation.
- Company-wide annual leave in January.
- Short-term sick leaves and additional remote days.
- Paid time off for significant life events (childbirths, wedding, bereavement).
- A month of 4-hour workdays for staff returning from maternity leave.
Professional Growth
- Ongoing education and training (conferences, classes, workshops, and internal/external courses).
- Opportunity to work with senior professionals and talent from the field.
Environment
- Upbeat, collaborative workplace.
- Access to a network of teams across 3 offices and 16+ countries.
- Collaboration with developers from Sabre (the parent company).
On-site Benefits (Location Dependent)
- Premium private medical insurance.
- Team-building events.
- Participation in startup, tech, and gaming ecosystem community events.
- Fitness support (gym/pool/sport allowances).
- Office refreshments (coffee, fruits, snacks).
- Merch and gifts.