About the role
Job Title: Systems Designer, New Player Experience (Apex Legends)
Location: Los Angeles CA, Vancouver BC, Madison WI
Work Model: Hybrid
Company Overview
Electronic Arts creates next-level entertainment experiences that inspire players and fans around the world. Respawn Entertainment, founded in 2010, is the Academy Award-winning studio behind Apex Legends, Titanfall, and Star Wars™ Jedi titles. The studio operates on the philosophy that when talented people have creative freedom, they make extraordinary games that achieve the unexpected.
Role Overview
Respawn Entertainment is seeking an experienced Systems Designer to define and evolve the first-time user experience (FTUE) for Apex Legends. This role involves shaping how new players enter, learn, and fall in love with the Apex Games by crafting onboarding flows, tutorials, pacing, and early progression systems. The designer will report to the Senior Systems Director and collaborate with cross-disciplinary partners to ensure a world-class introduction for new players within the live service ecosystem.
Responsibilities
- Own the design and iteration of onboarding and first-time user experience systems, guiding players from first session to core engagement.
- Help define and evolve post-FTUE player development systems that support the journey from onboarding to competitive mastery.
- Design systems that introduce and educate players on new features, modes, and content as they come online.
- Partner with cross-functional teams to build intuitive, scalable flows that teach, motivate, and retain new players.
- Use player data, research, and live insights to identify friction points and continuously improve the early player journey.
- Communicate design goals and advocate for accessible, player-first experiences that set up long-term success.
Qualifications
- 3+ years of systems design experience on live service games with significant work on onboarding, tutorials, or core progression flows.
- Deep understanding of player psychology, motivation, learning curves, and how to design onboarding that scales across diverse player types.
- Demonstrated ability to leverage analytics and playtesting data to refine and tune complex systems.
- Experience working closely with UX/UI disciplines to deliver polished experiences.
- Strong documentation, communication, and collaboration skills.
- Passion for Apex Legends and live service games with a keen sense of how onboarding shapes retention.
- Experience designing onboarding or FTUE for competitive multiplayer or battle-royale games.
- Familiarity with live service engagement loops and retention mechanics.
- Experience running live A/B tests and iterating based on player data.
- Experience with scripting, data tools, or technical implementation to support prototyping and iteration of onboarding systems.
Compensation and Benefits
Pay offered will be determined based on a number of relevant business and candidate factors, including education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, or business needs.
Pay Ranges
- British Columbia: $92,900 - $129,200 CAD
- California: $104,400 - $157,400 USD
Benefits - United States
- Paid time off: 3 weeks per year to start.
- Sick time: 80 hours per year.
- Paid holidays: 16 days per year.
- Parental leave: 10 weeks paid time off to bond with baby.
- Health coverage: Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
- Insurance: Life and disability insurance.
- Retirement: 401(k) plan.
- Additional: Certain roles may be eligible for bonus and equity.
Benefits - Canada
- Vacation: 3 weeks per year to start.
- Sick time: 10 days per year.
- Parental leave: Paid top-up to EI/QPIP benefits up to 100% of base salary (12 weeks for maternity, 4 weeks for parental/adoption leave).
- Health coverage: Extended health, dental, and vision coverage.
- Insurance: Life and disability insurance.
- Retirement: Retirement plan.
- Additional: Certain roles may be eligible for bonus and equity.