(Senior) Game Designer - Systems & Economy (f/m/d)

On-site | Full-Time | Karlsruhe, Germany
5 Million Downloads. 4.8 Stars.
A lot left to figure out.
Iteration One is a self-funded, independent gaming studio in Karlsruhe. With Nightclub Tycoon - a free-to-play idle tycoon game on iOS and Android - we've built a game played by millions, with a small team and no outside money.
We're 7 people. We’re growing. And we need a game designer who can own the design of a mobile free-to-play game end to end: economy, progression, and monetization. We’re looking for someone who can hold both, design and monetization, and make the game feel great while making the business sustainable.
Tasks
What You'll Do
You’ll own game design at Iteration One. That means pitching features, modeling their economy impact, designing monetization systems, working with developers and artists to build them, and taking responsibility for the results. You’ll maintain currency flows, progression curves, pricing, and IAP & ad monetization strategy across a live game with real players who notice when things are off.
You own the design chair. That comes with real autonomy - but also real accountability.
_Day to day:_
* Designing, balancing, and maintaining the game economy: currencies, sinks, sources, progression vectors, event economies
* Owning F2P monetization — IAP design, offer strategy, ad placements, conversion optimization, and pricing
* Building economy models in spreadsheets and simulation tools
* Using player data (BigQuery) to find where the experience breaks and fixing it
* Planning and balancing LiveOps content — events, limited-time offers, seasonal content
* Working directly with developers and artists in a small, cross-functional team
Requirements
What We're Looking For
* 3+ years of game design experience on a shipped, live F2P mobile game
* Strong economy design skills: you can build a progression model in a spreadsheet and explain why the numbers work
* Experience designing F2P monetization: you’ve worked on IAP offers, pricing, ad strategy, or conversion funnels and can talk about what worked and why
* Experience with idle tycoon, coin looter or auto battle games: as a designer or as a serious player who understands the genre deeply
* Self-directed: you pitch ideas and set direction, not wait for someone to tell you what to design
* Comfort with data: you understand retention, ARPDAU, LTV, conversion rates, and use them to inform your decisions
* Fluent English; German is a plus but not required
Nice to have: experience with simulation tools (Machinations or similar), SQL knowledge (we use BigQuery), experience with AI-assisted design workflows, or a background that combines analytical training with game design practice.
On AI
_We're going all-in on AI_ — and we mean that seriously. Not as a productivity tip or a trend to follow, but as the operating system of how this company works. We believe the companies that figure this out now will look completely different in five years, and we intend to be one of them. We expect you to use tools like Claude, Gemini or ChatGPT as part of your daily workflow as a default. If you see AI as an opportunity rather than a threat and you're already experimenting - you'll feel at home here.
Benefits
How You'll Grow
Growth here is on you, but the conditions are real. We're building a company where people grow into the entrepreneurs of tomorrow. Through real ownership, transparency, space to experiment, and permission to take risks.
You'll have the autonomy to make decisions, run experiments, and own your work end to end. What you ship reaches millions of devices, and we want you to feel that weight and be motivated by it. If that sounds like the kind of place you want to be, we'd love to hear from you.
The Basics
* Location: Karlsruhe, Germany (close to main station)
* Work model: Work 1 day remotely and 4 days on-site
* Employment: Full-time
* Working language: English / German
We keep it simple and move fast - because your time matters too. A first interview to get to know each other, a second to go deeper, and a short trial task to see how you work. No endless rounds, no committees.
If it feels like a fit on both sides, you'll know quickly.
Ready to build something great? We'd love to hear from you.