Lead Class Design - Diablo | Irvine, CA or Albany, NY

Team Name:

Diablo

Lead Class Design - Diablo | Irvine, CA or Albany, NY

R026779

We Need You

The minions of hell are growing stronger...

Join us as we continue to shape the Diablo universe! Diablo games are action RPG experiences with endless evil to slaughter, countless abilities to master, nightmarish dungeons, and legendary loot. Come work with us, and together, we’ll create experiences that not only meet but exceed the expectations of those who call Sanctuary home.

We are seeking a Lead Class Designer to assist in the creation of new ARPG experiences within one of Blizzard’s most iconic worlds, Diablo. In this role, you will lead the design and development of character classes, working closely with cross-functional teams to ensure every class feels distinct, balanced, and deeply satisfying to play. You’ll be a key voice in shaping the systems and philosophies that drive Diablo forward.

This role offers a flexible hybrid work week, with a mix of remote and on‑site days. While hybrid is the standard arrangement, you're also welcome to work on‑site full‑time if you prefer. Our primary studio locations are in Albany, NY, and Irvine, CA.

Responsibilities

• Own the design of character classes, abilities, and gear, ensuring they’re fun, balanced, and aligned with the Diablo experience.

• Lead class development from early concepts through implementation, iteration, and live service evolution.

• Collaborate closely with design, engineering, and art leads to integrate features seamlessly into the game.

• Partner with production to plan, scope, and execute on our long-term vision.

• Drive play testing and iteration, identifying balance issues and opportunities for improvement.

• Champion innovation in class design while maintaining accessibility and clarity for players.

• Partner with Systems Design to ensure classes scale meaningfully across progression, itemization, and endgame content.

• Analyze player feedback and gameplay data to inform design decisions.

• Clearly document and communicate design goals, decisions, and systems to the broader team.

• Lead initiatives that support design consistency, team alignment, and long-term scalability.

• Foster a healthy feedback culture by providing and receiving objective, actionable feedback.

• Coach, mentor, and support a team of class designers, setting standards and best practices for class development.

Minimum Requirements

• 8+ years of professional game design experience, with a strong focus on systems or class design.

• 1+ year of experience as a Lead or People Manager in the Design field.

• Proven ability to lead features or systems from concept through implementation and iteration.

• Deep understanding of gameplay balance, progression, and player behavior analysis.

• Strong collaboration and communication skills across multiple disciplines.

• A well‑developed sense of what makes classes and systems fun, rewarding, and replayable.

• Familiarity with scripting languages and a solid foundation in math or analytical problem‑solving.

• Deep familiarity with ARPG gameplay and player motivations.

• Experience contributing to or supporting live‑service games and post‑launch content updates.

• Hands‑on experience designing classes that are tightly integrated with itemization, progression, or endgame systems.

• Comfort prototyping gameplay or implementing abilities using scripting languages or proprietary tools.

• Demonstrated success growing, mentoring, and developing designers through sustained leadership and feedback.

Your Platform

Best known for iconic video game universes including Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, and Star Craft®, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (), a division of Activision Blizzard, which was acquired by Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment experiences. Blizzard Entertainment has created some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed and genre‑defining games over the last 30 years, with a track record that includes multiple Game of the Year awards.

Blizzard Entertainment engages tens of millions of players around the world with titles available on PC via ®, Xbox, Play Station, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android.

Our World

Activision…