Creative Director, Experience Design (Project-Based Role)

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Meow Wolf opens portals of possibility. Come as you are! 

We are individuals who inspire creativity in people's lives through art and exploration, so that our combined imaginations can transform the world we live in. We create immersive and interactive experiences that transport audiences into fantastic realms of story and exploration.  Our Vision is to be the world’s leading creative company, reimagining the paradigm of art and storytelling, to make a positive difference in the world.  

We share a strong commitment to Belonging through our values of: 

• Collaborative Creativity: We believe the act of creating together amplifies possibilities.

• Provocative Playfulness:  We celebrate the unexpected because it is the doorway to discovery.

• Outsiders Welcome: We are all outsiders at heart, and we create space for everyone to feel like they belong.

• Authentic Compassion: We are “kind punks” - supportive to each other and standing up for what we believe in.

• Audacious Courage: We have the courage to radically reinvent ourselves to push the boundaries of art.

If this all sounds like YOU, read on….

Job Description:

Job Disclosures

Project-based Role: This role is a project-based role, with an anticipated duration of 2+ years. 

Location: Santa Fe, NM

About:

Meow Wolf is pioneering the future of live entertainment by creating interactive, story-driven experiences that blend physical environments with digital gameplay. We are looking for a Creative Director, Experience Design to help build towards this vision. This role requires creativity, environmental/narrative design expertise, and a deep understanding of game design, particularly in blending traditional video game mechanics with real-world experiences.

Job Summary:

The Creative Director, Experience Design, sits within Meow Wolf’s Experience Design department, an interdisciplinary, collaborative nexus focused around the creation of both immersive entertainment exhibitions, and the future of experiences more broadly.  Meow Wolf strives to build the preeminent experience design practice/team in the immersive entertainment category; as part of this team, you will be a creative force for the advancement of the holistic experience ecosystem of Meow Wolf.  You will be an expert in designing this experience ecosystem to put fans/guests at the center, and bring  a specialized expertise in designing gameplay at the cutting edge of physical x digital integration.

Beyond the exhibitions, you will contribute to the development of new media initiatives, new content forms, traditional and emerging media, and other projects integral to Meow Wolf’s creative expansion.  You will bring industry-leading ingenuity to narrative and mechanical connectivity, helping to create a cohesive, seamless Meow Wolf experience ecosystem.

Creative Director, Experience Design will manage the creative development of experience design for an upcoming exhibition, including directly managing the creative design of physical spaces.  This position holds project level creative authority over the holistic guest experience and maintains the Experiential Vision throughout the lifecycle of the project. The ideal candidate is skilled at driving teams toward consensus and takes pride in supporting the creative vision of many contributors. Working under the direction of the Senior Creative Director and alongside a team of Creative Directors, your goal is to see the Meow Wolf Universe deepen engagement & gameplay with participants to bring a new paradigm to art & storytelling.

As a critical member of our cross-functional team, the Creative Director, Experience Design partners with a diverse range of departments and organizational leaders. You will need to be highly imaginative, effective at synthesizing and distilling experience objectives for all the active disciplines in Meow Wolf, and comfortable setting expectations and deadlines for many types of projects and people. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Project Leadership (Partnered with Principal Creative Director)

• Entrusted to carry forth and evangelize the MWU vision of a unique experience ecosystem. 

• Ensures authentic integration of IP & innovative experience goals.

• Leads and maintains the overall experiential creative vision for the project team.

• Design of game mechanics like inventory management, economy systems, puzzles, progression, rewards, and branching narratives.

• Designs & drives playtesting & prototyping efforts.

• Ensures experiential intent is met across all aspects of the Project Team

• Makes fast and definitive decisions while allowing for an inclusive design approach with other creatives and artists and subject matter experts.

• Effectively and articulately provide share-outs of project experience with key stakeholders.

• Leads a collaborative team, allowing for multiple disciplines to contribute artistically to ideation and project execution

• Work with technical collaborators to ensure that systems are optimized for performance across digital platforms and physical installations.

• Be the leading voice for participant-centric project choices.

• As assigned by the Senior Creative Director, lead aspects of Exhibition Design including budget management, value engineering, stakeholder management and integration of art, story and interactivity into the design. 

Required Qualifications

• 8+ Years experience in a new or emerging immersive creative field: immersive experience design, digital storytelling, creative architecture, etc.

• Expertise in game mechanics like inventory management, economy systems, puzzles, progression, rewards, and branching narratives

• Experienced in multiple areas of related industries including Digital, Emerging Tech, Gaming, Theater, New Media.

• AR/VR/MR Experience: Experience with augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), or mixed reality (MR) design, bridging physical and digital gameplay.

• Interpersonal skills, written and oral communication, skills, managerial skills and curatorial capacity

• Knowledge of interactive systems and technologies

• Ability to motivate Creative Stakeholders

• Experienced in Brand, Brand Creative, Brand Marketing, Community-Building, etc. preferred

• Industry Tools: Proficiency with industry-standard tools and game engines such as Unity, Unreal Engine, or similar platforms preferred

Work Environment and Physical Demands

• This position is based in Santa Fe, NM and a company laptop will be provided.

• This is a full-time position averaging 40 hours a week, Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm MT or 10 am to 6 pm MT  – occasionally requiring flexibility to work during evenings or weekends based on business needs.

• The position will require work in an office space, filming production studio and interior and exterior filming locations.  This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers and scanners. The position will have the option to work remotely for part of the employment term. 

• The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

• Occasional travel to off-site locations may be required

• All employees will comply with company and OSHA standard workplace safety protocols. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work Schedule:

This is a full-time position that requires the ability to work a flexible schedule. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand.

Supervisor Responsibilities:

This position does not require supervisory responsibility.

Travel 

This position will require moderate travel (25%-30%)

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

IMPACT: Meow Wolf is committed to our DIY roots and grassroots community support principles. To document that commitment, we converted our legal designation into a Delaware Public Benefit Corporation and have certified as a B Corporation. As a B Corp, we have a triple bottom line of supporting financial, social and environmental wellbeing in our community.

INCLUSION:  Meow Wolf is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. We are committed to ensuring all employees enjoy and thrive in a work environment where differences make us the vibrant, wonderful community we are! All employment decisions at Meow Wolf are based on business need, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, disability, gender identity, results of genetic testing, veteran status, service in the military or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.

BENEFITS:

The choices we make concerning our benefits during enrollment periods are among the most important we select for ourselves and our families. As part of the total compensation package for full-time employees, Meow Wolf offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes various options to meet individual healthcare and financial needs along with many perks.  

• Medical Insurance options: PPO & HDHP*

• Dental and Vision Insurance*

• HSA, HRA, and FSA options*

• 401k Retirement Plan

• Company paid Life Insurance Policy and Disability Coverage(s)*

• Voluntary Critical Illness and Life Insurance Policies*

• Company Paid Employee Assistance Program

• Paid Parental Leave for 12 weeks

• Discount off Meow Wolf Gift Shop Merch and Cafes

• Admission to Meow Wolf attractions for employees and guests

*Regular or Project Based Full-time positions

Please visit www.meowwolf.com/careers for more information.