UX Lead, Wordscapes

PeopleFun is an award-winning creator of mobile games for players across the globe. We are part of AppLovin, a publicly traded company, with world-class projects, resources, and infrastructure. PeopleFun is a Dallas-based game studio founded and led by game industry veterans, where game developers thrive on collaboration, creativity, teamwork, and fun. Our games are played by over 25 million players each month, and we have a number of exciting mobile games in development to fuel the future growth of PeopleFun.

We believe in bringing People together through Fun by creating the best in class social features and communities in our games that enables our players to engage deeply with other players. Secondly we endeavor to bring our studio teammates together by creating the very best game teams that foster healthy collaboration, incredible productivity, and life-long professional relationships.

Candidates who reside or will reside in the following locations are eligible for this role: California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington State.

Job Summary

We’re looking for a talented and strategic Lead UX Designer to help shape the vision and future of Wordscapes, our flagship word game. This role reports to the Wordscapes Executive Producer and partners closely with Design, Production, Art, Product, and Engineering to deliver a best-in-class user experience — for both our players and our business.

You’ll own the UX vision and execution: advocating for players, solving complex interaction challenges, and ensuring every flow, screen, and system is intuitive, delightful, and aligned with our goals.

This is a leadership role where you’ll define UX direction, mentor others, and influence decisions that shape the future of Wordscapes.

Responsibilities

• Own and drive the end-to-end UX design process for Wordscapes, from ideation through implementation.
• Collaborate with Game Design and Product to define user flows, features, and systems that enhance usability and player satisfaction.
• Create wireframes, user flows, interactive prototypes, and documentation that clearly communicate UX intentions.
• Work closely with Art and UI Designers to ensure a seamless and polished visual presentation that aligns with the overall game aesthetic.
• Partner with Product, User Research, and Analyst teams to analyze user data and playtest feedback to identify friction points and opportunities for improvement.
• Establish and maintain UX best practices and guidelines tailored to casual mobile players.
• Champion a player-centric culture across the Wordscapes team, integrating UX research, accessibility, and usability principles.
• Run UX reviews and usability tests; synthesize findings into actionable recommendations.
• Mentor and provide design direction to junior UX/UI team members.
• Partner with Production and stakeholders to scope, prioritize, and schedule UX-related tasks effectively.
• Maintain consistent UX documentation and present design rationale clearly to cross-functional partners.
• Collaborate on feature pitch decks and strategic planning materials as needed.
• Stay informed of mobile game trends, platform standards, and emerging UX tools and methodologies.
• Ensure the overall UX quality meets the bar for a best-in-class mobile gaming experience.

Requirements

• 5+ years of hands-on UX design experience in mobile games or interactive media, with at least 2 years in a senior or lead capacity.
• Deep understanding of player behavior, usability heuristics, and UX design best practices for mobile platforms.
• Proficient in UX tools such as Figma, Sketch, InVision, or Adobe XD.
• Strong wireframing, prototyping, and interaction design skills across a variety of feature types (FTUE, live ops, monetization, etc.).
• Experience collaborating in Unity-based pipelines; familiarity with Unity UI system is a plus.
• Able to communicate design rationale effectively across disciplines, from engineers to product managers to artists.
• Passionate about creating user-centered experiences that are both intuitive and visually engaging.
• Ability to balance game goals, user needs, and technical constraints.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder management skills.
• Skilled in organizing and conducting usability testing, player research, and data-informed iteration.
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity and shifting priorities in a live ops environment.
• Solid understanding of visual design principles and UI conventions for mobile games.
• Organized, proactive, and able to self-manage deadlines and deliverables.
• Passion for casual mobile games and a strong understanding of the competitive landscape.
• Enthusiastic team player with a creative mindset and a love for problem-solving. Willing to get your hands dirty, no job is too big or too small.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in the casual puzzle and/or word game vertical
• Experience leading UX initiatives for F2P casual mobile games at scale
• Experience with advertising monetized mobile games.

PeopleFun provides a competitive total compensation package with a pay for performance rewards approach. The expected base pay range for this [CA-based or North America-based] position is $120,000 - $170,000. Base compensation at PeopleFun is based on a number of factors, including market location, and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Depending on the position offered, equity, sign-on payments, and other forms of compensation may be provided as part of a total compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical and other benefits.

Benefits

Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance

Performance Bonuses

401K Match Policy

Flexible PTO Policy

Wellness Stipend

Free Lunch each Friday

Generous Parental Leave & Family-Friendly Culture

Annual Credits for Professional Development & In-App Purchases 

PeopleFun is proud to be an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status, or other legally protected characteristics. Learn more about EEO rights as an applicant here.