Game Design Director, Founders School - $400,000/year USD

Founders School is launching a new kind of high school in New York City with a bold commitment: students will earn $1 million in profit before they graduate, or their tuition will be refunded. Beyond operating this single location, we're developing the first business simulation game in which every significant progression is unlocked by mastering authentic entrepreneurial capabilities—pricing strategy, marketing execution, team building, and operational management.

This is the founding leadership position responsible for realizing that ambition. You will direct the game's creative strategy, oversee product development, and manage the core team while collaborating directly with Founders School's executive leadership. Your role is to assess the framework we've established, determine where it falls short, and help architect an improved vision before guiding the team through execution.

The opportunity presents challenges unmatched in gaming or education. You must design a simulation that players are compelled to engage with for extended sessions while measurably improving their ability to operate an actual business. Most games achieve entertainment value. Most educational platforms fail to sustain engagement. We are convinced both outcomes are achievable, and we are seeking the individual who can demonstrate it.

You will also contribute to defining how contemporary games are developed. AI should be integrated into every phase of your creative workflow—from initial design exploration and systems balancing to rapid prototyping, asset generation, playtest evaluation, and production execution.

If you have aspired to create the game that defines your legacy, this is that moment. If this resonates, we want to speak with you.

What You Will Be Doing

• Own the creative vision, core gameplay systems, and product strategy for a business simulation game that imparts genuine entrepreneurial competencies through deeply engaging play.
• Recruit and manage a senior development team, attracting top-tier talent and fostering a culture focused on rapid iteration and continuous refinement.
• Collaborate with Founders School's leadership, educators, and practicing entrepreneurs to convert authentic business concepts into captivating game mechanics.
• Integrate AI across the entire development pipeline to expedite design iteration, balance tuning, prototyping cycles, content production, and workflow optimization.
• Achieve defined milestones, including a functional vertical slice within 12 months, validated teen playtests, and an extensible architecture for future simulation titles.

What You Won’t Be Doing

• Producing yet another conventional simulation game with predictable mechanics and negligible real-world relevance.
• Investing months in elaborate design documentation at the expense of delivering interactive prototypes.
• Operating within a large studio environment where creative authority is constrained by bureaucratic approval processes.
• Relegating AI to the status of an optional efficiency enhancement rather than a foundational component of your creative methodology.
• Developing educational content that players endure rather than games they authentically enjoy.

Game Design Director Key Responsibilities

Direct the development of the world's most compelling business simulation game by assembling the team, establishing the vision, and shipping a product that transforms players into more capable entrepreneurs through gameplay.

Success in Your First Year

• Within 6 months, you have shipped a playable vertical slice in which players advance through authentic business competencies by completing substantive gameplay objectives.
• Initial playtests reveal that teenage users consistently characterize the experience as enjoyable before becoming aware of the learning depth.
• You have assembled and integrated the founding development team, maintaining a cadence of regular, polished releases.
• Within 12 months, you have deployed a closed beta exceeding 1,000 participants, attained 40%\+ retention at 30 days, and instituted a development rhythm capable of delivering new simulation content on a sustainable basis.

Basic Requirements

• Track record of shipping at least one commercially successful game with demonstrated player affinity, preferably within a team of 10 or fewer.
• Proven experience directing cross-functional game development from initial concept through public launch.
• Specialized expertise in designing simulation, sandbox, systems-driven, strategy, or management game genres.
• Active daily application of generative AI tools to enhance game design and production workflows, with demonstrable recent examples of AI integration in your practice.
• Enthusiasm for entrepreneurship and authentic conviction in the importance of building profitable ventures.
• Demonstrated leadership, communication, and talent acquisition capabilities.
• Availability to work on-site in New York City.
• Authorization to work in the US without sponsorship requirements.

Nice-to-have Requirements

• Shipped titles in sandbox, tycoon, builder, management, or simulation categories.
• Experience designing for audiences under 18 years of age.
• Background integrating educational or skill-building elements into entertainment experiences.
• Experience collaborating with prominent brands, creators, or licensed properties.
• Demonstrated success scaling a game team from early concept stage through commercially successful release.

About Founders School

Founders School is a four-year high school built for ambitious students who want to create, build, and solve meaningful problems. The program combines Alpha School's elite academics, real-world experience, and mentorship from world-class entrepreneurs around three commitments to every student: Build a million-dollar business. Identify problems in the world worth solving. Master AI before adults do.

This is a place for people who'd rather build the thing than manage the thing. We're hiring the founding team that builds the dream high school for the most entrepreneurial and ambitious students in the country. Launching in NYC Fall 2026\.

There is so much to cover for this exciting role, and space here is limited. Hit the Apply button if you found this interesting and want to learn more. We look forward to meeting you!

Working with us

This is a full-time (40 hours per week), long-term position. The position is immediately available and requires entering into an independent contractor agreement with Crossover as a Contractor of Record. The compensation level for this role is $200 USD/hour, which equates to $400,000 USD/year assuming 40 hours per week and 50 weeks per year. The payment period is weekly. Consult www.crossover.com/help-and-faqs for more details on this topic.

Crossover Job Code: LJ-5829-US-NewYork-GameDesignDire