At a Glance
- Tasks: Design immersive escape rooms with clever puzzles and engaging player journeys.
- Company: Join The League of Adventure Group, creators of the unique Phantom Peak experience.
- Benefits: Fixed-term contract with creative freedom and a fun work environment.
- Other info: Collaborate with a passionate team and explore new formats beyond traditional escape rooms.
- Why this job: Be part of a team that creates innovative, audience-first experiences in immersive entertainment.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in designing interactive experiences and strong Unity skills.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 £ per year.
Works Closely With: Game Designer, Head of Marketing and Production Designers at Tandem Set & Scenery
Location: London / Kent
Type: Initial Fixed-Term Contract for 12 Months with a 3-month probationary period
The League of Adventure Group, the company behind Phantom Peak, is looking for a brilliant Escape Room Designer to join the in-house Creative Studio; somebody who can dream up clever puzzles, build satisfying player journeys, write sharp, funny content, and get hands-on in Unity to help bring interactive ideas to life. Phantom Peak is a wildly original immersive world with a fiercely loyal fan community and one of the highest repeat rates in the immersive sector. But this role won’t just sit within Phantom Peak. You’ll also help develop new immersive experiences, standalone games, client projects, pop-ups, experimental formats, and strange playable things across the wider work of The League of Adventure Group and its associated companies and collaborators, including Tandem Set & Scenery, the world's premier live game build company.
Key Responsibilities
- Creating escape room-style puzzles, trails, mysteries, tasks, and interactive moments
- Writing clear, funny, characterful content for clues, scripts, signage, interfaces, in-world documents, videos, and guest communication
- Designing player journeys that feel fun, intuitive, surprising, and satisfying
- Building out logic flows, puzzle documents, clue systems, and game structures
- Prototyping digital interactions in Unity, as well as building on existing projects
- Designing and implementing interactive moments using COGS by Clockwork Dog
- Working with screens, RFID, lighting, sound, sensors, locks, show control systems, and other interactive tech
- Collaborating with writers, producers, set builders, technicians, and creative leads
- Testing, iterating, and improving experiences based on player behaviour
- Making sure games are achievable, robust, repeatable, and commercially practical
- Supporting the development of new formats and projects beyond Phantom Peak, from early concepts through to playable delivery
Key Outcomes
- Fully own the design & delivery for an international escape room, as briefed by a third-party client; working with the Creative Director, take the project from ideation, through structural design and development to delivery
- Integrate interactive digital prototypes using Unity and COGS into the new Phantom Peak experience alongside the Programming & Digital Game Developer
- Integrate work into the existing Notion-first experience database and structure, ensuring consistency and repeatability.
- Design and deliver puzzle & interactive tech for key international projects, ensuring all technical specifications are met within the agreed project timelines.
Person Specification
- 5 years plus Experience designing escape rooms, immersive games, puzzle hunts, interactive theatre, LARPs, ARGs, themed attractions, or similar experiences
- Excellent writing skills, with the ability to be clear, concise, funny, and characterful
- A strong sense of humour and an instinct for making interactions entertaining, not just functional
- A good understanding of pacing, player psychology, onboarding, clueing, and flow
- Strong Unity experience, especially for interactive prototypes, simple games, interfaces, or installation-based experiences
- Experience using COGS by Clockwork Dog, or similar show control systems for interactive experiences
- A practical mindset: you know the best idea is the one that actually works for guests, staff, and operations
- The ability to explain ideas clearly through documents, diagrams, prototypes, or mock-ups
- A love of storytelling, mystery, play, and weird little details
- Experience with Arduino, Raspberry Pi, RFID, sensors, DMX, TouchDesigner, OSC, MIDI, TCP/UDP, or other interactive hardware/software systems
- Basic 3D, UI, animation, or game feel skills
- Experience working in live attractions or guest-facing entertainment
- An understanding of accessibility and how to make puzzles welcoming without making them boring
- A portfolio of playable work, written work, puzzle designs, Unity projects, COGS projects, or experimental interactive systems
How You’ll Thrive
You might be the sort of person who sees a locked filing cabinet and immediately thinks it should contain a clue. You probably have strong opinions about why a puzzle did or did not feel fair. You like building things, breaking them, watching real people misunderstand them, and then making them better. You’re not just a puzzle designer, not just a writer, and not just a Unity person. You sit somewhere between designer, puzzle brain, storyteller, comedy writer, systems thinker, show control nerd, and Unity tinkerer. You’ll be joining a company that makes weird, ambitious, audience-first experiences, from the sprawling world of Phantom Peak to entirely new formats we haven’t invented yet.
Escape Room Designer employer: Phantom Peak
The League of Adventure Group offers a vibrant and creative work environment in London/Kent, where Escape Room Designers can thrive by crafting innovative puzzles and immersive experiences. With a strong emphasis on collaboration, employee growth, and a culture that celebrates creativity and humour, this company provides unique opportunities to work on exciting projects like Phantom Peak and beyond. Join a passionate team dedicated to pushing the boundaries of interactive entertainment while enjoying the benefits of a supportive and dynamic workplace.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Escape Room Designer
✨Tip Number 1
Get your portfolio in shape! Make sure it showcases your best escape room designs, puzzles, and any interactive projects you've worked on. We want to see your creativity and how you bring ideas to life!
✨Tip Number 2
Network like a pro! Connect with other creatives in the immersive experience industry. Attend events, join online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out to people at The League of Adventure Group. You never know who might help you land that dream role!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! When you get that interview, be ready to talk about your design process, your favourite puzzles, and how you approach player experiences. Show us your passion for storytelling and interactive design!
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to connect directly with us!
We think you need these skills to ace Escape Room Designer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Creativity:When you're applying for the Escape Room Designer role, let your imagination run wild! Share examples of your past work that showcase your ability to create clever puzzles and engaging player journeys. We want to see how you can bring ideas to life!
Be Clear and Concise:Your writing skills are key for this role, so make sure your application is sharp and to the point. Use humour where appropriate, but keep it professional. We love characterful content, so don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through!
Highlight Your Technical Skills:Don’t forget to mention your experience with Unity and any interactive tech you've worked with. We’re looking for someone who can prototype digital interactions, so show us what you’ve got! Include any relevant projects or systems you’ve used.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important details. Plus, we love seeing applications come in through our own channels!
How to prepare for a job interview at Phantom Peak
✨Know Your Puzzles
Make sure you come prepared with examples of puzzles you've designed in the past. Be ready to discuss your thought process behind them and how they enhance player experience. This will show your understanding of what makes a great escape room.
✨Show Off Your Writing Skills
Since writing clear and funny content is key for this role, bring along samples of your writing. Whether it's clues, scripts, or signage, having tangible examples will demonstrate your ability to create engaging narratives that fit the immersive world.
✨Get Technical
Brush up on your Unity skills and be prepared to discuss any projects you've worked on using it. If you have experience with COGS or other interactive tech, make sure to highlight that too. They’ll want to know how you can integrate these tools into their experiences.
✨Embrace Collaboration
This role involves working closely with various teams, so be ready to talk about your collaborative experiences. Share examples of how you've worked with writers, producers, or technicians to bring a project to life. Show that you can thrive in a team environment!
