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

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development of the world's most engaging business simulation game by assembling the team, establishing the vision, and shipping a product that transforms players into better entrepreneurs through gameplay.
• Assemble and lead a senior game development team, recruiting exceptional talent and fostering a culture of rapid iteration and continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with Founders School leadership, educators, and entrepreneurs to transform real-world business concepts into engaging gameplay mechanics.
• Apply AI across the entire development lifecycle to expedite design, balancing, prototyping, content creation, and production processes.
• Achievable milestones within 12 months: ship a playable vertical slice, launch a closed beta with 1,000+ players, and reach 40%+ 30-day retention.
• Build a scalable infrastructure for future simulation titles.

Basic Requirements

• Track record of shipping at least one commercially successful game that players authentically enjoyed, ideally within a team of 10 or fewer.
• Proven experience directing multidisciplinary game development from concept to launch.
• Deep expertise in designing simulation, sandbox, systems-driven, strategy, or management games.
• Daily, hands-on application of generative AI tools to accelerate game design and development, with the capacity to present recent examples of AI integration in your workflow.
• Enthusiasm for entrepreneurship and a sincere conviction in the value of creating profitable businesses.
• Strong leadership, communication, and talent acquisition capabilities.
• Willingness to work on-site in New York City.
• Authorization to work in the US without sponsorship.

Nice-to-have Requirements

• Track record of shipping sandbox, tycoon, builder, management, or simulation games.
• Experience designing products for audiences under 18.
• Experience embedding education or skill development into entertainment offerings.
• Experience collaborating with high-profile brands, creators, or licensed intellectual property.
• History of scaling a game team from early concept to successful launch.

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.