People Can Fly (PCF), a world-class independent AAA developer with a legendary history in action-shooters, is looking for a Technical Narrative Designer to join our Montreal studio. This role is a critical bridge between storytelling and technology. You will be responsible for ensuring that complex narrative arcs, cinematic sequences, and branching dialogue are flawlessly implemented into the game engine for an Unannounced 2025 Project. If you are a scripter who loves storytelling, or a designer who thrives on technical logic, this is the role for you.
Job Overview Table
| Category | Details |
| Company Name | People Can Fly (PCF) |
| Position Title | Technical Narrative Designer (Concepteur technique narratif) |
| Job Type | Full-Time, Permanent |
| Project | Unannounced AAA Project 2025 |
| Primary Location | 405 Av. Ogilvy, Montréal, QC H3N 1M3, Canada |
| Work Model | Remote / Hybrid / On-site (Employee Choice) |
| Department | Design / Narrative |
| Experience Level | 2+ Years Professional Experience |
| Language Requirement | Proficiency in English (Global Team Collaboration) |
Estimated Compensation & Financial Benefits
Note: Salaries are competitive and based on the standard for the Montreal AAA gaming hub. Final offers are tailored to the specific technical depth and shipping history of the candidate.
| Benefit Type | Provision Details |
| Annual Salary Range | Competitive AAA Industry Standard (Based on Portfolio) |
| RRSP Matching | 4% Match (100% Vested from Day 1) |
| Health Insurance | 100% Employer-Paid Premiums |
| Reimbursement | 100% reimbursement for claims (up to $1,000/service/year) |
| Dental & Orthodontics | Full coverage, including major dental and orthodontics |
| Vacation & Sick Days | 20 Vacation Days + 5 Sick Days |
| Holiday Shutdown | Fully paid week off during the Winter Holiday season |
About People Can Fly
Since 2002, People Can Fly has been a pioneer in the shooter genre. From the high-octane intensity of Painkiller and Bulletstorm to the cooperative mayhem of Outriders and the cinematic scale of Gears of War: Judgment, we have established ourselves as masters of the Unreal Engine.
Our Montreal studio is a key hub in our global network, which includes Poland, the UK, Ireland, and the US. We are currently working on high-profile collaborations with major publishers alongside our own original self-published IPs. At PCF, we value technical precision as much as creative flair, and we provide a flexible environment where “People” truly come first.
Detailed Job Responsibilities
1. Technical Implementation & Scripting
As a Technical Narrative Designer, your primary mission is to turn a script on a page into a living experience in the engine.
- Systems Integration: Implement and iterate on narrative-driven systems, including complex branching dialogue, quest structures, and interactive storytelling elements.
- Complex Scripting: Execute logic-heavy scripts for quest triggers, VO (Voice Over) cues, and event-based gameplay using internal tools and scripting languages.
- Optimized Narrative: Ensure that all narrative elements are optimized for performance, avoiding engine bottlenecks while maintaining a high level of cinematic quality.
2. Cross-Departmental Collaboration
Storytelling in AAA games is a team sport. You will act as the “glue” between various creative departments:
- Audio & VO: Support the seamless integration of voice assets, ensuring that lines trigger at the perfect emotional and mechanical moment.
- Animation & VFX: Collaborate with animators and effects artists to ensure that narrative moments (such as “in-engine” cinematics) are technically sound and visually impactful.
- Cinematics: Work closely with the cinematics team to transition players smoothly from active gameplay into scripted story sequences.
3. Maintenance, Debugging & QA
A great story is only as good as its execution. You will be responsible for the “polish” of the narrative experience:
- Troubleshooting: Maintain narrative systems and troubleshoot issues where quest logic might conflict with player movement or game-world state.
- Triage & Debugging: Assist the QA and engineering teams in debugging narrative-related technical issues to ensure a bug-free, smooth player experience.
- Playtesting: Actively participate in playtests to identify pacing issues, dialogue timing problems, or logic gaps in the narrative flow.
4. Documentation & Workflow Improvement
Help the studio grow by refining how we tell stories:
- Tool Documentation: Contribute to the documentation of internal tools and narrative workflows to help preserve team knowledge and onboard new members.
- Pipeline R&D: Suggest improvements to the narrative pipeline to make the implementation process more efficient for the whole team.
Candidate Qualifications
Required Professional Experience
- Industry Background: At least 2 years of professional experience in Game Design, Quest Design, or Technical Narrative Design.
- Proven Track Record: You must have contributed to at least one shipped title (either a AAA game or a high-end Indie project).
- Engine Mastery: Proficiency in working within modern game engines (Unreal Engine 4/5 is highly preferred, though experience in Unity or sophisticated proprietary engines is accepted).
Core Technical Skills
- Logic-Based Scripting: Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to debug and maintain logic-heavy scripts.
- Narrative Pipelines: Demonstrated experience implementing narrative structures, dialogue systems, and cinematic triggers.
- Communication: Exceptional communication skills to bridge the gap between “technical” programmers and “creative” writers/artists.
“Nice-to-Have” Bonuses
- Coding Knowledge: Basic knowledge of C#, Lua, or Python is a significant plus.
- Cinematic Tools: Experience using timeline-based tools, specifically Unreal Sequencer.
- Action Genre Love: A deep understanding of action games and how narrative can be integrated into high-pacing combat environments.
What We Offer: The PCF Montreal Advantage
We believe that a talented team performs best when they are well-supported. Our Canadian benefits package is designed to provide peace of mind and long-term security.
1. Comprehensive Health & Wellness
- Zero-Cost Premiums: We pay 100% of your insurance package.
- Virtual Care: Free access to virtual health and mental well-being sessions for you and your family, recognizing the importance of mental health in a creative industry.
- Full Dental: Includes coverage for major dental work and orthodontics.
2. Financial Security
- Vested Retirement: Our 4% RRSP matching is 100% vested from the first day you join, ensuring your future is growing from day one.
- Paid Downtime: In addition to 20 vacation days, our mandatory winter holiday shutdown ensures the whole team rests at the same time, preventing the “email anxiety” of typical vacations.
3. Creative Environment
- AAA Pedigree: Work on world-class projects with a high degree of autonomy.
- Global Reach: Opportunities to collaborate with studios across the globe while staying rooted in the vibrant Montreal game dev community.
To apply for the Technical Narrative Designer position, please prepare the following:
- Resume: Detailing your experience with scripting and game engines.
- Portfolio/Portfolio: (Highly Recommended) Examples of quest logic, scripted sequences, or narrative systems you have built.
- Shipping Credit: Please specify the shipped title(s) you contributed to and your specific role in their development.
Note on Language:
Because People Can Fly operates as a unified global team, English proficiency is required for this role. You will be interacting daily with colleagues and partners located in Europe and the United States.
Because People Can Fly operates as a unified global team, English proficiency is required for this role. You will be interacting daily with colleagues and partners located in Europe and the United States.
People Can Fly hiring Technical Narrative Designer, Montréal
Explore More VFX jobs
Streamline Studios hiring VFX Artist (Freelance / Contract)
Dublin Jobs | FX Technical Director (Unreal Engine), dublin
3D Senior FX Artist | Brown Bag Films, Dublin
Playrix is hiring Junior VFX Artist, 2026
Peekaboo Animation | Freelance Compositing Artist, 2026
Digital Domain hiring Senior FX Artist, Remote 2026
Senior FX Artist Rodeo FX, Canada 2026
Principal VFX Artist at King, 2026 uk
