Hello! I’m William, the designer of Manifold Garden and the Creative Director of William Chyr Studio (WCS). We are a small indie game studio based in Chicago, with a remote team located around the world. 

We are currently working on an unannounced original game as a follow-up to Manifold Garden and are looking for a Part-time QA Tester to join our team. In this role, your primary goal is to identify and report bugs, figure out the reproduction steps, and work with engineers to ensure the bugs are fixed. You will also help us develop testing plans, debug tools, and automated testing programs. 

The position will be primarily in-person at our studio in Chicago, IL, but may also involve some remote work occasionally. At the studio, you will have access to the necessary equipment for testing, including a PC, Apple Devices, VR headsets, and various dev kits. You must be located in or near the  Chicago, IL area and eligible to work in the USA. 

Background

Manifold Garden’s development began in 2012. It was inspired by the works of M.C. Escher, physics, and architecture. While the game started as a solo project, it was a team that took it through the finish line. The core team came together starting in 2017, and the final product is a collaborative effort with all of our contributions.

Manifold Garden was released in October 2019 to critical acclaim. It was nominated for a BAFTA and Game Developers Choice Award and has since been exhibited at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Design Museum in London. The game is available on Apple Arcade, Steam, Epic Games Store, Itchio, PS4/PS5, Xbox One /Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch. We partnered with iam8bit to release a physical edition for PS5 and Switch, as well as a beautiful edition of the soundtrack on vinyl that won the Best Vinyl Gatefold Award.

What are we working on? 

Since Manifold Garden was released, we’ve been working on several new projects. We are excited about the creative potential of new technologies. Our focus is to create innovative games that push the boundaries of gameplay and reimagine space, physics, and architecture. One of the projects we are working on is an original VR title that explores impossible geometry. 

What are we looking for in a QA Tester? 

The QA Tester is responsible for finding and reporting bugs in our games. You will test on a number of devices across a variety of platforms (PC, Steam Deck, MacOS, tvOS, iOS, PS4/PS5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and VR). Our ideal candidate is an excellent communicator who is organized and excited about creating high-quality products. 

The QA Tester must be meticulous and detail-oriented. Asking questions like: In which area of the game did the bug happen? How long were you playing when the issue occurred? Which button did you press when the game glitched out? You must be an astute observer who enjoys finding answers using defined processes and procedures. 

The QA Tester must have strong written communication skills. You will work closely with the development team and write bug reports that clearly list the issue, expected result, reproduction steps, and other relevant information.

The QA Tester must be curious. You don’t need to know how to program, but understanding how the game works will help you be a more effective tester. You should be interested in how games work under the hood and want to push the systems to their limits. 

Responsibilities

• Test products and identify defects and inconsistencies
• Write clear, concise, and detailed bug reports for engineers
• Follow up and verify fixes are correct
• Communicate with engineers and designers to understand how features are supposed to work.
• Work with existing QA testing processes and develop new ones as needed
• Come up with plans to test edge cases and execute on them
• Review and verify player-reported bugs
• Run performance tests on builds to identify areas for improvement
• Work with engineers to develop automated testing plans
• Work with various consoles and platforms, including VR
• Work with platform-specific requirement checklists as needed

Qualifications

• Excellent communication and writing skills
• Meticulous and detail-oriented
• Curious about game mechanisms 
• Can work independently with minimal supervision
• Ability to work both seated and standing in a VR headset for up to 45 minutes at one time

Skills and Experience that would be beneficial but not required:

• Computer science background
• Experience working on a VR or AR title
• Experience with bug-tracking software
• Strong knowledge of console and platform technical requirements
• Proficiency with Perforce
• Proficiency with Unity
• Familiarity with Notion
• A strong interest in puzzle games

Location & Hours

• Candidate must be based in or around the Chicago, IL area and be available to work a steady part-time schedule in our office sometime during regular business hours (8 am - 6 pm CT Monday - Friday)

To Apply

Please send us an email with "WCS - QA Tester'' in the subject line. Please also include 

• At the top of the email, please confirm you are currently located in or around the Chicago, IL, area and can work onsite at our studio on a regular part-time basis. (Please do not reply to this posting if you cannot currently confirm this statement. We are not offering relocation or remote work for this role.)
• A brief outline of why you think you'd fit the position (under 300 words)
• Contact information for two professional references
• Attach any relevant supporting documents –resume, CV, or portfolio (attachments or links only; please do not paste images or documents in the body of the email)
• Acknowledgement that you have the right to work in the USA

William Chyr Studio is an equal-opportunity employer committed to facilitating an inclusive environment for all team members. We encourage candidates with diverse backgrounds to apply for our open positions.

Application and Interview Process

We will review applications on a rolling basis and reach out to select interview candidates. If you are selected for an interview, we will coordinate with you to set up a video call for us to get to know each other.