Flying Lab Software is hiring additional personnel to work on Power and Prestige, the first major expansion for Pirates of the Burning Sea that was revealed at the Penny Arcade Expo. The new team members would also work on bug fixes and feature patches.

"With all of the great gameplay we are adding with this expansion, we are looking for talented programmers and game designers to join our terrific team of smart, dedicated people," said Russell Williams, CEO of Flying Lab Software. There are currently seven positions open on the Flying Lab vacancies page, including one for a game producer. The company's full announcement can be found after the jump.

In case you missed it, we spoke with Associate Producer Janice Vonitter and Game Designer Greg Hanefeld about Power and Prestige at PAX. We also gave the expansion our "Best New Feature" Award in our first PAX Awards for the player-governed ports feature. We're currently running a Treasure Hunt contest in conjunction with Flying Lab that ends on Sept. 25, so be sure to participate if you'd like the chance to win prizes like an iPod Touch or an IZ3D 3-D Monitor.

09/18/2009, Seattle WA: When much of the news these days is about layoffs or closures, it is nice to read about game companies that are actually expanding. Such is the case with Flying Lab Software, creators of the acclaimed MMORPG title Pirates of the Burning Sea™. Flying Lab Software’s hiring drive is due in part to its work on Power & Prestige™, the first major expansion to Pirates of the Burning Sea™ that was announced at PAX 2009 and was awarded “Best New Feature” by ZAM in the site’s PAX 2009 awards. As well as working on the expansion, which is due for release in Q2 2010, the additional personnel will be continuing the tradition of releasing monthly bug-fix and feature patches.

Set against the backdrop of the New World of the 18th century, Pirates of the Burning Sea™ is an MMORPG featuring high-seas action and adventure in a bold world of pirates and plunder, where players can choose one of three nations — England, France or Spain — or choose the role of a Pirate and battle it out for glory and power. Power & Prestige™ expands upon the game’s already robust real-time Conquest system, allowing players to not only capture ports on behalf of their parent nations, but also to become a Port Governor with great economic and strategic influence. Player Governors can set tax rates and increase defensive capabilities in their towns, making those ports more valuable as traffic hubs or easier to defend against attack. Players will need to use all of the intrigue and cunning at their disposal to seize or keep hold of power.

Power & Prestige™ will be available free of charge to new and existing Pirates of the Burning Sea™ players.

“With all of the great gameplay we are adding with this expansion, we are looking for talented programmers and game designers to join our terrific team of smart, dedicated people, ” said Russell Williams, CEO of Flying Lab Software. “We have a lot of exciting work ahead on Pirates of the Burning Sea™, and we want to have the best people on the project.”

Job listings for Pirates of the Burning Sea™ and Flying Lab Software’s other projects can be found at flyinglab.com/index.php?page=jobs.

More details about the Power & Prestige expansion, including a full list of features, will be released in early 2010.