Lead Engineer, Game Systems

1 Month ago • 7 Years + • Game Engine • $170,000 PA - $210,000 PA

Job Summary

Job Description

We are seeking a highly experienced and collaborative Lead Engineer, Game Systems to help drive the design, architecture, and implementation of core gameplay, progression, and economy systems. As Lead Engineer, Game Systems, you are passionate about developing scalable, performant, and engaging systems that empower designers and enhance the player experience. You will work closely with design, production, and other engineering teams to bring a rich, responsive, and immersive world to life.
Must have:
  • 7+ years game development experience
  • Shipped at least one AAA title
  • Expertise in C++
  • Strong software engineering practices
  • Game engine architecture knowledge
  • Leadership, communication, problem-solving
  • Cross-departmental collaboration
  • Passion for player experience
Good to have:
  • Unreal Engine 4 or 5 experience
  • Multiplayer systems familiarity
  • Scripting languages knowledge
  • Open-world game experience
Perks:
  • Vacation time
  • Sick time
  • Company holidays
  • Parental leave
  • Medical/dental/vision insurance
  • Life insurance
  • Disability insurance
  • 401(k) matching

Job Details

Summary 

We are seeking a highly experienced and collaborative Lead Engineer, Game Systems to help drive the design, architecture, and implementation of core gameplay, progression, and economy systems. As Lead Engineer, Game Systems, you are passionate about developing scalable, performant, and engaging systems that empower designers and enhance the player experience. You will work closely with design, production, and other engineering teams to bring a rich, responsive, and immersive world to life. 

Core Responsibilities 

  • Lead the architecture, development, and maintenance of core gameplay systems, including but not limited to traversal, mission logic, progression, economy and inventory. 
  • Collaborate with designers and other stakeholders to translate design goals and specs into robust, extensible technical solutions. 
  • Mentor and guide a team of systems engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence, accountability, and knowledge sharing. 
  • Own systems performance and memory footprint, working to ensure functionality and compatibility across multiple platforms, as well as long term extensibility. 
  • Define and enforce best practices for coding standards, documentation, and architecture within the game systems team. 
  • Participate in technical planning, task estimation, and milestone reviews. 
  • Debug and resolve complex game systems issues and contribute to ongoing game stability and polish. 

Core Qualifications 

  • 7+ years of professional game development experience with a focus on gameplay or systems engineering. 
  • Shipped at least one AAA title in a senior or lead systems engineering role. 
  • Expertise in C++ and strong knowledge of modern software engineering practices. 
  • Strong understanding of game engine architecture and modern gameplay systems development. 
  • Excellent leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills. 
  • Ability to work collaboratively across departments and lead cross-functional initiatives. 
  • Passion for crafting exceptional player experiences through gameplay systems. 

Plus  If 

  • Experience with Unreal Engine 4 or 5. 
  • Familiarity with multiplayer game systems, replication, and network optimization. 
  • Knowledge of scripting languages (e.g., Blueprint, Lua, Python) and their integration with game systems. 
  • Prior experience with open-world games or systemic gameplay projects. 

Description 

  • Full-time job with benefits. 
  • Role is on-site in Santa Monica, CA. 
  • Office is located near downtown Santa Monica – near metro and freeways. 

The base pay range for this position is $170,000 to $210,000 per year. Actual compensation is based on market location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. We also offer a competitive package of benefits including vacation time, sick time, company holidays, parental leave, medical/dental/vision insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, and 401(k) matching to regular full-time employees. Certain roles may also be eligible for bonus and equity. 

Similar Jobs

Riot Games - Senior Game Producer - League of Legends, Summoner's Rift Environment

Riot Games

Los Angeles, California, United States (On-Site)
7 Months ago
Opendoor - Business Operations Lead, Partnerships

Opendoor

Phoenix, Arizona, United States (Hybrid)
2 Weeks ago
USE Insider - Senior Product Manager - (Remote)

USE Insider

Istanbul, İstanbul, Türkiye (Remote)
9 Months ago
Gigamon - Senior Product Manager - AI

Gigamon

Santa Clara, California, United States (Hybrid)
4 Months ago
Blinkhealth - Bilingual Korean - Customer Support Specialist - ON SITE

Blinkhealth

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States (On-Site)
2 Weeks ago
panteon games - Game Server Engineer

panteon games

Ankara, Ankara, Türkiye (On-Site)
9 Months ago
zoox - Senior/Staff Software Engineer - Operational Tools

zoox

Foster City, California, United States (On-Site)
9 Months ago
yostar - Unity Client Programmer (UI, Performance)

yostar

Shanghai, China (On-Site)
2 Months ago
grendel games - Unity game developer

grendel games

Leeuwarden, Friesland, Netherlands (Hybrid)
3 Months ago
Riot Games - Staff Software Engineer (Game UI) - Teamfight Tactics

Riot Games

Los Angeles, California, United States (On-Site)
5 Months ago

Get notifed when new similar jobs are uploaded

Similar Skill Jobs

Wrike - Sales Compensation Analyst

Wrike

Bengaluru, Karnataka, India (Hybrid)
2 Weeks ago
Social Discovery Ventures - Head of Analytics

Social Discovery Ventures

Spain (Remote)
2 Weeks ago
Autodesk - Senior Software Engineer (Power Platform)

Autodesk

Bengaluru, Karnataka, India (On-Site)
1 Year ago
truecaller - Product Director

truecaller

Stockholm, Stockholm County, Sweden (On-Site)
2 Months ago
Unity - Developer Support Engineer, Cloud Services

Unity

Seoul, South Korea (On-Site)
4 Months ago
bytedance - Imaging Systems Lead - Smart Wearable

bytedance

San Jose, California, United States (On-Site)
4 Months ago
Putnam - Life Sciences Consultant (PhD)

Putnam

London, England, United Kingdom (On-Site)
1 Month ago
SIFT - Customer Success Manager

SIFT

San Francisco, California, United States (Remote)
2 Weeks ago
Kyruus Health - Event Marketing Manager

Kyruus Health

United States (Remote)
2 Months ago
Boomi  - Mid Market Account Executive

Boomi

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (Hybrid)
2 Months ago

Get notifed when new similar jobs are uploaded

Jobs in Santa Monica, California, United States

Interactive Brokers - Software Engineer, Mid level

Interactive Brokers

Greenwich, Connecticut, United States (On-Site)
10 Months ago
Scale AI - Security Engineer (Infrastructure)

Scale AI

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States (On-Site)
3 Months ago
Next Level Business Services - ETL Informatica Development Lead

Next Level Business Services

Fremont, California, United States (On-Site)
9 Months ago
Ziff Davis - Creative Strategy Lead

Ziff Davis

Los Angeles, California, United States (Hybrid)
1 Month ago
Epoch Games - Unreal Engine Level Designer

Epoch Games

North Carolina, United States (Remote)
4 Months ago
BioFire - Associate Staff Scientist

BioFire

Hazelwood, Missouri, United States (On-Site)
2 Months ago
Reddit - Engineering Manager, ML Understanding

Reddit

United States (Remote)
1 Month ago
Next Level Business Services - Systems Engineer

Next Level Business Services

Redmond, Washington, United States (On-Site)
9 Months ago
CityBlock - Community Care Clinician RN -Springfield, IL

CityBlock

Springfield, Illinois, United States (Hybrid)
2 Weeks ago
Google - Software Engineering Manager II, Infrastructure, Google Cloud Security and Privacy

Google

Kirkland, Washington, United States (On-Site)
3 Months ago

Get notifed when new similar jobs are uploaded

Game Engine Jobs

game tamin - Unity Developer (Middle, Senior)

game tamin

Vietnam (On-Site)
1 Month ago
Image Engine - Software Engineer - Tools

Image Engine

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (Hybrid)
1 Month ago
Nintendo - Associate Software Engineer Tools (NST)

Nintendo

Redmond, Washington, United States (On-Site)
11 Months ago
Cygames - Web Application Engineer / Game Development Support Service / Tokyo

Cygames

Tokyo, Japan (On-Site)
3 Months ago
Playdawn Consulting - Senior Unity Developer

Playdawn Consulting

New York, United States (Remote)
1 Month ago
Papaya Gaming - Unity Team Lead (Player Journey)

Papaya Gaming

Warsaw, Masovian Voivodeship, Poland (Hybrid)
2 Weeks ago
Demiurge Studios - Lead Engine Programmer

Demiurge Studios

California, United States (Hybrid)
4 Months ago
Roof Stacks - Unity Developer

Roof Stacks

Istanbul, İstanbul, Türkiye (On-Site)
7 Months ago
antada studio - Unity Developer

antada studio

Vietnam (On-Site)
1 Month ago
ten square games - Senior Unity Developer

ten square games

Wrocław, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Poland (Hybrid)
3 Weeks ago

Get notifed when new similar jobs are uploaded

About The Company

San Diego, California, United States (On-Site)

Santa Monica, California, United States (On-Site)

Santa Monica, California, United States (On-Site)

San Rafael, California, United States (On-Site)

Santa Monica, California, United States (On-Site)

Santa Monica, California, United States (On-Site)

San Rafael, California, United States (On-Site)

Santa Monica, California, United States (On-Site)

Santa Monica, California, United States (On-Site)

Santa Monica, California, United States (On-Site)

View All Jobs

Get notified when new jobs are added by Absurd Ventures

Level Up Your Career in Game Development!

Transform Your Passion into Profession with Our Comprehensive Courses for Aspiring Game Developers.

Job Common Plug