Principal Engine Programmer, Verse Framework

3 Hours ago • 7 Years + • Game Engine • Systems Design

Job Summary

Job Description

As a Principal Engine Programmer for the Verse Framework at Epic Games, you'll provide technical leadership to a team, architect gameplay systems, and guide Unreal Engine's growth. Responsibilities include collaborating with cross-functional groups, designing scalable and secure systems, mentoring junior team members, and supporting external developers. You will build APIs for gameplay features, create tools for Unreal Editor for Fortnite, and maintain the Unreal Engine codebase. The role demands expertise in AAA game engines, a variety of game engine systems, and strong leadership and problem-solving skills. You will help shape the next generation of Unreal Engine and empower developers to create world-class experiences.
Must have:
  • 7+ years AAA game engine experience
  • 2+ years technical leadership
  • Excellent leadership & mentoring skills
  • Strong problem-solving skills
  • Experience with game engines, consoles, or mobile
Perks:
  • 100% premium coverage for medical, dental, vision
  • Long-term disability, life insurance, 401k match
  • Robust mental well-being program
  • Unlimited PTO and sick time
  • Paid sabbatical after 7 years

Job Details

WHAT MAKES US EPIC?

At the core of Epic’s success are talented, passionate people. Epic prides itself on creating a collaborative, welcoming, and creative environment. Whether it’s building award-winning games or crafting engine technology that enables others to make visually stunning interactive experiences, we’re always innovating.

Being Epic means being a part of a team that continually strives to do right by our community and users. We’re constantly innovating to raise the bar of engine and game development.

ENGINEERING - UNREAL ENGINE

What We Do

Unreal-powered projects have been on the bleeding edge of real-time entertainment for over 20 years. Our team of engineering experts are always innovating to improve the tools and technology that empower content developers worldwide.

What You'll Do

We’re looking for a passionate Principal Engine Programmer to help empower the Verse Framework team to build the best content and game creation platform. You can expect to contribute across a variety of framework and gameplay features and hardware platforms, from desktop to console to mobile. You will lead cross-functional groups and partner closely with Unreal Engine technical teams as well as game teams, ensuring that the underlying systems we build are scalable and secure. You should have a broad knowledge of modern game engine technology, as well as experience with a variety of gameplay systems. You should also have a strong understanding of API design and maintenance. Additionally, you should have experience leading cross-functional and cross-team initiatives, working closely with developers in all disciplines, not just other programmers. Your team’s goal is to empower Unreal Engine developers, including Fortnite, to make world-class experiences using the systems that you create, through close iteration with both our internal game teams and external engine customers. Your impact can be in all of the areas of the development spectrum, from design, to usability, to deployment in projects while ensuring stellar runtime performance. As a member of the Verse Framework Unreal Engine team, you will help guide the creation of the next generation of Unreal Engine. You will be responsible for collaborating with other programmers from a variety of other teams to design the APIs and gameplay systems that will enable programmers and designers from 1st Party Teams, Licensees, and our Creator Community, who are building their game upon our Unreal Engine Framework technology. Your contributions to the team will help build towards the next generation of amazing gameplay experiences while finding paths to expose those toolsets to our content creator ecosystem using Unreal Editor For Fortnite.

In this role, you will

  • Provide technical leadership to a team of world-class programmers and coordinate development of gameplay systems and creator ecosystem APIs
  • Architect and guide gameplay system development to help Unreal Engine grow to fit the needs of current and future games and applications
  • Research capabilities for gameplay system functionality available on various platforms such as characters, input, networking, physics, audio/visual effects, content creation and more
  • Mentor and foster the professional development of more junior team members, as well as scope and prioritize work in close collaboration with the team, making trade-offs when they’re appropriate, and work closely with other teams, often across different projects, along with their leads and production to align feature work to help everyone succeed
  • Design new APIs that will support gameplay features for both Epic’s games and the Unreal Engine, as well as build tools that make it easier to develop content in Unreal Editor For Fortnite
  • Support external Unreal Engine developers by answering their requests and questions about framework systems, as well as provide samples and documentation that showcase how to best use the framework APIs and tools in the Unreal Engine and Unreal Editor for Fortnite
  • Bug fix and maintain the Unreal Engine code base

What we're looking for

  • 7+ years of experience working with AAA game engines and a variety of game engine systems and technologies
  • 2+ years of experience technical leadership
  • Excellent leadership skills, including mentoring your team, planning technical roadmaps, making trade-offs, and prioritization
  • Focused on engineering excellence and a passion for well designed and architected systems
  • Strong problem-solving, logic, and troubleshooting skills
  • Experience with one or more of the following: game engines, consoles (Xbox, Nintendo, Playstation), or mobile (Android, iOS)
  • Experience in a cross-disciplinary development environment, with excellent cross-discipline communication skills. You should be able to communicate and explain trade-offs with non-programmers

EPIC JOB + EPIC BENEFITS = EPIC LIFE

Our intent is to cover all things that are medically necessary and improve the quality of life. We pay 100% of the premiums for both you and your dependents. Our coverage includes Medical, Dental, a Vision HRA, Long Term Disability, Life Insurance & a 401k with competitive match. We also offer a robust mental well-being program through Modern Health, which provides free therapy and coaching for employees & dependents. Throughout the year we celebrate our employees with events and company-wide paid breaks. We offer unlimited PTO and sick time and recognize individuals for 7 years of employment with a paid sabbatical.

ABOUT US

Epic Games spans across 25 countries with 46 studios and 4,500+ employees globally. For over 25 years, we've been making award-winning games and engine technology that empowers others to make visually stunning games and 3D content that bring environments to life like never before. Epic's award-winning Unreal Engine technology not only provides game developers the ability to build high-fidelity, interactive experiences for PC, console, mobile, and VR, it is also a tool being embraced by content creators across a variety of industries such as media and entertainment, automotive, and architectural design. As we continue to build our Engine technology and develop remarkable games, we strive to build teams of world-class talent.

Like what you hear? Come be a part of something Epic!

Epic Games deeply values diverse teams and an inclusive work culture, and we are proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. Learn more about our Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy .

Note to Recruitment Agencies: Epic does not accept any unsolicited resumes or approaches from any unauthorized third party (including recruitment or placement agencies) (i.e., a third party with whom we do not have a negotiated and validly executed agreement). We will not pay any fees to any unauthorized third party. Further details on these matters can be found .

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About The Company

Founded in 1991, Epic Games is a leading interactive entertainment company and provider of 3D engine technology. Epic operates Fortnite, one of the world’s largest games with over 350 million accounts and 2.5 billion friend connections. Epic also develops Unreal Engine, which powers the world’s leading games and is adopted across industries such as film and television, architecture, automotive, manufacturing, and simulation. Through Unreal Engine, Epic Games Store, and Epic Online Services, Epic provides an end-to-end digital ecosystem for developers and creators to build, distribute, and operate games and other content. Epic has over 40 offices worldwide with headquarters in Cary, North Carolina.

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