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Assistant Indie Game Developer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Apple, Inc.

Senior iOS Engineer, Apple Games

Cupertino, CA · On-site

$172K/yr

Join the Game Services UI team to help build the Apple Games app and the user-facing gaming ... We have an exciting roadmap supporting games ranging from mobile to indie to AAA, reaching deep ...

Apple

Senior iOS Engineer, Apple Games

Cupertino, CA · On-site

$172K/yr

Join the Game Services UI team to help build the Apple Games app and the user-facing gaming ... We have an exciting roadmap supporting games ranging from mobile to indie to AAA, reaching deep ...

Apple

Senior iOS Engineer, Apple Games

Cupertino, CA

$184K - $277K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Retirement

Join the Game Services UI team to help build the Apple Games app and the user-facing gaming ... We have an exciting roadmap supporting games ranging from mobile to indie to AAA, reaching deep ...

Tolan

Principal Gameplay Engineer - Unity

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$200K - $300K/yr

... motion - think "game feel" in the Super Meat Boy/Balatro/Hades sense: tight, expressive, and ... Indie feel. You've shipped experiences where the magic comes from timing, simplicity, and cohesion.

Absurd Ventures

Lead Game UX/UI Designer

Santa Monica, CA · On-site

$150K - $190K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Collaborate with game designers, artists, and engineers to ensure UI/UX meets project requirements ... Previous work on AAA titles or high-profile indie games. Description * Full-time job with benefits.

Absurd Ventures

Lead Game UX/UI Designer

Santa Monica, CA · On-site

$150K - $190K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Collaborate with game designers, artists, and engineers to ensure UI/UX meets project requirements ... Previous work on AAA titles or high-profile indie games. Description * Full-time job with benefits.

Ziff Davis

Business Developer (Tabletop Role-Playing Games)

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

Identify, prospect, and establish new business relationships with top publishers, indie creators ... You can speak fluently about key publishers, creators, diverse game systems, and the modern digital ...

Epic Games

Gameplay Programmer Intern

Cary, NC · On-site

$119K - $132K/yr

We're constantly innovating to raise the bar of engine and game development. ENGINEERING - GAMES ... In this role, you will * Assist in prototyping and implementing gameplay features in collaboration ...

New

Onward Search

Creative / Game Recruiter

Fairfield, CT · Remote

$65K/mo

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... Indie studios, game genres (Action, RPG, Shooter, Mobile, Live Service), and common game development terminology such as Gameplay Programming, Game Design, Unreal Engine, Unity, Production, QA, and ...

Mob Entertainment

Game Director (Multiplayer)

Dallas, TX · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... hit indie horror game "Poppy Playtime". This franchise is one of the hottest new properties in ... You will also assist the GM of Games and CCO in reaching the strategic design and live-service ...

Onward Search

Creative / Game Recruiter

Fairfield, CT · Remote

$50K - $65K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... Indie studios, game genres (Action, RPG, Shooter, Mobile, Live Service), and common game development terminology such as Gameplay Programming, Game Design, Unreal Engine, Unity, Production, QA, and ...

Onward Search

Creative / Game Recruiter

Fairfield, CT · Remote

$50K - $65K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... Indie studios, game genres (Action, RPG, Shooter, Mobile, Live Service), and common game development terminology such as Gameplay Programming, Game Design, Unreal Engine, Unity, Production, QA, and ...

Onward Search

Creative / Game Recruiter

Fairfield, CT · On-site

$50K - $65K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... Indie studios, game genres (Action, RPG, Shooter, Mobile, Live Service), and common game development terminology such as Gameplay Programming, Game Design, Unreal Engine, Unity, Production, QA, and ...

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Assistant Indie Game Developer information

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How much do assistant indie game developer jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 15, 2026, the average hourly pay for assistant indie game developer in the United States is $24.74, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $18.99 and $26.92 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

How does an assistant indie game developer typically collaborate with other team members during a game project?

As an Assistant Indie Game Developer, you’ll often work closely with a small, multidisciplinary team, collaborating with artists, designers, programmers, and sometimes sound engineers. Your role may involve supporting the main developers by fixing bugs, implementing gameplay features, or prototyping new mechanics based on team feedback. Communication is highly valued, as frequent check-ins and brainstorming sessions help keep everyone aligned and ensure that creative ideas are integrated smoothly. Due to the collaborative nature of indie projects, you can expect a hands-on, dynamic environment where your contributions directly impact the game's final outcome.

What is an assistant indie game developer?

An Assistant Indie Game Developer is a professional who supports the creation and development of independent video games. They typically work with small teams or solo developers, contributing to various aspects such as programming, art, design, or testing. Their responsibilities can range from implementing game features and fixing bugs to creating assets and assisting with project management. This role is essential for indie projects, where team members often wear multiple hats and collaborate closely. Assistant Indie Game Developers help bring creative game ideas to life while learning a broad set of industry skills.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an assistant indie game developer, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Assistant Indie Game Developer, you need a solid understanding of game design principles, basic programming skills (often in C# or Unity), and familiarity with digital art or sound design. Experience with game engines like Unity or Unreal Engine, as well as version control systems such as Git, is typically required. Creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities are crucial soft skills that help you contribute effectively to small, collaborative teams. These competencies enable you to support the development process efficiently, adapt to changing project needs, and help deliver engaging indie games.

What cities are hiring for Assistant Indie Game Developer jobs?

Cities with the most Assistant Indie Game Developer job openings:

What are the most commonly searched types of Indie Game Developer jobs?

The most popular types of Indie Game Developer jobs are:

What states have the most Assistant Indie Game Developer jobs?

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Assistant Indie Game Developer jobs near you

Senior Animator, Unannounced Super Fun Video Game (Contract)

Second Dinner Studios, Inc

Remote

$60 - $70/hr

Full-time

Re-posted 18 days ago

Job description

Our Team
We're building a PvE co-op action game with a small, highly autonomous team.
Each discipline is represented by a single owner. There is no large animation department, dedicated technical animation team, or production layer separating disciplines. The people who thrive here are comfortable making decisions, solving problems independently, and moving work forward without extensive process or oversight.
We care more about demonstrated capability than years of experience, previous titles, or studio pedigree. Show us great animation work, shipped games, side projects, game jam projects, mods, tools you've built, pipelines you've improved, or anything else that demonstrates your ability to create and ship great experiences.
Your Role
Animation is the primary focus of this role.
We're looking for someone who can create both expressive character performances and exceptional gameplay animation. Our characters need to feel compelling when viewed up close through facial expressions, acting, personality, and charm, while also feeling responsive, readable, and satisfying during gameplay.
You'll own animation from rigging and implementation through final polish. Most of your time will be spent creating animation, but because of our team's size, you'll also be expected to identify technical challenges, improve workflows, and occasionally step outside traditional discipline boundaries when it helps the project move forward.
This is a fully remote role. Much of the team's coordination happens asynchronously, so success requires clear written communication, proactive updates, and the ability to make progress without waiting for meetings or direction.
The strongest candidates tend to be builders. They make games outside of work, participate in game jams, create mods, experiment with new tools, or otherwise demonstrate a habit of learning and creating beyond their day job.
What You'll Do
  • Create high-quality character, gameplay, and combat animation.
  • Bring personality, appeal, emotion, and charm to characters through performance and facial animation.
  • Create responsive, readable, and satisfying gameplay animation that supports combat and player feedback.
  • Rig, skin, and prepare assets for animation.
  • Implement, iterate on, and polish animation directly in Unreal Engine.
  • Work closely with Design and Engineering to improve gameplay feel, responsiveness, readability, and player experience.
  • Coordinate with Character Art, Environment Art, and VFX to ensure assets integrate smoothly into the game.
  • Identify bottlenecks and improve workflows through tooling, automation, technical solutions, or process improvements.
  • Evaluate and leverage AI-assisted workflows when they meaningfully improve iteration speed, content creation, or production efficiency.
  • Occasionally collaborate with external art partners to review deliverables, communicate feedback, and maintain quality standards.
  • Own animation as a discipline from concept through final implementation.

What You'll Need
  • A portfolio demonstrating exceptional animation work.
  • Demonstrated strength in both character performance animation and gameplay animation.
  • Strong understanding of character acting, facial expression, appeal, timing, and physicality.
  • Strong understanding of gameplay readability, responsiveness, combat feel, and player feedback.
  • Strong rigging skills.
  • Experience implementing animation content in Unreal Engine.
  • Comfort working directly in-engine to solve problems and iterate on content.
  • The ability to independently own a discipline and make forward progress with minimal oversight.
  • Strong written communication skills and comfort working in a fully remote, asynchronous
  • environment.
  • The ability to discuss technical and creative tradeoffs with designers, engineers, artists, and external partners.
  • Comfort learning unfamiliar tools, workflows, or disciplines when doing so benefits the project.
  • Comfort using AI-assisted tools as part of a modern game development workflow.

Nice to Have, But Not Necessary
  • Experience as a Technical Animator, Tech Artist, Art Director, or other cross-disciplinary role.
  • Experience building tools, pipelines, procedural systems, or workflow automation.
  • Experience managing external vendors or outsourcing relationships.
  • Experience shipping an indie game, game jam project, mod, or significant personal project.
  • Experience working on small teams where individuals routinely contribute outside their primary discipline.
  • Experience with cooperative action games, boss-focused encounters, or other highly replayable multiplayer experiences.
  • Affinity for complex competitive games such as League of Legends, Teamfight Tactics, or similar titles.
  • Experience with endgame MMO content such as raiding in World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy XIV, or similar games.
  • Familiarity with anime-inspired visual styles, character archetypes, and modern anime storytelling conventions.

This position pays a range of $60 - 70 per hour (USD).
Individual pay within this range may span multiple levels within the discipline and is determined by assessed job-related skills, experience, relevant education, or training. It also factors in market demands and business needs. The disclosed range is not adjusted based on location and may be subject to change or modification based on business needs in the future. This role is contracted through a third-party that provides health benefits, etc., which your recruiter can discuss more during the hiring process.
We are an equal opportunity employer that places high value on diversity and inclusion. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, age, disability status, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, military status, or veteran status.
You must be legally authorized to work and reside in the United States. We do not sponsor visas or support employment outside the U.S. for this role.

Apply