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Entry Level Indie Game Developer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Xsolla

Principal / Staff Data Scientist

Concord, NC · Remote

ABOUT US Xsolla is a global commerce company with robust tools and services to help developers solve the inherent challenges of the video game industry. From indie to AAA, companies partner with ...

Unitytech

Staff Product Manager, Unity AI

Mountain View, CA · On-site

$200K - $260K/yr

Partner with engineering, design, and ML teams to design and deliver agentic AI-powered workflows ... The top mobile games in the world, the most played PC indie titles, the most innovative console ...

Unitytech

Staff Product Manager, Unity AI

Mountain View, CA · On-site +1

$157K - $205K/yr

Partner with engineering, design, and ML teams to design and deliver agentic AI-powered workflows ... The top mobile games in the world, the most played PC indie titles, the most innovative console ...

Unitytech

Senior Software Engineer, Graphics

$130K - $195K/yr

We're looking for engineers eager to help us invent how different real-time 3D runtimes communicate ... The top mobile games in the world, the most played PC indie titles, the most innovative console ...

SAIC

ATC Training Scenario Developer

Orlando, FL · On-site

ORA_ON_SITE Description The ATC Training Scenario Developer is an entry-level technical role ideal for a college student or recent graduate with a background in game development, computer science, or ...

Evs

Electrical Engineer - Entry Level

$70K - $73K/yr

Rooted in Respect, Integrity, and Humility, we're on a mission to make every project a game-changer ... ELECTRICAL ENGINEER - ENTRY LEVEL Location: Minnetonka, MN | Hybrid Schedule: Full-Time Salary ...

Evs

Civil Engineer - Entry Level

$70K - $73K/yr

Rooted in Respect, Integrity, and Humility, we're on a mission to make every project a game-changer ... CIVIL ENGINEER - ENTRY LEVEL Location: Minnetonka, MN | Hybrid Schedule: Full-Time Salary Range ...

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Entry Level Indie Game Developer information

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$108.5K

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How much do entry level indie game developer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 23, 2026, the average yearly pay for entry level indie game developer in the United States is $108,471.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $81,500.00 and $124,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is an entry level indie game developer?

Entry level indie game developers are individuals who are new to game development and work within small, independent teams or as solo creators to produce video games. They typically handle a range of tasks, such as programming, designing, art creation, and testing, often learning on the job and wearing multiple hats. Their focus is usually on creative projects with limited budgets, aiming to break into the gaming industry or build a portfolio. Entry level indie developers may release their games on platforms like Steam, itch.io, or mobile app stores. The role is well-suited for those passionate about games, creativity, and self-driven learning.

What are some common challenges faced by entry level indie game developers, and how can they be overcome?

Entry level indie game developers often face challenges such as limited resources, tight budgets, and wearing multiple hats within small teams. Balancing creative ambitions with practical constraints can be difficult, especially when managing time between programming, art, sound, and marketing tasks. Effective communication and collaboration with team members, utilizing accessible development tools, and participating in online communities can help overcome these hurdles. Learning to scope projects realistically and seeking feedback early in the process are also essential strategies for success.

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

To thrive as an Entry Level Indie Game Developer, you need a solid grasp of programming fundamentals (often in languages like C# or C++), basic game design principles, and a relevant degree or portfolio showcasing your work. Familiarity with game engines such as Unity or Unreal Engine and version control systems like Git is typically expected. Creativity, problem-solving ability, and strong teamwork skills help you contribute to small, collaborative teams and adapt to evolving project requirements. These competencies ensure you can effectively build, iterate, and launch engaging indie games in a competitive industry.

What is the difference between Entry Level Indie Game Developer vs Junior Game Programmer?

AspectEntry Level Indie Game DeveloperJunior Game Programmer
Required SkillsBasic programming, game design, creativityProgramming languages, debugging, software tools
Work EnvironmentIndependent projects, small teams, startupsGame studios, development teams, collaborative settings
Industry UsageIndie game development, small studiosGame development companies, larger studios

Both roles often require foundational programming skills and a passion for gaming. An Entry Level Indie Game Developer typically works on personal or small team projects, focusing on creativity and design, while a Junior Game Programmer is more involved in coding, debugging, and technical implementation within a professional studio environment. The roles overlap in skills but differ mainly in scope and work setting.

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Cities with the most Entry Level 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 Entry Level Indie Game Developer jobs?

States with the most job openings for Entry Level Indie Game Developer jobs include:

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Entry Level Indie Game Developer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Entry Level Indie Game Developer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 50% In-person, and 50% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $108,471 per year, or $52.1 per hour.

Principal / Staff Data Scientist

Xsolla

Concord, NC • Remote

Full-time

Posted 20 days ago

Job description

ABOUT YOU

We are looking for an accomplished Principal Machine Learning Engineer to join our global ML organization. In this role, you will drive innovation across our machine learning ecosystem, architect advanced ML solutions, and mentor junior ML engineers around the world. You will play a key part in shaping our technical direction—leading complex ML initiatives, elevating engineering standards, and guiding teams as they build scalable, production‑ready machine learning systems.

If you are ambitious, energized by solving challenging technical problems, passionate about developing talent, and excited to influence the future of ML/AI in the video game industry, this could be the perfect role for you.

ABOUT US
 
Xsolla is a global commerce company with robust tools and services to help developers solve the inherent challenges of the video game industry. From indie to AAA, companies partner with Xsolla to help them fund, distribute, market, and monetize their games. Grounded in the belief in the future of video games, Xsolla is resolute in the mission to bring opportunities together, and continually make new resources available to creators. Headquartered and incorporated in Los Angeles, California, Xsolla operates as the merchant of record and has helped over 1,500+ game developers to reach more players and grow their businesses around the world. With more paths to profits and ways to win, developers have all the things needed to enjoy the game.
For more information, visit xsolla.com.
Requirements:

Modeling Depth

  • Advanced Degree in Statistics, machine learning or related areas. Experience in statistics/ML expertise with a track record of leading high-impact data science initiatives at scale of billions of transactions.

  • Hands-on experience creating, training and fine-tuning models not just integrating hosted model APIs. You should be able to walk through  the data, the objective, what broke, and the before/after evaluation numbers, and why the model did not perform as expected.

  • Experience owning models in production: deployment, monitoring, drift detection, retraining — with real latency budgets, not just research notebooks.

  • Production experience with classical ML for fraud/anomaly detection, recommendation, or churn/LTV (gradient boosting, deep learning, graph-based models).

Technology Familiarity

  • Supervised learning, transfer leaning on machine learning as well as neural networks

  • Basic LLM knowledge, especially how to use it and where not to use it.

  • MLOps foundations: feature stores, experiment tracking, model registries (MLflow/W&B-class), continuous training pipelines.

  • Model serving and inference optimization (vLLM-class serving, quantization).

Nice-to-Have:

  • Publications, conference talks, or recognized open-source contributions to training/eval tooling .

  • Graph-based fraud detection (fraud rings, device/account linkage)..

  • Gaming, payments,  fraud, advertising  domain experience.

  • Hands-on, up-to-date experience with modern AI tools (e.g., Claude, Copilot, Cursor) for code generation, review, and accelerating day-to-day engineering work.

Benefits:
We are passionate about fostering a supportive environment for our team, so we prioritize the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of our employees and their families through a comprehensive Benefits Program. This includes 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision plans, unlimited Flexible Time Off, and a personalized career roadmap for each US employee. By investing in professional development through training and educational opportunities, we ensure that our team thrives both personally and professionally. Together, we’re not just building a business; we’re cultivating a community that values creativity, collaboration, and the transformative power of play.
 
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:
Xsolla is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by law.
We consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in accordance with the Fair Chance Act.
 
Criminal History Consideration:
For the Data Scientist position, we will conduct a background check that may include the following:
Criminal history check
Employment verification
Education verification
 
Relevance to Job Responsibilities:
The background check is relevant to this position because of the following role responsibilities:
Accessing confidential company data
Ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements
 
Rights Under the Fair Chance Act:
Applicants are encouraged to inquire about their rights under the Fair Chance Act. If you have questions regarding our hiring practices, please contact careers@xsolla.com.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.