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Full Time Indie Game Developer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Architect and evolve core services that form the table stakes of the Netflix Game Developer ... Full-time hourly employees accrue 35 days annually for paid time off to be used for vacation ...

OR · On-site

$388K - $619K/yr

Architect and evolve core services that form the table stakes of the Netflix Game Developer ... Full-time hourly employees accrue 35 days annually for paid time off to be used for vacation ...

OR · On-site

$388K - $558K/yr

Engage with game development partners to understand developer pain points and troubleshoot issues ... Full-time hourly employees accrue 35 days annually for paid time off to be used for vacation ...

Engage with game development partners to understand developer pain points and troubleshoot issues ... Full-time hourly employees accrue 35 days annually for paid time off to be used for vacation ...

Engage with game development partners to understand developer pain points and troubleshoot issues ... Full-time hourly employees accrue 35 days annually for paid time off to be used for vacation ...

... game industry. From indie to AAA, companies partner with Xsolla to help them fund, distribute ... With more paths to profits and ways to win, developers have all the things needed to enjoy the game.

... game industry. From indie to AAA, companies partner with Xsolla to help them fund, distribute ... With more paths to profits and ways to win, developers have all the things needed to enjoy the game.

... game industry. From indie to AAA, companies partner with Xsolla to help them fund, distribute ... With more paths to profits and ways to win, developers have all the things needed to enjoy the game.

Game Designer, Casual F2P

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$167K/yr

Play and deeply analyze casual games across genres, Match-3, Time Management, Simulation, Indie ... Collaborate with cross-functional teams (engineering, art, QA, marketing) to ensure designs are ...

Game Designer, Casual F2P

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$167K/yr

Play and deeply analyze casual games across genres, Match-3, Time Management, Simulation, Indie ... Collaborate with cross-functional teams (engineering, art, QA, marketing) to ensure designs are ...

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Full Time Indie Game Developer information

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$32.5K

$108.5K

$180K

How much do full time indie game developer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 9, 2026, the average yearly pay for full time 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 are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Full Time Indie Game Developer, and why are they important?

A Full Time Indie Game Developer needs solid programming abilities, game design knowledge, and a portfolio demonstrating completed projects, often complemented by a degree in computer science or related field. Familiarity with game engines like Unity or Unreal Engine, proficiency in languages such as C# or C++, and experience with digital art or audio tools are critical. Creativity, resilience, project management, and strong self-motivation are standout soft skills in this role. These skills and qualities are crucial for independently building, releasing, and marketing games in a competitive industry.

What does a full time indie game developer do?

A full time indie game developer is someone who designs, develops, and releases video games independently, often without the backing of a large publisher. They are typically responsible for all aspects of game creation, including programming, art, sound, marketing, and sometimes even business management. Indie game developers often work alone or in small teams and have the creative freedom to pursue unique or experimental ideas. Their goal is to bring their vision to life and share it with players, usually by selling their games on platforms like Steam, itch.io, or consoles.

What are some common challenges faced by full-time indie game developers, and how can they be managed?

Full-time indie game developers often face challenges such as limited budgets, handling multiple roles (like programming, art, and marketing), and managing project timelines without external oversight. To manage these obstacles, it's important to set realistic goals, prioritize tasks, and leverage free or affordable development tools. Additionally, building a supportive network with other developers and engaging with the player community can provide valuable feedback and motivation throughout the development process.
What cities are hiring for Full Time Indie Game Developer jobs? Cities with the most Full Time 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 Full Time Indie Game Developer jobs? States with the most job openings for Full Time Indie Game Developer jobs include:
Software Engineer 5 - Games Systems

Software Engineer 5 - Games Systems

Netflix

Remote

$388K - $619K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 18 days ago


Netflix rating

5.8

Company rating: 5.8 out of 10

Based on 15 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

57th of 65 rated media


Job description

At Netflix, our mission is to entertain the world. Together, we are writing the next episode - pushing the boundaries of storytelling, global fandom and making the unimaginable a reality. We are a dream team obsessed with the uncomfortable excitement of discovering what happens when you merge creativity, intuition and cutting-edge technology. Come be a part of what's next.
Bring your passion for games and distributed systems to help us reinvent video games at global scale. Netflix transformed how people watch television; now join us to build the next-generation gaming platform for 300+ million members worldwide and the industry's best-in-class distribution platform for game developers.
The Opportunity: Building the Backbone of Netflix Gaming
Games Systems is the backend team building and operating the foundational services that power the Games Developer Platform and the infrastructure supporting Cloud Games. Our mission is to enhance player discovery, gameplay, and engagement across Netflix's entire game portfolio - equipping developers both internal and external, with the platform capabilities they need to ship, iterate, and grow their product experiences.
As an L5 Software Engineer, you will play a pivotal role in designing, implementing, and scaling services that empower game developers and elevate the global member experience. You'll work on high-throughput, low-latency infrastructure for running games, while also building features that drive player engagement both within individual games and across the broader Netflix platform-reaching millions of members worldwide.
What You'll Do
Own Critical Infrastructure: Design and operate the foundational systems underpinning Games: identity/authentication/authorization abstractions, and control plane services.
Build the Developer Platform: Architect and evolve core services that form the table stakes of the Netflix Game Developer Platform - cloud saves, leaderboards, achievements, and the APIs and SDK surfaces through which game developers build and iterate.
Mentor and Grow the Team: Be a day-to-day technical resource for junior engineers through design pairing, code review, and hands-on guidance.
Operate What You Build: Own the full lifecycle from design through production, with a high bar for reliability, observability, and operational excellence.
What You'll Bring
  • 10+ years of professional experience designing, building, and operating highly available distributed backend systems at scale.
  • Deep expertise in distributed systems - low-latency architecture, and fault-tolerant design, operating large-scale distributed datastores.
  • Strong experience building developer-facing platform services and APIs (REST, gRPC, SDK surfaces).
  • Proficiency in one or more modern backend languages (e.g., Java, C++).
  • Hands-on experience with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, or Azure), microservices, and both SQL and NoSQL data stores.
  • A track record of technical leadership - driving complex projects end-to-end, influencing across team boundaries, and raising the quality bar around you.
  • Comfort with high ambiguity - ability to define structure and clarity from first principles in a fast-moving environment.
  • Prior experience in the gaming industry or working on game platform infrastructure is a plus.

We seek to grow inclusive and diverse teams that will enhance our perspectives, skill sets, and behaviors. We highly encourage you to apply if your background will complement us, even if your experience doesn't precisely match the job description. Your skills and passion will stand out - and set you apart - especially if your career has taken some extraordinary twists and turns.
Generally, our compensation structure consists solely of an annual salary; we do not have bonuses. You choose each year how much of your compensation you want in salary versus stock options. To determine your personal top of market compensation, we rely on market indicators and consider your specific job family, background, skills, and experience to determine your compensation in the market range. The range for this role is $388,000.00 - $619,000.00. This compensation range will vary based on location.
Netflix provides comprehensive benefits including Health Plans, Mental Health support, a 401(k) Retirement Plan with employer match, Stock Option Program, Disability Programs, Health Savings and Flexible Spending Accounts, Family-forming benefits, and Life and Serious Injury Benefits. We also offer paid leave of absence programs. Full-time hourly employees accrue 35 days annually for paid time off to be used for vacation, holidays, and sick paid time off. Full-time salaried employees are immediately entitled to flexible time off. See more details about our Benefits here.
Netflix is a unique culture and environment. Learn more here.
Inclusion is a Netflix value and we strive to host a meaningful interview experience for all candidates. If you want an accommodation/adjustment for a disability or any other reason during the hiring process, please send a request to your recruiting partner.
We are an equal-opportunity employer and celebrate diversity, recognizing that diversity builds stronger teams. We approach diversity and inclusion seriously and thoughtfully. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, ancestry, national origin, caste, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, age, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic makeup, marital status, or military service.
Job is open for no less than 7 days and will be removed when the position is filled.

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About Netflix

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Netflix is the world's leading streaming entertainment service with 222 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, documentaries, feature films and mobile games across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on any Internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments.

Industry

Arts, entertainment, and recreation

Company size

5,001 - 10,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Los Gatos, CA, US

Year founded

1997