ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Game Engine Developer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

NxT Level

Senior Tools Engineer

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$112.60K - $154.60K/yr

Develop and maintain tools for terrain and graphics within our game engine. Ensure that our terrain ... Deep knowledge of graphics programming, including shaders and graphics APIs (DirectX, OpenGL ...

NxT Level

Senior Tools Engineer

Los Angeles, CA · On-site +1

$112.60K - $154.60K/yr

Develop and maintain tools for terrain and graphics within our game engine. Ensure that our terrain ... Deep knowledge of graphics programming, including shaders and graphics APIs (DirectX, OpenGL ...

Roblox

Principal Software Engineer

San Mateo, CA

$153.80K - $206.20K/yr

As a Principal Software Engineer of the Game Engine data model team, you will innovate on the core data structures that form the backbone of Roblox's platform. In this role you will have first hand ...

Rockstar Games

Engine Programmer

Carlsbad, CA · On-site

$132.60K - $147K/yr

Rockstar Games is a leader in creating world-class entertainment experiences, and they are seeking a passionate Engine Programmer to join their team. The role involves designing, implementing, and ...

ClassDojo, Inc

Senior Game Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site +1

$123.10K - $169.10K/yr

The Monsterverse team is responsible for building the Dojo Islands game, underlying game engine ... React * Experience and familiarity of working with DevOps and Platform Infrastructure such as:

Roblox

Senior QA Engineer, Game Engine

San Mateo, CA

As a Senior QA Engineer for Interactivity, you will be the quality leader for the core systems that ... You have: * 5+ years of specialized expertise in QA for game engines or real-time interaction ...

Roblox

Software Engineering Manager, Engine UI

San Mateo, CA · On-site

$293.80K - $343.34K/yr

Lead the development on our C++ engine code that powers the foundational UI features in the world ... Work closely with our game developer community to help achieve their creative vision * Have fun ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

People also search for

All JobsGame Engine Developer JobsGame Engine Developer Jobs in California

Game Engine Developer information

See California salary details

$32.1K

$107K

$177.6K

How much do game engine developer jobs pay per year?

As of May 30, 2026, the average yearly pay for game engine developer in California is $107,050.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $80,400.00 and $122,400.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Game Engine Developer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Game Engine Developer, you need strong proficiency in computer science fundamentals, C++ programming, and experience with rendering, physics, or audio systems, often supported by a relevant degree. Familiarity with development tools like Visual Studio, version control systems (e.g., Git), and graphics APIs such as DirectX or OpenGL is typically required. Problem-solving ability, teamwork, and effective communication are crucial soft skills for collaborating with multidisciplinary teams and addressing technical challenges. These skills ensure robust, high-performance engine development that meets the complex needs of modern game production.

What are some common challenges faced by Game Engine Developers when collaborating with cross-functional teams?

Game Engine Developers often work closely with artists, designers, and gameplay programmers, which can present challenges in balancing technical constraints with creative vision. Coordinating feature requests, optimizing for performance, and ensuring tools are user-friendly for non-programmers require strong communication and problem-solving skills. It's important to translate technical limitations into understandable terms and to build solutions that address the needs of different stakeholders. Successful developers proactively seek feedback and iterate on tools to support a smooth production pipeline.

What is a Game Engine Developer?

A Game Engine Developer is a software engineer who designs, develops, and maintains the core technology used to build video games, known as a game engine. They create systems for rendering graphics, handling physics, processing audio, and managing assets, enabling game designers and artists to build interactive worlds. Game Engine Developers work closely with other developers to ensure the engine is efficient, scalable, and supports the features needed for modern games. Their work is crucial for both building new engines and customizing existing ones like Unity or Unreal Engine.

What is the difference between Game Engine Developer vs Game Programmer?

AspectGame Engine DeveloperGame Programmer
Primary FocusDeveloping and optimizing game engines and toolsWriting gameplay code and implementing features
Skills & CertificationsProficiency in C++, graphics APIs, engine architectureStrong programming skills, knowledge of game frameworks
Work EnvironmentEngine development teams, software companiesGame development teams, studios

Game Engine Developers focus on creating and maintaining the core technology that powers games, while Game Programmers work on implementing gameplay features within those engines. Both roles require strong programming skills, but their responsibilities differ in scope and focus.

What are the most commonly searched types of Game Engine Developer jobs in California? The most popular types of Game Engine Developer jobs in California are:
What are popular job titles related to Game Engine Developer jobs in California? For Game Engine Developer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Game Engine Developer jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Game Engine Developer jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Game Engine Developer jobs? Cities in California with the most Game Engine Developer job openings:
Game Engine Developer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Game Engine Developer job openings in California as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 79% Full Time, 13% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 6% Contract. Highlights an 81% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 16% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $107,050 per year, or $51.5 per hour.
Senior Software Engineer - Avatar Personalization

Senior Software Engineer - Avatar Personalization

Roblox

San Mateo, CA • On-site

$196.75K - $243.29K/yr

Full-time

Posted 6 days ago

Job description

Every day, tens of millions of people come to Roblox to explore, create, play, learn, and connect with friends in 3D immersive digital experiences- all created by our global community of developers and creators.
At Roblox, we're building the tools and platform that empower our community to bring any experience that they can imagine to life. Our vision is to reimagine the way people come together, from anywhere in the world, and on any device.We're on a mission to connect a billion people with optimism and civility, and looking for amazing talent to help us get there.
A career at Roblox means you'll be working to shape the future of human interaction, solving unique technical challenges at scale, and helping to create safer, more civil shared experiences for everyone.
As a Senior Software Engineer on the Avatar Personalization team, you will use the Roblox game engine to build features that push the boundaries of our avatar technology, and build creative systems that make Roblox avatars simple and delightful to use. You will tackle the biggest projects, provide technical leadership, and coordinate with teams across Roblox to build systems used by tens of millions of monthly players and developers.
You are passionate about building outstanding systems and APIs in the Roblox game engine, enhancing avatar features, and enriching customization systems for Roblox players and developers. You'll work with Avatar technologies such as animation, clothing, hair, and shading. Experience in game or film development is especially translatable into this team and role.
You Will:
  • Implement groundbreaking features in Roblox game engine to build the best avatar system in the world
  • Build APIs for Roblox developers enabling in-experience creation of Roblox Avatars from scratchEnhance avatar fidelity and uniqueness on Roblox
  • Use the Roblox game engine to build excellent vertical applications for multiple platforms (mobile, tablet, PC, and console)
  • Refactor and improve our existing codebaseImprove system reliability, performance, and test coverage
  • Work with numerous teams to help build the world's best user generated gaming platform
  • Implement systems in a combination of C++ and Lua

You Have:
  • 5+ years of professional experience working on a consumer-facing game engine and/or game application
  • Proficiency with C++, 3D math, data structures, algorithms, and networking
  • Experience working on character building and customization systems, editors, and content creation tools
  • Experience building online console or mobile game titles
  • Experience with game or film character systems such as animation, rigid-body or cloth/hair physics, or shading

For roles that are based at our headquarters in San Mateo, CA: The starting base pay for this position is as shown below. The actual base pay is dependent upon a variety of job-related factors such as professional background, training, work experience, location, business needs and market demand. Therefore, in some circumstances, the actual salary could fall outside of this expected range. This pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. All full-time employees are also eligible for equity compensation and for benefits as described on this page.
Annual Salary Range
$196,750-$243,290 USD
Roles that are based in an office are onsite Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, with optional presence on Monday and Friday (unless otherwise noted).
Roblox provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Roblox also provides reasonable accommodations to candidates with qualifying disabilities or religious beliefs during the recruiting process.
For US based roles only, please note the Company may not be able to employ candidates for this role who have United States work authorization related to certain U.S. visa categories, or support future H-1B sponsorship at this time.

Apply