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Game Engine Developer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Echtra Games

Senior Gameplay Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

... game engine Preferred : • Experience building RPG gameplay systems • Experience working with Unreal Engine 4 • Experience shipping on a major console like XBox or PlayStation • A love and ...

Echtra Games

Senior Gameplay Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

... game engine Preferred : • Experience building RPG gameplay systems • Experience working with Unreal Engine 4 • Experience shipping on a major console like XBox or PlayStation • A love and ...

Echtra Games

Senior Gameplay Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

... game engine Preferred : • Experience building RPG gameplay systems • Experience working with Unreal Engine 4 • Experience shipping on a major console like XBox or PlayStation • A love and ...

Akima, LLC

Part Time Unity Game Designer

Huntsville, AL · On-site

$152K/yr

  • Retirement

... our growing engineering team. This position will provide an opportunity to apply academic ... Daily work will require experience in the Unity game engine and the ability to learn custom ...

Akima, LLC

Part Time Unreal Game Designer

Huntsville, AL · On-site

$152K/yr

  • Retirement

... our growing engineering team. This position will provide an opportunity to apply academic ... Daily work will require experience in the Unreal game engine and the ability to learn custom ...

Zwift

Senior Software Engineer 2, Game Systems

$128K - $204K/yr

Design and implement game engine features and systems in C++ for all Zwift platforms (iOS, Windows, Android, Mac, Apple TV), ensuring optimal performance and maintainability. * Collaborate with cross ...

Decisive Point

Software Engineer - Game Development

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

$173.40 - $232.93/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

This role will focus on bridging our core simulation engine with the game engine as well as developing new gameplay type features within Unreal. At Applied, we encourage all engineers to take ...

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Game Engine Developer information

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$32.5K

$108.5K

$180K

How much do game engine developer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 16, 2026, the average yearly pay for game engine 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 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 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 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.

Are game engine developers in demand?

Game engine developers are in high demand due to the growth of the gaming industry and the need for skilled programmers proficient in tools like C++, C#, and Unreal or Unity engines. Companies seek developers who can optimize performance, create new features, and support cross-platform development, making this a competitive and evolving field.
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Cities with the most Game Engine Developer job openings:

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Game Engine Developer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Game Engine Developer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 89% Full Time, 5% Part Time, 5% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 92% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $108,471 per year, or $52.1 per hour.

Principal Game Engine Team Lead, Platform

Worldscape Technology Inc.

Redmond, WA

$160K - $200K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 6 days ago

Job description

Worldscape is a cutting-edge platform designed to unify distributed data, sensors, and intelligent agents across cloud, on-prem, and edge environments. By combining geospatial intelligence, physics-based 3D simulation, and reward-driven AI, Worldscape enables organizations to build immersive digital twins for predictive modeling, scenario planning, and adaptive decision-making. With a zero-trust security framework, seamless integration with legacy systems, and robust developer tools, Worldscape empowers rapid deployment of agentic applications that drive resilience and efficiency in sectors like logistics, telecom, defense, and infrastructure. 
Key Attributes:
  • Innovation Mindset: Passion for pushing the boundaries of real-time physics in interactive simulation. 
  • Leadership & Mentorship: Ability to guide developers, set technical direction for an area, and enforce best practices.
  • Problem-Solving: Creative and analytical approach to complex simulation challenges.
  • Communication: Clear articulation of technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders. 
Responsibilities:
  • Run a team that owns the physics architecture: Define data models, simulation loops, solver strategies, and integration points across engine and simulation systems.
  • Deliver core physics features: Collision detection (broad‑phase/narrow‑phase), entity controllers, vehicle dynamics with an emphasis on orbital mechanics, particles/fluid mechanics (with an emphasis on atmospheric dynamics).
  • Integrate with simulation logic (gameplay) & animation: Build physics‑driven interactions, authoring tools, and runtime hooks (e.g., inverse kinematics, state machines, event systems).
  • Performance ownership: Profile, optimize, and budget frame time and memory across platforms; lead multi-threading/Job System/SIMD efforts; evaluate GPU compute opportunities.
  • Stability & robustness: Establish test suites, golden scenarios, and verification and validation practices; reduce edge‑case instability (stacking, tunneling, jitter, constraint drift).
  • Tooling & workflow: Build/debug tools, visualizers, probes, and authoring pipelines that accelerate designer iteration and QA efficiency.
  • Cross‑functional leadership: Partner with back-end, AI, data pipeline, and platform teams; communicate constraints/trade‑offs; align milestones with production.
  • Mentorship & standards: Guide engineers via code reviews, design docs, and coding standards; cultivate a high bar for craft, documentation, and reproducibility.
  • Quality & live support: Own crash triage and regression control for physics; support content changes post‑launch without destabilizing the simulation.
  • Design, implement, and optimize real-time rendering pipelines (e.g., forward, deferred, ray tracing).
  • Develop and maintain shaders using HLSL, GLSL, ShaderLab, or Shader Graph.
  • Responsible for graphics API Integration work with low-level APIs like DirectX 11/12, Vulkan, Metal, or OpenGL ES.
  • Guide junior and mid-level engineers, conduct code reviews, and enforce best practices across studio teams.
  • Take responsibility for major subsystems (e.g., lighting, post-processing, material systems).
  • Work closely with artists, designers, and other engineers to align visual goals with technical feasibility.
  • Help technical artists create efficient content workflows and troubleshoot visual issues.
  • Translate deep technical topics into actionable insights for studio and platform teams and leadership. 
Professional Qualifications:
  • Education: BS/MS in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Physics, Mathematics (or equivalent practical experience).
  • Experience:10+ years in real‑time/game physics engineering; 2+ shipped titles with substantial physics ownership (AA/AAA preferred).
  • Programming: Expert C++ (modern standards), data‑oriented design, memory management, profiling/debugging (VTune, PIX, Nsight, RenderDoc, etc.).
  • Rigid‑body dynamics,collision detection (GJK, SAT, continuous collision detection/time of impact), integration schemes (semi‑implicit Euler, RK, constraint solvers).
  • Numerical stability, error control, and performance trade‑offs under real‑time constraints.
  • Engine Integration: Experience integrating physics with animation (animation blending, IK), gameplay systems, and rendering pipelines.
  • Performance: Multi-threading/job systems, SIMD/vectorization, cache‑friendly data structures, frame/memory budgeting across platforms.
  • Collaboration: Proven ability to lead cross‑disciplinary efforts and communicate complex technical topics clearly. 
Preferred Qualifications:
  • 15+ years’ experience in Modern Game Engines & Middleware: Unreal Engine (Chaos), Unity (DOTS/Physics), Havok, Bullet, PhysX; custom engine experience strongly preferred.
  • 10+ years’ experience in Advanced Simulation: Fracture systems, granular materials, vehicle tire models, buoyancy/aero effects; GPU compute (CUDA, compute shaders).
  • Experience with existing physics models and systems integration.
  • Networking: Deterministic simulation strategies, rollback/prediction, server authority models, cross‑platform latency mitigation.
  • Console/Platform: Shipping experience on Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and PC; familiarity with platform TRCs/TCRs and performance certification.
  • Tooling & Scripting: Python/C#/Lua for tools and editor extensions; in‑engine visualization/debugging overlays.
  • Optimization Expertise: Broad‑phase structures (sweep-and-prune, BVH), island building, sleeping strategies, CCD tunneling avoidance; job scheduling and affinity tuning.
  • Content Pipelines: Collaboration with design/tech art to create authoring guidelines for physics assets; LOD strategies for physics complexity. 
Final compensation will be determined based on factors such as experience, skills, and qualifications. In addition to base salary, this role may be eligible for performance-based bonuses and equity awards. 
Why Worldscape? 
There is nothing more important to Worldscape than our culture. It is the fundamental means by which we will succeed as an organization. Talent, ability, drive, experience, knowledge cannot be maximized without first embracing the culture we espouse and will live every single day.  Worldscape offers great benefits, opportunities for continued growth, and the ability to directly affect change in our organization and be part of a high-growth startup at a pivotal stage. 

What we offer: 
- Competitive salary and meaningful equity 
- Attractive benefits package  
- Flexible time off policy 
- Medical, Dental and Vision insurance 
- HSA health insurance options 
- 401k plan 
- Basic and Voluntary Life Insurance
- Fast paced environment with flexibility and ownership
 
Worldscape is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, race, religion, pregnancy, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances.

Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check.

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.