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Gameplay Programmer Jobs in San Ramon, CA (NOW HIRING)

Vizcom Technologies, Inc.

AI Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site +1

$145K - $198K/yr

Designers at companies like Nike, General Motors, and Riot Games rely on our tools to bring their ... The Role As an AI Engineer, you'll develop systems that redefine how designers work, removing ...

ClassDojo, Inc

Senior Game Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site +1

$123K - $169K/yr

YYou'll bring gameplay ideas to life through rapid prototyping, then refine and ship them to production with high quality. You will do that while collaborating with other engineers and cross ...

PlayStation Global

Software Engineer II

San Mateo, CA · On-site

Do you want to craft the future of game audio? Are you the type of person who gets excited when ... Our Platform Audio team seeks an enthusiastic software engineer who can build and implement ...

Discord

Director, Developer Solutions

San Francisco, CA · On-site

Identify high-fit games and developers for Discord's Social SDK, commerce, and analytics offerings * Own a territory / book of business of AAA and AA game developers with quarterly goals tied to your ...

NEX

Software Engineer (Studio Support)

San Jose, CA

We encourage you to explore Have Fun and Is Motion Gaming Back?, as they offer a deeper look into our culture, values, and explain how our approach to motion gaming differs from previous generations.

Sciforium

LLM Dataset Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$155K - $210K/yr

Role Overview Sciforium is seeking a highly technical and visionary LLM Dataset Engineer to lead the strategy, creation, and curation of the massive datasets that power our foundation models. We ...

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All JobsGameplay Programmer JobsGameplay Programmer Jobs in San Ramon, CA

Gameplay Programmer information

See San Ramon, CA salary details

$107.8K

$151.1K

$160.4K

How much do gameplay programmer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 9, 2026, the average yearly pay for gameplay programmer in San Ramon, CA is $151,124.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $144,200.00 and $159,800.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Gameplay Programmer vs Game Developer?

AspectGameplay ProgrammerGame Developer
Primary FocusImplementing gameplay features, mechanics, and systemsDesigning, developing, and managing entire game projects
Skills & CredentialsProgramming skills, understanding of game engines, scriptingProgramming, design, project management, often with broader skill set
Work EnvironmentTypically within a development team, focused on coding and implementationVaries from coding to design, often in larger teams or studios

While both roles involve programming, Gameplay Programmers specialize in creating and implementing gameplay mechanics, whereas Game Developers oversee broader aspects of game creation, including design and project management. Understanding these differences helps clarify career paths and employer expectations in the gaming industry.

What Is a Gameplay Programmer?

A gameplay programmer helps develop, document, test, and debug online or mobile game systems. Responsibilities include writing code with scripting languages such as C++, JavaScript, HTML, and Python; looking for ways to modify code; implementing functionalities such as controls, AI, and NPC behaviors within an established framework; and fixing design issues. They must communicate and work closely with other programmers to provide technical and creative feedback and meet project goals. Qualifications to become a gameplay programmer include a bachelor’s or master’s degree in computer science or a similar field and fluency in programming languages.

What does a Gameplay Programmer do?

A Gameplay Programmer is responsible for implementing the interactive elements of a video game, such as character controls, game rules, and mechanics. They work closely with designers and artists to turn creative concepts into playable features, ensuring that gameplay is both fun and functional. Their tasks often include writing code for player actions, AI behavior, and in-game systems, as well as debugging and optimizing game performance. Gameplay Programmers play a crucial role in shaping the overall experience and feel of a game.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Gameplay Programmer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Gameplay Programmer, you need a strong background in computer science, proficiency in programming languages like C++ or C#, and experience with game engines such as Unity or Unreal Engine. Familiarity with version control systems, debugging tools, and, in some cases, relevant certifications in game development is also valuable. Creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving are crucial soft skills for collaborating with designers and artists to bring game mechanics to life. These skills ensure the creation of engaging, efficient, and high-quality gameplay experiences that meet both technical and creative goals.

How does a gameplay programmer typically collaborate with designers and artists during game development?

Gameplay programmers work closely with designers to translate creative concepts into interactive mechanics, implementing features such as controls, rules, and character abilities. They also collaborate with artists to ensure animations, visual effects, and assets integrate smoothly with the codebase. Regular communication, prototyping, and iterative testing are crucial, as gameplay programmers often participate in multidisciplinary meetings and provide technical feedback to refine the player experience. This dynamic teamwork helps ensure that gameplay elements are both fun and technically feasible.
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Gameplay Programmer jobs near you
Senior Software Engineer, Avatar Animation

Senior Software Engineer, Avatar Animation

Roblox

San Mateo, CA

$139K - $183K/yr

Other

Posted 23 days ago

Job description

As Senior Software Engineer on the Avatar Animation team, you will leverage the Roblox game engine and tools to build groundbreaking experiences that push the boundaries of what is possible on the platform. Your efforts will not only help create amazing content, but more importantly, will help us highlight issues, improve and extend our animation tech, tools and pipeline for all developers. These efforts will enable our game developers to create engaging and delightful experiences for our millions of players.

We are looking for a software engineer who is passionate about animation and world class user experiences including both usability and performance.. You need to be proficient in C++ and have experience working on animation systems and tools. Prior experience with animation for games / interactive experiences is a huge plus.

You Will:
  • Help develop experiences that push the quality bar beyond what was previously thought possible on the platform
  • Analyze existing animation tech and tools and determine what is needed to meet a project's objectives
  • Author documentation on issues, improvements and feature requests for all aspects of character animation tech on Roblox
  • Work closely with gameplay engineers to implement gameplay interactions using animation tech
  • Implement innovative solutions to feature requests and collaborate with the Roblox avatar animation team on larger features
  • Have fun working with our internal content teams and community developers to improve the overall state of animation on Roblox
You Have:
  • 8+ years of experience for with knowledge of character animation, game engines and tools
  • Proficiency in C++: Strong C++ programming skills with an ability to write high quality, performant code; experience with Lua is a plus
  • Passion about interactive: You are driven to build amazing experiences with great animations for users on the platform
  • Foundation oriented mindset: You believe that strong 3D math skills and a well thought out code architecture are important
  • Performance focus: You embrace software performance considerations, with an ability to implement performant solutions for platforms including mobile
  • Personally Motivated: Self-sufficient, self-organized and able to take ownership of a project throughout its full lifecycle
  • A Team player mentality: Ability to work closely with and inspire the rest of your team while displaying excellent interpersonal and communication skills

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