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Internship Game Engine Programmer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Studio Wildcard

Sr. Engine Programmer

Bellevue, WA · Remote

We are looking for a Senior Engine Programmer, a true tinkerer at heart who wants to get their ... Debug and patch complex gameplay and engine-level vulnerabilities to shut down client-side exploits ...

Bitwise Alchemy LLC

Senior Engine Programmer

TX · Remote

Our growing team has decades of experience in AAA video game development building and leading large projects. We are looking for a Senior Engine Programmer to work with us on exciting initiatives ...

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Internship Game Engine Programmer information

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$11K

$92.6K

$173.5K

How much do internship game engine programmer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 21, 2026, the average yearly pay for internship game engine programmer in the United States is $92,636.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $24,000.00 and $145,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does an internship game engine programmer do?

An Internship Game Engine Programmer assists in developing and maintaining the core technology that powers video games, known as game engines. They work under the guidance of senior programmers to write code, fix bugs, and implement features that help games run smoothly. Interns may work on rendering, physics, tools, or other engine components, often collaborating with artists and designers. This role is a great opportunity to gain hands-on experience with industry-standard software and development practices.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an internship game engine programmer?

To thrive as an Internship Game Engine Programmer, you need a strong foundation in programming languages like C++ or C#, computer science fundamentals, and knowledge of game development concepts. Familiarity with popular game engines such as Unity or Unreal Engine, and experience with version control systems like Git, are typically required. Problem-solving ability, teamwork, and effective communication are crucial soft skills for collaborating on complex projects. These skills and qualities are important to efficiently contribute to game development tasks and adapt to the dynamic, fast-paced environment of the gaming industry.

What types of projects and responsibilities can an internship game engine programmer expect to work on during their internship?

As an Internship Game Engine Programmer, you can expect to assist in developing, optimizing, and maintaining core engine systems such as rendering, physics, or scripting tools. Interns often work on specific tasks like debugging code, creating prototypes, and supporting feature implementation under the guidance of senior engineers. Collaboration with artists, designers, and other programmers is common, providing exposure to the full game development pipeline. This hands-on experience helps interns build technical skills and gain insight into production workflows, setting a foundation for future roles in game development.

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

AspectInternship Game Engine ProgrammerGame Engine Developer
CredentialsTypically pursuing or recently completed relevant degree or courseworkUsually holds a bachelor's or master's degree in computer science or related field
Work EnvironmentInternship setting, learning-focused, often part-time or temporaryFull-time, professional environment, ongoing projects
ResponsibilitiesAssisting in engine development, debugging, learning toolsDesigning, developing, optimizing game engine features
Industry UsageCommonly used as entry-level or learning role in game studiosCore role in game development teams, more advanced tasks

The main difference between an Internship Game Engine Programmer and a Game Engine Developer is experience level and responsibility. Internships are learning positions with limited responsibilities, while developers are full-time professionals handling complex engine development tasks.

What cities are hiring for Internship Game Engine Programmer jobs?

Cities with the most Internship Game Engine Programmer job openings:

What are the most commonly searched types of Game Engine Programmer jobs?

The most popular types of Game Engine Programmer jobs are:

What states have the most Internship Game Engine Programmer jobs?

States with the most job openings for Internship Game Engine Programmer jobs include:

Internship Game Engine Programmer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Internship Game Engine Programmer job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 93% Full Time, 3% Part Time, 3% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 93% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $92,636 per year, or $44.5 per hour.

Sr. Engine Programmer

Studio Wildcard

Bellevue, WA • Remote

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 22 days ago

Job description

Studio Wildcard, creators of the smash indie hit ARK: Survival Evolved, was founded in 2014. ARK has become one of the most successful cross-platform indie titles ever and continues to break industry records. We are looking for a Senior Engine Programmer, a true tinkerer at heart who wants to get their hands dirty diving deep into the low-level C++ architecture of Unreal Engine. This is a role meant for a highly motivated problem-solver who wants to be in the trenches writing code and building foundational tech.

Reporting directly to the Chief Technical Officer, you will be responsible for wrestling with core engine performance, memory management, multithreading, and networking. This is a systems-heavy role for a hardcore, generalist engineer who thrives on solving complex, high-stakes architecture problems and possesses a deep understanding of the engine's core infrastructure.

Responsibilities can include:

  • Dive into the Unreal Engine C++ source code to implement complex refactors and engine upgrades that support massive open-world gameplay.
  • Develop and optimize multiplayer networking, driving high-performance replication architectures like RepGraph for massively multiplayer environments.
  • Optimize low-level engine code specifically for modern console hardware (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S), managing console-specific memory constraints, threading, and performance targets.
  • Architect and maintain robust Online Subsystem (OSS) integrations, ensuring seamless matchmaking, session management, and backend communication utilizing Epic Online Services (EOS) across Steam, Epic, Xbox, and PlayStation networks. 
  • Develop internal tools and extend engine features decreasing iteration times, supporting development, and improving various pipelines for a massive creature-survival franchise.
  • Debug and patch complex gameplay and engine-level vulnerabilities to shut down client-side exploits and maintain strict server authority in a multiplayer environment.
  • Perform periodic memory tracking, deep performance analysis, load time analysis, and critical race condition/deadlock fixes.
  • Manage and optimize large-scale asset pipelines, packaging, and streaming architectures to handle the massive data footprint of a dense open-world survival game. 

Requirements:

  • 5+ years of professional C/C++ software engineering experience in the games industry.
  • Deep, hands-on experience modifying and extending the Unreal Engine 4/5 source code.
  • Proven ability to manage deep integrations between gameplay systems and core engine code.
  • Expertise with Visual Studio C++ debugging (including remote debugging and attaching to live/editor processes), as well as advanced performance profiling tools like Unreal Insights, Superluminal, or Intel VTune Amplifier. 
  • Strong understanding of multithreading, job systems, and low-level memory management.
  • Deep experience working with version control platforms, specifically Perforce.
  • Ability to work core hours of 10:00 AM PST to 4:00 PM PST.
  • Willingness to be on-call for live issue firefighting and to crunch around critical shipping periods to support major content launches.

Pluses:

  • Shipped titles credited as a Senior Engine Programmer, Lead Engineer, Principal Engineer, or similar technical role.
  • Experience with highly distributed and scalable backend services or persistence storage architectures.
  • Familiarity with continuous integration, deployment, and distributed build automation systems, specifically Horde.
  • Familiarity with the ARK franchise (Survival Evolved / Survival Ascended).

Required Application Materials:

  • Resume
  • Cover Letter including:
    • Why you are interested in this role
    • Why are you interested in working for Studio Wildcard
    • What other games are you currently playing

About The Studio 

Studio Wildcard was founded in 2014 by industry veterans Jeremy Stieglitz and Jesse Rapczak, with the mission of bringing AAA quality to ambitious indie productions designed for core gamers. With countless years of combined industry experience across multiple independent and studio-backed titles, Wildcard's core team continues to grow, with offices in Redmond, WA and Gainesville, FL including distributed team members across multiple continents.


About The Game

ARK: Survival Evolved takes on the survival genre with a unique blend of emergent multiplayer cooperation and competition. Players must hunt, harvest, craft, research technology, and build shelters to protect against punishing climate conditions, dangerous wildlife, and potential enemies. Tame and ride one of nearly 100 prehistoric beasts, including gargantuan creatures on a scale never before seen in video games! Fly a Pterodactyl squadron over the snow-capped mountains, race through the deep jungle with a pack of trained Raptors, tromp through a fortified enemy base along a convoy of gigantic Brontosaurus, or chase down prey on the back of a raging T-Rex.


Equal Opportunity Employer
Wildcard is an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, or any other characteristics protected by applicable laws, regulations or ordinances. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodations due to disability during the application or the recruiting process, please let us know.  


Pay Transparency Information
The expected annual base pay range(s) for this position vary based on a variety of factors, which include: (but aren't limited to) skills, competencies, qualifications, knowledge, and experience. Each pay range is only relevant to those residing in WA state and can vary based on geographical location. 


Wildcard Benefits
We pay 100% of all premiums for the employee and discounted rates for dependent premiums. Our coverage includes Medical (3 different plans to choose from), Dental, Vision, Short Term and Long Term Disability, Life Insurance, 401(k) option, 100% covered Parental Leave, PTO, Paid Holidays, Unlimited Sick Time, and FSA/ HSA options