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Junior Game Development Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

2K

Senior Financial Analyst

Novato, CA · On-site

$100K - $125K/yr

Our portfolio is brought to life by some of the most influential game development studios in the ... Guide and mentor junior staff members in technical aspects of their job, while building productive ...

2K

Senior Financial Analyst

Novato, CA · On-site

$100K - $125K/yr

Our portfolio is brought to life by some of the most influential game development studios in the ... Guide and mentor junior staff members in technical aspects of their job, while building productive ...

2K

Senior Combat Designer (AI archetype)

Novato, CA · On-site

$119K - $128K/yr

Fluent with game development tools, and experience with pipelines, standards and workflows ... A strong empathetic team member, able to take ownership over your tasks and mentor more junior ...

2K

Senior Combat Designer (AI archetype)

Novato, CA · On-site

$119K - $128K/yr

Fluent with game development tools, and experience with pipelines, standards and workflows ... A strong empathetic team member, able to take ownership over your tasks and mentor more junior ...

American Golf

PGA Junior Golf Instructor

Long Beach, CA · On-site

$75/hr

... game and the communities around it. We bring deep expertise in golf operations and club culture ... This role focuses on fostering skill development, sportsmanship, and a positive learning ...

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Junior Game Development information

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

To thrive as a Junior Game Developer, you need a solid understanding of programming languages (such as C++ or C#), basic game design principles, and a relevant degree or portfolio demonstrating your abilities. Familiarity with game engines like Unity or Unreal Engine, version control systems (e.g., Git), and possibly certifications in these tools are commonly expected. Creativity, problem-solving, teamwork, and effective communication are standout soft skills in this role. These competencies ensure you can contribute meaningfully to game projects, work collaboratively with other developers, and adapt to the fast-evolving demands of the gaming industry.

What are Junior Game Developers?

Junior Game Developers are entry-level professionals who assist in creating and programming video games. They typically work under the guidance of more experienced developers, contributing to tasks such as coding, debugging, and implementing game features. These roles often require foundational knowledge of programming languages like C# or C++, as well as familiarity with game engines such as Unity or Unreal Engine. Junior Game Developers also collaborate with artists, designers, and testers to help bring game concepts to life and ensure a smooth gameplay experience. It's a great starting point for building a career in the gaming industry.

What are some common challenges faced by junior game developers when transitioning from school projects to professional game development teams?

Junior game developers often find that moving from academic or personal projects to a professional studio environment requires adapting to collaborative workflows, strict deadlines, and established coding standards. In a team setting, communication and code integration become critical, and juniors may need to quickly familiarize themselves with proprietary tools or engines. Additionally, balancing creativity with project constraints is essential, as professional development often involves prioritizing tasks and iterating based on feedback. Embracing feedback and learning from more experienced colleagues can help juniors navigate these challenges and grow in the role.
What are the most commonly searched types of Game Development jobs in California? The most popular types of Game Development jobs in California are:
What are popular job titles related to Junior Game Development jobs in California? For Junior Game Development jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Junior Game Development jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Junior Game Development jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Junior Game Development jobs? Cities in California with the most Junior Game Development job openings:
Junior Game Development jobs near you
Infographic showing various Junior Game Development job openings in California as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 40% Full Time, and 60% Part Time. Highlights an 90% In-person, and 10% Remote job distribution.

Senior Gameplay Engineer, Game Studio

Netflix

Los Angeles, CA • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 28 days ago

Netflix rating

5.8

Company rating: 5.8 out of 10

Based on 15 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

68th of 75 rated media

Job description

Netflix is one of the world's leading entertainment services with 278 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, films and games across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can play, pause and resume watching as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, and can change their plans at any time.
The Role
Senior Gameplay Engineer, Game Studio
ABOUT OUR TEAM
We're a group of developers, artists, and storytellers who make games full of wonder, danger, and humor. Everyone at our studio, whether an industry vet or a new voice, impacts each game through collaborative feedback, mutual respect, and creative empowerment. If you want to make games that leave a meaningful impact on players, we want to hear from you.
We're looking for new teammates who deeply care about the work they do, the stories they tell, and the people they create with. As part of the Netflix team, we strive to hire the best and value integrity, excellence, respect, inclusion, and collaboration.
Learn how our story-loving game people came to join Netflix's team of game-loving story people.
ENGINEERING AT NIGHT SCHOOL
Software development is just as creative as other roles at Night School. Our engineering team highly values cross-disciplinary thinking. Creating great gameplay experiences requires engineers to not only imagine elegant, extensible, and optimized systems, but also to appreciate, communicate, and integrate with art, design, and narrative. Here, you'll flex your ingenuity and skill in multiple areas as needs arise, whether directly in our games, as part of a development support system, or as part of our in-house storytelling toolset, NightTools.
ABOUT THE ROLE
We're looking for a talented, driven, and passionate gameplay engineer to help us build the best experiences possible for our existing and upcoming games. As a Senior Gameplay Engineer, you will play a pivotal role in the design and development of gameplay mechanics that will define the player experience in our upcoming titles. We're seeking an experienced and highly motivated individual with proven experience in gameplay development, a keen eye for game design, and a passion for creating memorable gameplay experiences.
Responsibilities:
  • Collaborate closely with the design team to understand gameplay objectives and translate them into technical solutions.
  • Iterate with design to ensure those technical solutions "feel" right.
  • Optimize and maintain existing gameplay systems to ensure fluid and engaging player experiences.
  • Mentor and provide guidance to junior engineers, sharing your expertise in gameplay development.
  • Identify technical challenges and propose innovative solutions to overcome them.
  • Debug and resolve gameplay-related issues, ensuring high-quality and bug-free gameplay experiences.
  • Stay up-to-date with industry trends and emerging technologies to continually enhance our gameplay capabilities.

Skills & Requirements:
  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field (or equivalent work experience).
  • 7+ years of professional experience in gameplay development.
  • High proficiency with Unity.
  • Two or more published games for mobile, consoles, or desktop platforms.
  • Significant experience with C#.

About you:
  • Driven to maintain the highest-quality experiences for players.
  • Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to work independently as well as in a team.
  • Skilled at writing code that is elegant, extensible, and optimized.
  • A keen eye for design and the "feel" of a game.
  • Proficient at giving and receiving quality feedback.
  • Self-starter willing to seek out solutions and ask questions when necessary.
  • Mindful of the needs of a team as individuals and as a whole.

We are an equal-opportunity employer and celebrate diversity, recognizing that diversity of thought and background 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.

What Netflix employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom

Netflix logo

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

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