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Lead Game Developer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Lead Game UX/UI Designer

Santa Monica, CA · On-site

$150K - $190K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

As the Lead Game UI/UX Designer, you will be responsible for creating intuitive and visually ... Collaborate with game designers, artists, and engineers to ensure UI/UX meets project requirements.

Lead Game UX/UI Designer

Santa Monica, CA

$150K - $190K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

As the Lead Game UI/UX Designer, you will be responsible for creating intuitive and visually ... Collaborate with game designers, artists, and engineers to ensure UI/UX meets project requirements.

Game Director (Multiplayer)

Washington, DC · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Art, Engineering, and Production to ensure smooth operations on a live title. Report to the GM of ... lead or management role, including cooperative or competitive multiplayer systems design and ...

New

Lead Engineer, Game Systems

Santa Monica, CA · On-site +1

$170K - $195K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

As Lead Engineer, Game Systems, you are passionate about developing scalable, performant, and engaging systems that empower designers and enhance the player experience. Direct a team of gameplay ...

Lead Engineer, Game Systems

Santa Monica, CA · On-site

$170K - $195K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

As Lead Engineer, Game Systems, you are passionate about developing scalable, performant, and engaging systems that empower designers and enhance the player experience. Direct a team of gameplay ...

Working alongside a focused team of product managers, engineers, and scientists, you will conceive ... Key job responsibilities - Lead the definition, design, and delivery of innovative AI-powered ...

Principal Game Designer, RBKS AI

Hawthorne, CA · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Key job responsibilities - Lead the definition, design, and delivery of innovative AI-powered ... engineering teams to integrate player-facing AI features - personalization, adaptive content, and ...

Showing results 21-40

Lead Game Developer information

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$10

$64

$88

How much do lead game developer jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 19, 2026, the average hourly pay for lead game developer in the United States is $64.33, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $56.73 and $74.28 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a lead game developer?

Lead Game Developers are experienced professionals who oversee the development of video games, managing both the technical and creative aspects of projects. They coordinate teams of programmers, artists, designers, and other developers to ensure that the game is completed on time and meets quality standards. Their responsibilities often include project planning, task delegation, problem-solving, and serving as the primary point of contact between team members and upper management. Lead Game Developers need strong leadership, communication, and technical skills to guide their teams through complex development cycles.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a lead game developer?

To thrive as a Lead Game Developer, you need advanced programming skills, deep knowledge of game design principles, and experience managing development teams, typically supported by a degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with game engines like Unity or Unreal Engine, source control systems, and possibly certifications in project management are highly valuable. Exceptional leadership, communication, and problem-solving abilities distinguish top performers in this role. These skills ensure cohesive team collaboration, efficient project delivery, and the creation of high-quality, engaging games.

How does a lead game developer typically collaborate with other departments during a project's lifecycle?

A Lead Game Developer works closely with artists, designers, producers, and quality assurance teams to ensure that the game's vision is executed consistently across all departments. They often facilitate regular meetings to align technical goals with creative direction, resolve cross-functional challenges, and communicate project updates. Effective collaboration involves balancing technical feasibility with creative ideas, making compromises when needed, and ensuring that the team stays on schedule. This role requires strong interpersonal skills and the ability to translate between technical and non-technical stakeholders.
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What cities are hiring for Lead Game Developer jobs?

Cities with the most Lead Game Developer job openings:

Who are the top companies hiring for Lead Game Developer jobs?

The top employers for Lead Game Developer jobs are:

Infographic showing various Lead Game Developer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 88% Full Time, 9% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 90% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $133,813 per year, or $64.3 per hour.

Senior Product Manager - Enterprise AI for Game Development

Nvidia Corporation

Santa Clara, CA • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 11 days ago


Nvidia rating

9.6

Company rating: 9.6 out of 10

Based on 17 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

7th of 245 rated software companies


Job description

We are looking for a product leader to define and take to market NVIDIA's enterprise solutions for game development. NVIDIA hardware and technology powers the world's most ambitious games - both in runtime technologies such as RTX rendering and AI game characters, but also in AI and accelerated computing technologies used to build and operate games. These span from workstations and servers used to power artist, game developer, and AI developer workflows, to generative AI technology for content creation, coding agents, and QA, to accelerated data science libraries for anti-cheat, anti-toxicity, and matchmaking.
Working alongside our business development and content management teams, this role will define and package enterprise solutions, position them, and help land them inside the world's top game developers and publishers. Success in this role will enable game studios to build better games, get them to market faster, and operate them more efficiently for hundreds of millions of gamers!
What you'll be doing:
  • Drive product strategy, feature requirements, roadmap, and go-to-market for the enterprise game developer product and technology portfolio.
  • Understand how studios build, ship, and operate games, and where NVIDIA should invest in products and technology to address market needs.
  • Lead a cross-functional team of engineering, developer relations, developer marketing, business development, and sales account managers to ship features, launch products, and grow adoption.
  • Partner with ISVs and engine developers to integrate NVIDIA enterprise technology natively into production workflows.
  • Work closely with OEM partners shipping enterprise solutions to drive go to market into the game development industry.
  • Own positioning, messaging, tradeshow strategy, and sales enablement.
  • Build personas, user journeys, and industry-specific narratives.
  • Build technical demos, trade-show narratives, and case studies working with lighthouse studios.

What we need to see:
  • 8+ years of combined product management and product marketing experience, with meaningful time on game developer tools, game technology, graphics, or AI products.
  • Deep familiarity with modern game development workflows: real-time rendering, asset pipelines, build and test infrastructure, and live ops.
  • First-hand experience as a game developer, engine programmer, technical producer, or related role- you have shipped real content or code and can hold your own in a technical conversation with a studio's principal engineer.
  • Knowledge of at least one major game engine (Unreal, Unity, or a proprietary AAA engine).
  • Strong written and verbal communication; able to translate deep technical material into crisp positioning for studios, executives, press, and partners.
  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Game Development, or equivalent experience.
  • Ability to work in the Santa Clara, CA office.

Ways to stand out from the crowd:
  • Background in enterprise developer platforms, on-prem AI deployments, or workstation/server product lines used by studios.
  • Established relationships across the game development community - studios, publishers, and engine teams.

NVIDIA is widely considered to be one of the technology world's most desirable employers. We have some of the most forward-thinking and hardworking people in the world working for us. If you're creative and autonomous, we want to hear from you!
Your base salary will be determined based on your location, experience, and the pay of employees in similar positions. The base salary range is 168,000 USD - 258,750 USD for Level 4, and 208,000 USD - 327,750 USD for Level 5.
You will also be eligible for equity and benefits.
Applications for this job will be accepted at least until June 13, 2026.
This posting is for an existing vacancy.
NVIDIA uses AI tools in its recruiting processes.
NVIDIA is committed to fostering an inclusive work environment and proud to be an equal opportunity employer. As we highly value diversity in our current and future employees, we do not discriminate (including in our hiring and promotion practices) on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status or any other characteristic protected by law.

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About Nvidia

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

NVIDIA has been transforming computer graphics, PC gaming, and accelerated computing for more than 25 years. It's a unique legacy of innovation that's fueled by great technology--and amazing people. Today, we're tapping into the unlimited potential of AI to define the next era of computing. An era in which our GPU acts as the brains of computers, robots, and self-driving cars that can understand the world. Doing what's never been done before takes vision, innovation, and the world's best talent.

Industry

Computer and electronic product manufacturing

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Santa Clara, CA, US

Year founded

1993