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Lead Unity Game Developer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Gameplay Engineer II

Irvine, CA · On-site

$125 - $150/hr

What the Role Entails Lightspeed LA is seeking a talented and enthusiastic gameplay engineer to ... Unity. * Experience with game console hardware. * Understanding of game asset pipelines.

Lead Graphics Engineer

Irvine, CA · On-site

$200 - $250/hr

LightSpeed LA is seeking a talented and enthusiastic Lead Graphics Engineer to join our new studio ... LIGHTSPEED STUDIOS is a leading global game developer, with teams across China, United States ...

Senior Machine Learning Engineer

Mountain View, CA · On-site +1

$123K - $169K/yr

We're looking for a Senior Machine Learning Engineer to lead the development of these foundational AI systems within the Unity engine, empowering creators to build smarter, more responsive in-game ...

Senior Gameplay Engineer

Irvine, CA · On-site

$150 - $200/hr

Collaborate directly and proactively with engineers, designers, artists, and QA to explore and ... as Unreal or Unity. * Experience with game console hardware. * Understanding of game asset ...

Showing results 41-60

Lead Unity Game Developer information

What cities in California are hiring for Lead Unity Game Developer jobs?

Cities in California with the most Lead Unity Game Developer job openings:

Infographic showing various Lead Unity Game Developer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 86% Full Time, 10% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 91% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution.

Lead Engineer, Game Systems

Santa Monica, CA • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 21 days ago


Job description

Job Summary:
Absurd Ventures is seeking a highly experienced and collaborative Lead Engineer, Game Systems to help drive the design, architecture, and implementation of core gameplay, progression, and economy systems. In this role, you will lead a team of gameplay engineers and work closely with design and production teams to create engaging systems that enhance the player experience.
Responsibilities:
• Lead the architecture, development, and maintenance of core gameplay systems, including but not limited to player control, NPC behavior, traversal, mission logic, progression, economy and inventory.
• Collaborate with designers and other stakeholders to translate design goals and specs into robust, extensible technical solutions. Design and develop a suite of tools to meet design workflow needs.
• Mentor and guide a team of systems engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence, accountability, and knowledge sharing.
• Own systems performance and memory footprint, working to ensure functionality and compatibility across multiple platforms, as well as long term extensibility.
• Define and enforce best practices for coding standards, documentation, and architecture within the game systems team.
• Oversee tools and workflow for game systems. Coordinate with design leads on tool and workflow design.
• Participate in technical planning, task estimation, and milestone reviews.
• Debug and resolve complex game systems issues and contribute to ongoing game stability and polish.
Qualifications:
Required:
• 7+ years of professional game development experience with a focus on gameplay or systems engineering.
• Shipped at least one AAA title in a senior or lead systems engineering role.
• Expertise in C++ and strong knowledge of modern software engineering practices.
• Strong understanding of game engine architecture and modern gameplay systems development.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience leading technical teams and managing cross-disciplinary collaboration.
• Passion for crafting exceptional player experiences through gameplay systems.
Preferred:
• Experience with Unreal Engine 4 or 5.
• Familiarity with multiplayer game systems, replication, and network optimization.
• Knowledge of scripting languages (e.g., Blueprint, Lua, Angelscript, etc.) and their integration with game systems.
• Prior experience with open-world games or systemic gameplay projects.
Company:
Absurd Ventures is an entertainment firm that creates new intellectual property across various channels. Founded in 2021, the company is headquartered in Santa Monica, USA, with a team of 51-200 employees. The company is currently Growth Stage.