Job Summary:
AGBO is an artist-led independent studio founded by Anthony and Joe Russo, recognized for shaping the future of film and television. They are seeking a Principal Gameplay Engineer to work within their Interactive team, focusing on core gameplay systems and collaborating with design and creative leadership to tackle ambitious creative challenges.
Responsibilities:
โข Serve as the primary technical owner and subject matter expert for gameplay systems across major game features.
โข Architect, implement, and iterate on complex, high-quality gameplay systemsโsuch as character mechanics and emergent gameplay loops.
โข Collaborate directly with creative and design leadership to translate ambitious game design vision into robust, performant engineering solutions.
โข Help drive technical strategy and establish engineering standards for gameplay development across the team.
โข Contribute engine-level improvements, optimizations, and custom systems as required to support the unique needs of the projects.
โข Mentor senior, mid-level, and junior engineers; conduct rigorous code reviews and elevate overall code quality.
โข Proactively identify and resolve deep technical challenges, including performance bottlenecks, system complexity, and architectural risk.
โข Work cross-functionally with other engineering disciplines to ensure gameplay systems integrate cleanly with the broader tech stack.
โข Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
Required:
โข 10-15 years of experience in game engineering, with significant time focused on gameplay systems; multiple shipped titles required.
โข Exceptional C++ skills and expert-level command of Unreal Engine internals (UE4 and/or UE5).
โข Experience with live service games.
โข Demonstrated engine-level experience: custom subsystems, engine modifications, deep profiling and optimization, or similar.
โข Deep expertise in gameplay systems, complex character mechanics, and interactive world systems.
โข Proven ability to define and lead technical architecture at a project or studio level.
โข Strong instincts for gameplay feel, iteration, and design collaborationโable to bridge the gap between design intent and technical execution at a high level.
โข Excellent communication skills; able to articulate complex technical concepts to both engineering and non-engineering stakeholders.
โข Experience leading or mentoring engineering teams in a high-growth or studio environment.
Company:
AGBO creates intellectual property universes spanning film, TV, audio, and interactive experiences. Founded in 2017, the company is headquartered in Los Angeles, USA, with a team of 11-50 employees. The company is currently Early Stage.