ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Principal Gameplay Programmer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Tolan

Principal Gameplay Engineer - Unity

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$200K - $300K/yr

The Role We're hiring a Principal Gameplay Engineer to define and own the core interactions of the Tolan world and the moment-to-moment "juice" that makes the app feel alive. You'll obsess over the ...

Skydance

Principal Engineer

Skydance Games, a division of Paramount, is building the future of franchise-driven interactive entertainment. They are seeking a Principal Game Engineer to architect key game features and frameworks ...

Skydance

Principal Engineer

Seattle, WA · Hybrid

$217K - $246K/yr

Skydance Games , a division of Paramount, a Skydance Corporation, is building the future of ... The Principal Engineer plays a critical role in driving innovation and ensuring that the ...

Skydance

Principal Engineer

Austin, TX · On-site +1

$217K - $246K/yr

Skydance Games , a division of Paramount, a Skydance Corporation, is building the future of ... The Principal Engineer plays a critical role in driving innovation and ensuring that the ...

Skydance

Principal Engineer

Austin, TX · Hybrid

$217K - $246K/yr

Skydance Games , a division of Paramount, a Skydance Corporation, is building the future of ... The Principal Engineer plays a critical role in driving innovation and ensuring that the ...

Skydance

Principal Engineer

Seattle, WA · Remote

$217K - $246K/yr

Skydance Games , a division of Paramount, a Skydance Corporation, is building the future of ... The Principal Engineer plays a critical role in driving innovation and ensuring that the ...

Skydance

Principal Engineer

Santa Monica, CA · Remote

$217K - $246K/yr

Skydance Games , a division of Paramount, a Skydance Corporation, is building the future of ... The Principal Engineer plays a critical role in driving innovation and ensuring that the ...

Skydance

Principal Engineer

Austin, TX · Remote

$217K - $246K/yr

Skydance Games , a division of Paramount, a Skydance Corporation, is building the future of ... The Principal Engineer plays a critical role in driving innovation and ensuring that the ...

Tencent

Lead Gameplay Engineer

Irvine, CA · On-site +1

$147K - $343K/yr

Experience performing in a senior or principal software engineering role or equivalent * Ability to collaborate with other engineers, designers, artists and other game developers * Ability to work ...

LightSpeed Studios

Lead Gameplay Engineer

Irvine, CA · On-site +1

$147K - $343K/yr

Experience performing in a senior or principal software engineering role or equivalent * Ability to collaborate with other engineers, designers, artists and other game developers * Ability to work ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

People also search for

All JobsPrincipal Gameplay Programmer Jobs

Principal Gameplay Programmer information

See salary details

$110K

$122.6K

$133K

How much do principal gameplay programmer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 6, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal gameplay programmer in the United States is $122,589.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $117,500.00 and $127,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.
More about Principal Gameplay Programmer jobs
What cities are hiring for Principal Gameplay Programmer jobs? Cities with the most Principal Gameplay Programmer job openings:
What states have the most Principal Gameplay Programmer jobs? States with the most job openings for Principal Gameplay Programmer jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Principal Gameplay Programmer jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Principal Gameplay Programmer jobs are:
Principal Gameplay Programmer jobs near you

Principal Gameplay Engineer - Unity

Tolan

San Francisco, CA • On-site

$200K - $300K/yr

Full-time

Posted 16 days ago

Job description

Tolan is an Embodied Companion - a cute AI alien you talk with naturally, like a friend. Tolans have their own personality and preferences, and over time form memories about you, your life, and your shared friendship.
We're an experienced team that previously founded Even, acquired for $300M in 2022. Tolan is backed by the designers and founders behind Instagram, Retro, Behance, Vimeo, and Notion. Our team works hard, with an emphasis on autonomy and ownership. We're building together in-person in downtown SF.
The Role
We're hiring a Principal Gameplay Engineer to define and own the core interactions of the Tolan world and the moment-to-moment "juice" that makes the app feel alive. You'll obsess over the stuff users notice instantly (even if they can't name it): snappy easing, micro-animations, secondary motion, haptics, camera shake, VFX, anticipation/overshoot, responsive UI motion - think "game feel" in the Super Meat Boy/Balatro/Hades sense: tight, expressive, and beautiful. You'll work shoulder-to-shoulder with Product and Creative, turning rough ideas into playable prototypes and putting them in front of people constantly.
What You'll Do
  • Rapidly develop prototypes of new features, iterate quickly, and ship to users.
  • Own "feel" across everything 3D - including character interactions, navigation, and world moments.
  • Add impact and delight with tiny details that make everything feel reactive and alive.
  • Collaborate tightly with Product, Design, and Creative to translate "vibes" into concrete behaviors and tuning knobs.
  • Create juicy systems that can be quickly and easily deployed across multiple areas of the app.
Who We're Looking For
  • Indie feel. You've shipped experiences where the magic comes from timing, simplicity, and cohesion.
  • Unity or Unreal fluency. You're comfortable working in either engine at a high level.
  • Hands-on systems thinker. You prefer being a hands-on developer who can think systemically while nailing the details.
  • Polish obsessed. You love spending time on timing curves, easing, responsiveness, visual feedback, and tactile feel.
  • Prototype pusher. You can take a rough prototype and push it to "wow" through iteration and tasteful restraint.
  • Tight feedback loops. You're energized by showing prototypes early and often.
Bonus points if you:
  • Have experience with procedural animation and physics-based motion.
  • Have a strong eye for VFX/UI motion and can make things feel premium without being noisy.
  • Enjoy working in stylized worlds where personality beats realism.
  • Have built or tuned character controllers, interaction systems, or expressive character behaviors.

Compensation: $200,000-300,000 base salary + equity + benefits

Apply