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Senior Game Developer Jobs in Washington, DC (NOW HIRING)

BLN24

Senior Application Developer

Mclean, VA · On-site

$97K - $133K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

Senior Application Developer (NOAA/AWIPS) Company: BLN24 About Us:We find strength in teamwork-a ... BLN24 benefits are game changing.We like our team to play hard and that means they need to be taken ...

BLN24

Senior Application Developer

Mclean, VA · On-site

$97K - $133K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

Job Title:  Senior Application Developer (NOAA/AWIPS) Company: BLN24 About Us: We find strength ... BLN24 benefits are game changing. We like our team to play hard and that means they need to be ...

iStrategyLabs

Senior Web Developer

Washington, DC

... arcade game for Nickelodeon's SpongeBob, or creating live streaming interactive games for ... ISL is looking for a skilled, hard-working Senior Web Developer to help build amazing experiences ...

iStrategyLabs

Senior Web Developer

Washington, DC · On-site

... arcade game for Nickelodeon's SpongeBob, or creating live streaming interactive games for ... ISL is looking for a skilled, hard-working Senior Web Developer to help build amazing experiences ...

Game Plan Tech

Software Engineering Manager

Reston, VA · On-site

Game Plan Tech is a mission-driven consulting and services firm helping government teams access ... Required : • Proven experience in a senior software engineering role with a track record of ...

Game Plan Tech

Security Engineer / ISSE

Washington, DC · On-site

Senior Security Engineer / ISSE Role Overview We are seeking an experienced Security Engineer to ... Why Game Plan Tech? Join a dynamic and growing team at Game Plan Tech, dedicated to empowering ...

Game Plan Tech

Security Engineer / ISSE

Washington, DC · On-site

Senior Security Engineer / ISSE Role Overview We are seeking an experienced Security Engineer to ... Why Game Plan Tech? Join a dynamic and growing team at Game Plan Tech, dedicated to empowering ...

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Senior Game Developer information

See Washington, DC salary details

$87.7K

$174.4K

$258.7K

How much do senior game developer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 13, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior game developer in Washington, DC is $174,426.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $148,900.00 and $199,300.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the typical responsibilities of a senior game developer?

As a Senior Game Developer, you are often responsible for designing core gameplay systems, writing and reviewing code, and ensuring technical quality across multiple components of the game. You will mentor junior developers, help establish development best practices, and work closely with artists, designers, and project managers to bring gameplay concepts to life. The role frequently involves troubleshooting complex issues, optimizing performance, and participating in strategic planning for current and future projects. Your work will have a significant impact on both the technical direction and overall success of the game, making collaboration and leadership important aspects of the job.

What is a senior game developer?

A Senior Game Developer is responsible for designing, developing, and optimizing game mechanics, systems, and features. They lead technical and creative aspects of game development, guide junior developers, and collaborate with designers, artists, and producers to ensure high-quality gameplay experiences. Their role often includes coding, debugging, performance optimization, and mentorship. Additionally, they contribute to architectural decisions, maintain best coding practices, and stay updated with industry trends.

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

To thrive as a Senior Game Developer, you need extensive experience in programming languages (such as C++, C#, or Java), a deep understanding of game engines (like Unity or Unreal Engine), and a strong portfolio demonstrating completed projects. Familiarity with version control systems (e.g., Git), collaborative development tools (such as JIRA or Perforce), and relevant certifications add to your technical proficiency. Leadership, problem-solving, and effective communication skills help you guide teams and collaborate across disciplines. These skills and qualities are vital for delivering polished games, driving innovation, and ensuring cohesive teamwork in a fast-paced industry.

What are the most commonly searched types of Game Developer jobs in Washington, DC?

The most popular types of Game Developer jobs in Washington, DC are:

What are popular job titles related to Senior Game Developer jobs in Washington, DC?

For Senior Game Developer jobs in Washington, DC, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Senior Game Developer jobs in Washington, DC look for?

The top searched job categories for Senior Game Developer jobs in Washington, DC are:

Senior Game Developer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Senior Game Developer job openings in Washington, DC as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 70% Full Time, 20% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 8% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 12% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $174,426 per year, or $83.9 per hour.

Senior Game Systems Programmer

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory

Laurel, MD • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 16 days ago

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory rating

9.6

Company rating: 9.6 out of 10

Based on 8 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

2nd of 73 rated research

Job description

Description
Are you a senior or staff-level systems programmer, engine programmer, or low-level C++ engineer who has built core technology for complex real-time software?
Do you enjoy shaping runtime architecture, improving performance, mentoring engineers, and turning difficult technical problems into reliable systems?
If so, we're looking for someone like you to join our team at APL.
We are seeking a senior game systems programmer to help us advance interactive 3D training and simulation capabilities for vital national security challenges. You'll join a multidisciplinary team moving ambitious ideas from early designs to robust game-engine-based capabilities. This is an opportunity to bring game-industry systems programming, engine architecture, and system performance into an environment focused on public service and long-term mission impact.
As a Senior Game Systems Programmer...
  • Your primary responsibility will be to architect, develop, test, and improve real-time software systems that support simulation, interactive 3D visualization, scenario execution, and training.
  • You will provide technical leadership for performance-sensitive C++ software involving engine systems, physics models, runtime architecture, distributed simulation, data flow, networking, interaction, or visualization.
  • You will define and evolve foundational systems such as state management, resource loading, streaming, serialization, platform abstraction, scenario control, synchronization, messaging, simulation execution, or data pipelines.
  • You will integrate game engines, custom software frameworks, physics models, simulation components, rendering systems, data sources, hardware interfaces, and external tools into reliable interactive capabilities.
  • You will profile, debug, and improve complex software systems across CPU, GPU, memory, networking, storage, latency, throughput, load time, and real-time frame-budget constraints.
  • You will mentor engineers, guide architecture and code reviews, communicate technical tradeoffs, and help the team build software that is performant, maintainable, testable, and usable.

Qualifications
You meet our minimum qualifications for the job if you...
  • Have a bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, computer engineering, game development, physics, mathematics, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
  • Have 8+ years of professional software development experience in game-engine systems, real-time simulation, visualization, interactive tools, engine development, graphics, distributed systems, robotics, extended reality, or related performance-sensitive software.
  • Have significant experience developing clear and maintainable, high-performance C++ software for real-time, interactive, simulation, engine, or other performance-sensitive applications.
  • Have experience designing software architectures for complex technical systems such as game engines, simulation systems, distributed applications, visualization platforms, interactive tools, robotics systems, or other real-time software platforms.
  • Have deep experience in one or more systems programming areas such as memory management, multithreading, job systems, streaming, serialization, networking, platform abstraction, resource management, rendering integration, physics integration, tools, build systems, data pipelines, or large-scale C++ architecture.
  • Have experience leading technical efforts, mentoring engineers, reviewing designs, communicating technical tradeoffs, and helping teams converge on practical, maintainable solutions.
  • Are willing and able to travel occasionally for meetings, demonstrations, integration events, or partner engagements.
  • Are able to obtai Interim Secret level security clearance by your start date and can ultimately obtain Secret level clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship.

You'll go above and beyond our minimum requirements if you...
  • Have senior or staff-level experience as a systems programmer, engine programmer, platform programmer, rendering programmer, tools programmer, physics programmer, networking programmer, or core technology programmer in the game industry.
  • Have experience with Unity, Unreal Engine, or proprietary, in-house, open-source, or custom real-time 3D engine technology.
  • Have experience with physics modeling, distributed simulation, multiplayer networking, state synchronization, deterministic simulation, scenario systems, terrain systems, geospatial visualization, or simulation-based training systems.
  • Have experience modernizing, refactoring, stabilizing, or extending large C++ systems while supporting active users, prototypes, interactive systems, or mission operations.
  • Have experience building tools, asset pipelines, debugging utilities, automated tests, build systems, or workflows used by engineers, analysts, designers, artists, or other technical users.
  • Hold an active Secret.

About Us
Why Work at APL?
The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) brings world-class expertise to our nation's most critical defense, security, space and science challenges. While we are dedicated to solving complex challenges and pioneering new technologies, what makes us truly outstanding is our culture. We offer a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere where you can bring your authentic self to work, continue to grow, and build strong connections with inspiring teammates.
At APL, we celebrate our differences of perspectives and encourage creativity and bold, new ideas. Our employees enjoy generous benefits, including a robust education assistance program, unparalleled retirement contributions, and a healthy work/life balance. APL's campus is located in the Baltimore-Washington metro area. Learn more about our career opportunities at https://www.jhuapl.edu/careers.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, occupation, marital or familial status, political opinion, personal appearance, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. APL is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals of all abilities, including those with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in any part of the hiring process, please contact Accessibility@jhuapl.edu.
The referenced pay range is based on JHU APL's good faith belief at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as geographic location, work experience, market conditions, education/training and skill level with consideration for internal parity. For salaried employees scheduled to work less than 40 hours per week, annual salary will be prorated based on the number of hours worked. APL may offer bonuses or other forms of compensation per internal policy and/or contractual designation. Additional compensation may be provided in the form of a sign-on bonus, relocation benefits, locality allowance or discretionary payments for exceptional performance. APL provides eligible staff with a comprehensive benefits package including retirement plans, paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, education assistance, and training and development. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Minimum Rate
$105,000 Annually
Maximum Rate
$290,000 Annually

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