About the role
Role Summary
The Gameplay Engineer supports the implementation and maintenance of gameplay features, game systems and supporting integrations across internal projects and co-development partnerships. The role combines practical programming skills with experience in backend services, data management and development tools to deliver reliable, maintainable functionality. The role will initially support a shared-world multiplayer adventure, contributing to gameplay systems and their connections to supporting tools and services. Responsibilities and project assignments will evolve as existing projects develop and new projects are commissioned.
Responsibilities
- Implement and maintain scoped gameplay features and game systems in line with agreed designs and coding standards.
- Collaborate with designers and other engineers to translate gameplay requirements into achievable implementation tasks.
- Connect gameplay features and UI functionality to underlying game data and supporting services.
- Develop and maintain integrations between game systems, backend services and internal tools.
- Support user account functionality and associated data flows, following project requirements for data handling and access.
- Implement and maintain JSON serialisation, deserialisation and validation for structured game and service data.
- Support systems for storing, retrieving and managing user-generated content data.
- Contribute to development tools, automation and DevOps workflows that improve integration and delivery.
- Investigate, reproduce and resolve defects, working with QA to verify fixes and check for regressions.
- Write maintainable code, participate in code reviews and document relevant systems and workflows.
- Communicate progress, dependencies and technical risks, escalating complex issues to senior engineers when needed.
Essential Qualifications
- 5 years’ relevant software development experience, including work on game systems, backend services, tools or integrations.
- Practical programming skills in C++ and C#, with experience using Java and TypeScript for backend systems or supporting tools.
- Familiarity with Unreal Engine 5 and custom game engines, including working within existing codebases and development workflows.
- Practical understanding of gameplay implementation, with the ability to contribute to well-defined features under technical guidance.
- Experience developing or maintaining backend functionality, including user accounts and service integrations.
- Experience with JSON serialisation and structured data management, including validation and error handling.
- Practical experience supporting data workflows for user-generated content.
- Experience building or maintaining development tools, automation or integrations that support team delivery.
- Strong debugging and problem-solving skills, with the ability to investigate issues across connected components.
- Ability to collaborate across disciplines, respond constructively to code review and deliver agreed engineering tasks.
Desirable Qualifications
- Experience supporting online multiplayer games or projects with ongoing content and service updates.
- Experience implementing UI features and connecting interfaces to game systems or service data.
- Experience refining gameplay functionality through testing and feedback from designers and QA.
- Experience with continuous integration, deployment workflows and development environment configuration.
- Familiarity with automated testing, service logging and diagnostics.
- Experience working within a co-development team and adapting to shared coding standards and delivery processes.
- Previous shipped title(s) or experience supporting released software and services.
Employment Terms
- Location: UK Remote or West Midlands-based.
- Type: Full-Time Contractor.
- Visa Sponsorship: Not available.
Company Culture and Benefits
- Join a friendly, nurturing work environment with the opportunity to build games as part of a studio focused on collaboration.
- Work on market-leading AAA titles and IP with globally reputable studio and publisher partners.
- Be part of a sustainably growing game developer studio.
- Learn within an independent studio across a wide range of projects and opportunities both internal and external.
- Equal opportunities employer committed to inclusion and diversity.
Application Instructions
- Submit portfolio and cover letter.
- Samples from previous works with another studio must be cleared for release by copyright owners.
- Links to an online portfolio are preferred; showreels accepted via Dropbox or other secure sharing platforms.
- Applications are stored on a private cloud-based system for recruitment purposes.