About the role
Company Overview
Mad Head Games are unconventional creators of action games for PC and consoles. Over the past decade, they have pioneered the local game development scene with the ambition of becoming a regional leader. The company utilizes Unreal Engine for its projects, including Scars Above (a 3rd-person sci-fi shooter), Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival (a first-person action horror survival game), and an unannounced AAA title based on a famous, beloved IP. The company operates across offices in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Sarajevo, and supports remote work within the EMEA region.
Responsibilities
- Understand project game design and ensure technical alignment.
- Ensure code maintainability and control technical debt.
- Define team work processes, including code reviews, autotests, JIRA ticket granularity, and meetings.
- Take ownership of complex UI systems built on Unreal Engine.
- Plan and delegate team tasks based on priorities, capacity, and deadlines while maintaining realistic workloads.
- Track team progress and facilitate collaboration and communication with other departments.
- Provide mentorship, support individual growth, and career development through knowledge sharing and 1-on-1 meetings.
- Provide constructive performance feedback and participate in evaluation processes.
- Keep the team informed on goals, priorities, and project changes.
- Ensure the technical design quality of gameplay features.
- Ensure a reasonable velocity for new feature production.
- Prevent bugs that interfere with playtesting by game designers.
- Act as the primary point of contact for UI feature implementation and collaborate with producers and game designers.
- Assess roadmap feasibility for gameplay features and escalate risks.
- Plan team capacity and collaborate with the recruitment team for hiring.
Candidate Requirements
- Shipped at least one AA or AAA game for PC/Consoles as a Lead UI Programmer.
- 5+ years of experience in the AAA industry within a Gameplay Programming department.
- Proven experience leading a team of programmers in a relevant area.
- Experience with the design and implementation of UI systems.
- Strong knowledge of C++ programming language, including experience outside of Unreal Engine.
- Problem-solving mindset with the ability to anticipate risks and address issues proactively.
- Self-motivated and driven, with the ability to identify problems and execute solutions.
- Excellent written and verbal English communication skills.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience working with UI animation systems.
- Unreal Engine experience (Blueprints, Unreal UI Systems, Common UI, Input system, GAS).
- Strong understanding of collaborative pipelines between design and programming teams.
Benefits and Perks
Compensation and Working Conditions
- Competitive industry-standard salary.
- Flexible work modes including hybrid, office-based, and remote options.
- Flexible working hours.
- Referral program for hiring.
Time Off and Leave
- 25 days of vacation.
- Company-wide annual leave in January.
- Short-term sick leave.
- Additional remote days.
- Paid time off for significant life events (childbirth, weddings, bereavement).
- A month of 4-hour workdays for staff returning from maternity leave.
Growth and Environment
- Ongoing education and training (conferences, classes, workshops, courses).
- Opportunity to work with senior professionals and talent.
- Upbeat workplace environment.
- Collaboration across offices and international teams.
- Working alongside teams from Sabre (developers of Space Marine, Warhammer, and WWZ).
On-Site Benefits
- Premium private medical insurance.
- Team-building and personalized team-bonding events.
- Participation in startup, tech, and gaming ecosystem community events.
- Fitness support (allowance for gym/pool/sport activities).
- Office refreshments (coffee, fruits, snacks).
- Company merchandise and gifts.
*Benefits may vary depending on location and contract type.