Lead Gameplay Engineer (Gamedev)

TL;DR

Lead Gameplay Engineer (Gamedev): Providing technical leadership for gameplay systems and managing a small team of engineers. Focus on owning the implementation and evolution of player-facing gameplay features, supporting design iteration, and guiding engineering best practices.

Location: Must be based out of Austin, TX

Salary: $172,683.00 to $258,957.00

Company

hirify.global connects people around the world through play and imagination with games like Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons.

What you will do

• Lead, mentor, and manage a team of gameplay engineers, supporting growth, performance, and day-to-day execution.
• Provide technical direction and hands-on implementation across core gameplay systems.
• Collaborate closely with Game Design to translate gameplay concepts into scalable, maintainable systems.
• Guide implementation decisions to ensure gameplay systems are performant, extensible, and production-ready.
• Review code, establish best practices, and support consistent engineering standards across gameplay features.
• Partner with the Technical Director and other leads on planning, estimation, and technical decision-making.

Requirements

• 7+ years of professional experience as a Gameplay Engineer on shipped games.
• Prior experience leading or managing engineers in a gameplay-focused team.
• Strong C++ experience with Unreal Engine gameplay systems.
• Experience collaborating closely with design and content teams.
• Ability to balance hands-on development with people leadership.
• Strong communication skills and technical judgment.

Nice to have

• Experience leading gameplay development during early pre-production or foundational systems phases.
• Background working on action or systems-heavy games.
• Familiarity with gameplay systems that must operate reliably across multiple players or shared game states.
• Experience collaborating across engineering, design, and animation teams to deliver complex gameplay features.

Culture & Benefits

• Health & Wellness: Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Time Off to Recharge: Paid Vacation & Holidays
• Financial Well-being: Generous 401(k) Match
• Life & Family Support: Paid Parental Leave
• Giving Back: Volunteer & Employee Giving Programs
• Level Up Your Skills: Tuition Reimbursement