Backend Developer (M/F/D)

Hello! We’re Maschinen-Mensch, an independent game studio founded in 2014 in Berlin, Germany. We made Curious Expedition 1 & 2 and Codecks.io.

We are working on a new game IP set in imaginative caves of an alien world. This will be a cooperative multiplayer game made with Unreal Engine 5, where players interact both in shared social spaces hosted on AWS Gamelift dedicated servers, and via peer-to-peer gameplay sessions.

You will be part of a small, agile team in a creative environment. Together with the Technical Director, you will implement the backend systems required to support the multiplayer aspects of the game. You will also work with the design team to support their vision for the game’s progression systems. Required is that you have previous experience working as a Backend Developer, and that you enjoy problem-solving, working in a team, creating new worlds, and working self-sufficiently.

Your responsibilities:

• Implement and maintain a Node.js TypeScript server application that handles Authentication, Matchmaking, Session Management, and integration with AWS GameLift for a cooperative multiplayer game
• Support game features that require integration with a persistent inventory backend by implementing a RESTful API for the game to communicate with
• Manage the AWS Gamelift configuration and the Node.js cloud architecture to ensure a stable launch that scales according to the size of the player base, and keeps running costs low
• Run both stress tests and closed beta tests with the community during development
• Support integration of platform-specific online features as required for the different target platforms (PC & Consoles)
• Develop features for the Unreal game client, both for supporting the online features and general gameplay features, writing both c++ and Blueprint code

Requirements:

• Living in or willing to relocate to Germany
• Expert knowledge of Node.js and TypeScript
• Experience implementing RESTful APIs
• Good knowledge of c++
• Shipped at least one web application before
• Experience with using cloud compute resources, such as AWS EC2
• Understanding of Infrastructure as Code processes, such as AWS CloudFormation
• Fluent in English

Nice to have:

• Experience with AWS Gamelift
• Experience with Unreal Engine and Blueprint scripting
• Experience with MongoDB and/or Parse Platform
• Shipped a multiplayer online video game

What we offer:

• A relaxed, family-friendly, no crunch policy working environment
• Being part of a small, diverse, international team
• Competitive salary
• 25 days paid yearly vacation
• The opportunity to work on a brand-new game and IP from an early stage

Working remotely is possible from anywhere within Germany. If you’re based in Berlin (or willing to relocate) that’s definitely a plus, so that we can work together in person. Our studio is located at Saftladen, an indie game collective and co-working space for game developers that we co-founded in 2015.

We particularly encourage applications from women, people with disabilities, people of colour, and other groups that are underrepresented throughout the game industry.

Earliest start date: August 2023

If you are interested in working with us, send your CV and links to examples of your work to jobs@maschinen-mensch.com