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Lead Gameplay Engineer
1 year ago
Archetype Entertainment is a new game studio in Austin, Texas led by industry veterans from BioWare and other AAA studios. Archetype is a division of Wizards of the Coast (Hasbro). We are building a development team with world-class talent to create a new science fiction universe for our first multiplatform roleplaying video game.
Our goal is to create the greatest story-driven roleplaying games in the world.
At Archetype, we believe there will always be a place for story-driven roleplaying games that put the player at the center of an epic personal narrative with impactful choices. We also believe that game studios should empower top developers and challenge them with ambitious projects that are shaped by a strong, clearly communicated creative vision.
We chose Austin because it is a great place to live and work. Austin is the capital of Texas and is a fast-growing city with a vibrant music scene, cosmopolitan culture, a world-class university (the University of Texas at Austin -- “Hook ‘em Horns!”), and scenic rolling hills. It was recently voted the #1 place to live in America for the third year in a row — based on affordability, job prospects, and quality of life.
We are seeking a Lead Gameplay Engineer to join the team for our first game project. The Lead Gameplay Engineer will be responsible for gameplay-related software systems (both run-time and tools) in the game. These include combat, narrative, and character related systems and will apply expertise in general gameplay, physics, animation, and AI programming. Impact from this senior role is not limited to those areas, and we expect the person that fills it to span to many areas of the game. In collaboration with the project’s Technical Director, they will help develop and lead the gameplay engineering team. This role partners with colleagues of all disciplines on the project to deliver gameplay systems that create an extraordinary player experience.
We’re looking for someone who holds gameplay quality above all else and can create high-quality, adaptable technical designs and software. This role works in direct partnership with our design team. The person in this position reports to the Technical Director.
What You’ll Do
- Responsible for all gameplay-related software systems on the project.
- Designs, develops, writes, tests, and implements gameplay system code and content- authoring tools. Contributes to other areas of the game as required.
- Works with designers, artists and other teammates to heavily influence creative outcomes and ensure software solutions match requirements and improve content team productivity.
- Grows and develops a team of gameplay engineers and oversees their work.
- Fluent in authoring technical design documents at a senior/principal engineer level. Authored code serves as a model of high-quality for team.
- Writes clear, performant, maintainable, portable code.
- Accurately estimates schedules and delivers high quality results.
- Anticipates and mitigates risks related to gameplay systems.
- Mentors less-senior engineers within the team.
- Responsible for reviewing code of other engineers.
What You’ll Bring
- B.S. degree in computer science, software engineering, or related technical field.
- 8+ years of experience in software development, with a focus on building gameplay systems across many aspects of a video game.
- 4+ years of Unreal Engine experience
- Experience leading the efforts of a team of software engineers.
- Experience collaborating with designers and implementing data-driven solutions for large games.
- Ability to identify and solve large and sophisticated problems creatively without guidance.
- Strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills required.
- Excellent time management and organizational skills.
- Excellent analytical and mathematical skills.
We are an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer
The above is intended to describe the general content of and the requirements for satisfactory performance in this position. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of the duties, responsibilities, or requirements of the position.
We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
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