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Lead Gameplay Programmer - Vehicle (Multiplayer Action)

A visionary game development studio founded in 2012, Firesprite builds innovative showcase titles for PlayStation platforms as part of the PlayStation Studios family.

Would you enjoy the freedom to create AAA games working from anywhere in the UK, including our Liverpool studio?

We are looking for a Lead Gameplay Programmer for Vehicles to join the early development of a new, AAA, Unreal 5 multiplayer action game. This bold project aims to break new ground in multiplayer, blending gameplay mechanics in new ways and deeply embedding storytelling elements into a unique universe. We’re building an elite, diverse first-party team and this is your opportunity to help shape a future blockbuster!

As the Lead Gameplay Programmer for Vehicles, you will be responsible for developing and maintaining vehicle gameplay mechanics and their overall architecture. Reporting to the Associate Technical Director for Gameplay, you will be working on next gen platforms to deliver a rich, polished vehicle gameplay experience.

We expect Leads to be a Line Manager for other programmers and take full ownership of game systems design and delivery. As a Lead Programmer, you will be responsible for the development and well-being of your programming team - able to identify promotion opportunities and track the team members’ personal goals. You will drive the very best from your team, ensuring timely completion of tasks and striving to meet or exceed project goals. Lead programmers are expected to be hands-on and be able to balance their day-to-day programming tasks alongside the line management tasks as necessary.

Key Responsibilities:

• Work with your Team members to prototype, implement, iterate and polish new and existing vehicle gameplay mechanics and associated systems.
• Ensure your team produce robust, efficient, clear and maintainable code, while striving to reduce technical debt across the game.
• Respond to design feedback to help meet the creative vision of the game.
• Provide constructive input to and feedback on potential new features during the initial design, prototyping, iteration and polish stages.
• Be a point of contact for other Programming Lead coders for the systems your team create and maintain.
• Take responsibility for, and ownership of the work of shipping a game, such as debugging awkward crashes, profiling and optimising code, and performing diligent testing of changes.
• Mentor more junior programmers.
• Oversee the complete design, implementation and delivery of vehicle game systems by your team.

Requirements

• Excellent knowledge of, and experience of programming in C++.
• Prior experience working on vehicle dynamics and related systems.
• Learning specific areas of and debugging issues in large and complex C++ based codebases, that utilise custom tools and engines.
• Experience profiling and optimising CPU performance of real-time oriented systems.
• Strong software engineering knowledge, such as OOP, design patterns & API development.
• High confidence working with 3D maths, vectors, matrices, linear algebra.
• The ability to write and optimise solid, robust and maintainable game code that respects agreed development guidelines.
• Demonstrable experience in a similar role, ideally with experience of working with and a passion for gameplay mechanics concerning action games.

Additional or Desired Skills:

• An intuition for, and interest in, ‘game feel’.
• Approachable, with a proactive attitude towards cross discipline communication.
• A willingness and desire to learn, adapt and work outside of your comfort zone.
• Self-motivated, and able to self-manage and prioritise own workload.
• Experience with Unreal Engine is a plus.
• Experience with Console development is a plus.

Benefits

• Private Healthcare Plan
• Bonus Scheme
• Enhanced Holiday Allowance
• Pension Plans
• Work From Home
• Training & Development
• Employee Assistance Programme - Counselling

Firesprite is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

We welcome and encourage applications from all suitable applicants regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.