Lead Gameplay Programmer

Playdawn; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading gaming company in Abu Dhabi seeks an experienced Lead Gameplay Programmer to lead core gameplay development for a AAA game project. Responsibilities include mentoring a team, defining coding standards, and collaborating with design to ensure high-quality gameplay. The ideal candidate has at least 10 years of gaming programming experience, with strong expertise in Unreal Engine and proven leadership capabilities. This position offers competitive compensation and an opportunity to work in a collaborative environment.

Benefits

Competitive compensation

Long-term growth opportunities

Qualifications

• 10 years of gameplay programming experience.
• 3 years in a senior or lead role.
• Expert-level skills in C and Unreal Engine frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of gameplay programmers.
• Define coding standards and gameplay architecture.
• Collaborate with design to create scalable gameplay systems.

Skills

Unreal Engine expertise

Gameplay programming

Leadership

Debugging

Performance optimization

Job description

Lead Gameplay Programmer (Unreal Engine)

Location: Abu Dhabi
Employment Type: Full-Time On-site

Role Summary

We are looking for an experienced Lead Gameplay Programmer with strong expertise in Unreal Engine (UE4/UE5) and gameplay systems design. This role is responsible for leading the development of core gameplay mechanics, player controls, systems architecture, and game features for a high-quality AAA game project.

You will lead a team of gameplay engineers, set technical standards, and work closely with design, animation, and other engineering teams to deliver scalable, responsive, and high-performance gameplay for mobile and browser platforms.

This is a senior leadership role with clear ownership of gameplay feel, responsiveness, and depth.

Key Responsibilities

• Gameplay Systems Leadership
  • Lead, mentor, and guide a team of gameplay programmers.
  • Define coding standards, best practices, and gameplay architecture.
  • Work closely with game designers to turn creative ideas into solid, scalable gameplay systems.
• Core Gameplay Development
  • Design, build, and optimize gameplay mechanics, player systems, match logic, AI behaviors, and feature modules.
  • Develop responsive player controls, camera systems, physics-based interactions, and gameplay frameworks.
  • Create modular and reusable systems that support fast iteration and live updates.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
  • Work closely with Design, Animation, Tech Art, VFX, Engine, and QA teams.
  • Integrate gameplay systems with animation blueprints, UI, networking layers, and engine-level features.
  • Provide technical input during planning, prototyping, and production phases.
• Performance Stability & Quality
  • Profile and optimize gameplay code for performance on mobile and browser platforms.
  • Ensure gameplay systems are stable, scalable, and easy to maintain.
  • Lead debugging efforts, performance reviews, and code quality checks throughout development.

Required Skills & Experience

• 10 years of experience in gameplay programming.
• 3 years in a senior or lead gameplay programming role.
• Expert-level C skills with deep knowledge of Unreal Engine gameplay frameworks (UE4/UE5).
• Proven experience shipping gameplay systems in live titles (mobile, PC, or console).
• Strong understanding of:
  • Character movement and control systems
  • Input handling
  • Camera mechanics
  • Animation integration
  • Physics-based gameplay
• Strong experience working with designers to turn specs into polished gameplay.
• Deep knowledge of performance optimization, debugging, and profiling tools.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and mentoring skills.

Nice to Have

• Experience with multiplayer gameplay systems or networked logic.
• Background in sports games or character-driven, physics-heavy gameplay.
• Familiarity with AI behavior trees, animation state machines, or ability systems.
• Experience with browser-based technologies or WebAssembly runtimes.
• Prior experience working on AAA or large-scale game productions.

Why This Role

• Lead gameplay development for a next-generation AAA Unreal Engine project.
• High ownership and direct impact on core gameplay controls and player experience.
• Work in a highly collaborative environment where engineering quality and design excellence matter.
• Competitive compensation and long-term growth opportunities.

Please note: This position is for one of Playdawns clients and successful candidates will be hired directly by the client, not by Playdawn.

Our client is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. They are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities regardless of race, color, religion, gender, age, disability, or other protected characteristics. They believe that diversity fuels innovation and creativity and they strive to create an environment where everyone can thrive and contribute to shared success.