Intermediate Gameplay Software Engineer (Unreal Engine 5)

Blackbird Interactive; Vancouver; Remote; CAD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A creative game studio is seeking an intermediate gameplay engineer to craft player experiences in Unreal Engine 5 projects. You will design and implement core gameplay features, optimize systems for performance, and mentor new engineers. Ideal candidates have 3+ years of experience in C++, a strong understanding of gameplay systems, and an educational background in Computer Science or a related field. This remote-friendly position requires Pacific-time overlap.

Benefits

Four-day work week

Flexible work arrangements

Qualifications

• 3+ years of professional experience using C++ in Unreal Engine 4 or 5.
• Experience shipping at least one commercial game featuring gameplay contributions.
• Strong focus on gameplay systems and player experience.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement core gameplay features such as movement, combat, and interactions.
• Create modular, data-driven gameplay systems.
• Collaborate with design, animation, and audio teams to iterate game mechanics.
• Optimize gameplay systems for performance and stability.
• Mentor associate engineers through code reviews.
• Propose tooling or workflow improvements based on UE5 subsystems.

Skills

C++

Unreal Engine 4 or 5

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Performance optimization

Education

BSc in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Perforce

Git

Job description

Blackbird Interactive is a creative-fueled, future-driven, independent game studio where the best talent in the industry can find long-term careers to help grow their abilities while working on a wide range of projects, which encompass world-class IPs as well as our own creations across multiple genres.

In 2022, we announced that our studio is implementing a four-day work week as well as supporting in-studio, remote within Canada, and hybrid work arrangements as permanent options to our employees.

Blackbird Interactive is a creative-fueled, future-driven, independent game studio where the best talent in the industry can find long-term careers to help grow their abilities while working on a wide range of projects. These include both world-class IPs and our own creations across multiple genres and platforms.

In 2022, we announced a four-day work week and fully support in-studio, remote (within Canada), and hybrid work arrangements as permanent options for all employees.

We’re looking for an intermediate gameplay engineer to help craft the core player experience in our Unreal Engine 5 projects. From movement to combat and progression systems, you’ll bring game mechanics to life in collaboration with designers, artists, and animators—owning features from prototype through ship.

This role is remote-friendly in Canada (Pacific-time overlap required).

What You’ll Tackle

• Core Gameplay Features – Design and implement player-facing systems such as movement, combat, traversal, interactions, and progression using C++ and Blueprints.
• System Design & Architecture – Create modular, data-driven gameplay systems that support rapid iteration and scale across PC and console platforms.
• Cross-disciplinary Collaboration – Work closely with design, animation, and audio teams to prototype mechanics, tune feel, and refine experiences through playtesting.
• Performance & Stability – Profile and optimize gameplay systems to meet performance and memory budgets, and contribute to stability through testing and debugging.
• Technical Mentorship – Share gameplay engineering best practices through code reviews and informal mentorship of associate engineers.
• Continuous Improvement – Stay up to date with UE5 subsystems (GAS, MassEntity, Chaos), propose tooling or workflow improvements, and help drive internal knowledge sharing.

You’ll Thrive Here If You…

• Have 3+ years of professional experience using C++ in Unreal Engine 4 or 5, with a strong focus on gameplay systems.
• Hold a BSc in Computer Science or a college diploma in software engineering, game programming, or a closely related field.
• Have shipped at least one commercial game featuring your gameplay contributions.
• Are passionate about prototyping, polish, and tight player control and feedback loops.
• Communicate clearly and value cross-functional collaboration.
• Are comfortable with Perforce, Git, or similar version control systems and modern profiling/debugging tools.

Bonus XP

• Experience with Gameplay Ability System, MassEntity, or Chaos physics.
• Familiarity with AI systems like Behavior Trees and EQS for reactive enemy/companion behaviors.
• Contributions to improving build pipelines, CI, or automated gameplay testing.
• Passion for accessibility, player expression, and inclusive game mechanics.