Senior Engine Programmer

Cast Iron Games; Wakefield; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Flexible hours

Professional development support

No crunch culture

Early leave on project milestones

Job summary

Cast Iron Games, based at Tileyard North, seeks a Senior Engine Programmer to own core engine systems, improve performance, and ship high-quality games without crunch. You will work across memory, threading, IO, and asset management, collaborating with engineering, design and production to deliver scalable solutions.

The role emphasizes mentoring less experienced developers, influencing long-term architecture decisions, tooling improvements, and maintaining high engineering standards in a calm,

Qualifications

• Strong C++ experience within large game codebases.
• Deep understanding of memory management and multithreading.
• Experience profiling and debugging complex systems.
• Familiarity with console/PC platform requirements.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and maintain core engine systems.
• Improve engine performance, memory usage, scalability, and stability.
• Develop tools and workflows that improve team productivity.
• Collaborate across engineering, design, art and production.

Skills

C++

Memory management

Multithreading

Performance optimisation

Profiling & debugging

Console and PC platforms

Perforce

Jira

Tools

Perforce

Jira

Job description

At Cast Iron Games, we build technically ambitious games in a calm, focused environment, where every team member has a voice. Based in Tileyard North, we collaborate with high quality partners on high- quality projects, guided by clarity, consistency, and mutual respect.

We're a young and growing studio delivering AAA games. Our experienced team has contributed to some of the industry's biggest AAA and independent titles, and we're building a supportive, balanced environment where great work happens without crunch.

The Role

As a Senior Engine Programmer, you'll work on the foundational systems that power game development. You'll develop and maintain core engine technology, improve performance and scalability, and build systems that enable teams across engineering, design, art, and production to work effectively.

You'll be trusted to own complex technical problems, contribute to long-term architecture decisions, and mentor less experienced developers.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and maintain core engine systems
• Improve engine performance, memory usage, scalability, and stability
• Develop tools and workflows that improve team productivity
• Work across systems including memory, threading, IO, streaming, asset management, and platform support
• Debug complex technical issues across large codebases
• Collaborate with multiple disciplines to support project requirements
• Contribute to technical planning, estimation, and architecture discussions
• Mentor junior and mid-level programmers through reviews and knowledge sharing
• Help maintain engineering standards and best practices

What We're Looking For

Technical Experience

• Strong C++ programming experience within large game codebases
• Strong understanding of memory management, multithreading, and performance optimisation
• Comfortable working with proprietary technology and solving complex technical challenges
• Experience profiling and debugging complex technical issues
• Familiarity with console and PC platform requirements
• Comfortable using Perforce and Jira

Ways of Working

• Comfortable owning complex systems from design through delivery
• Able to balance short‑term development needs with long‑term maintainability
• Strong communicator across technical and non-technical disciplines
• Proactive in identifying risks and proposing solutions

Bonus Points

• Experience shipping games using proprietary engines
• Familiarity with platform compliance and certification requirements
• Experience building internal tools and development pipelines
• Knowledge of rendering systems or graphics architecture
• Experience working with external partners or co‑development teams

Why Cast Iron Games

• A people‑first studio with a clear focus on craft, clarity, and collaboration
• A high‑trust team where experience is valued and voices are heard
• A respectful, experienced team with a strong engineering culture
• The opportunity to ship performance‑optimised, cross‑platform games you're proud of
• Projects that offer real variety. Different game engines, new challenges, constant growth
• Creative surroundings at Tileyard North, with a supportive creative community
• Competitive salary, flexible hours and professional development support
• Opportunities to lead with clarity, autonomy, and real impact
• No crunch. No egos. Just good code, good people and good games

What to Expect / Key Benefits

• Start your day any time between 8:00am and 10:00am
• 35 working hours per week with a 1‑hour lunch break (with the opportunity to flex down to 30 minutes or up to 2 hours)
• 25 days annual leave + 8 days bank holiday
• 1 day leave for your birthday and 1 day leave if you're moving house
• Length of service increases are 1 day per year of service up to maximum of 8 additional days
• Up to 8 days discretionary annual leave during our end of year break
• Potential for annual performance bonus
• Free breakfast options, juice, hot drinks and fruit
• Employee referral bonus (up to £2000!)
• Group Life Assurance – 4 x annual salary payable to nominated beneficiaries through an expression of wishes form.
• Income Protection – covers you up for up to 50% of monthly salary for 2 years (after a 26 week deferred period, i.e. when SSP runs out)
• Critical Illness Cover – lump sum of 1 x annual salary on diagnosis of a critical illness
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• EV & Hybrid Car Scheme
• Tech Purchase Scheme – split the cost of Tech or Home electronics through salary deduction, interest free
• Healthcare Cash plan – claim back the cost of everyday healthcare, dental, physio, chiropractor, opticians, podiatry etc
• Private Medical Insurance with Vitality
• Reward Gateway with cashback and discounts on 900+ retailers
• Employee Assistance Programme including Virtual GP service
• Wellbeing Centre based on Mind, Move, Munch and Money