Senior Programmer

Frontier; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation support

Flexitime

Cycle to Work

Private healthcare

Social activities

In-house catering

Free bike servicing

Job summary

Frontier in Cambridge is seeking a Senior Gameplay Programmer to join Planet Coaster 2. You will program primarily in C++, work with our Cobra engine, and help deliver high-quality, cross-platform experiences.

You will collaborate with designers, QA and other programmers, mentor juniors, and contribute to long-term maintainable systems. The role offers relocation support and a hybrid in-studio schedule.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering complex game features in released titles.
• Strong C++ programming skills and modern techniques.
• Experience with large codebases and maintainable architectures.
• Proficient profiling and optimisation for CPU and memory.
• Ability to collaborate across designers, QA and other disciplines.

Responsibilities

• Architect and develop game features and systems.
• Collaborate with team members and discipline leads.
• Design and implement efficient, well-documented code.
• Ensure usability, scalability, and long-term maintenance.
• Guide junior programmers and provide code feedback.
• Create and maintain project-wide documentation.
• Participate in project reviews and meetings.

Skills

C++

Gameplay programming

Large codebase

Profiling & optimisation

Cross-discipline collaboration

Problem solving

Self-improvement

Tools

Cobra engine

Job description

Frontier is an independent video game developer and publisher, crafting immersive gaming experiences with fun gameplay and unparalleled artistic quality. Renowned for its iconic creative management simulation games, Frontier captivates players worldwide with immersive and authentic game worlds. The modern studio is located in the vibrant technology hub of Cambridge (UK). The talented team at Frontier are dedicated to nurturing our existing portfolio and delivering our exciting future roadmap.

This role is offered on a full in-studio basis or a hybrid basis (minimum 3 days per week in the studio). We can provide a comprehensive relocation support package as part of any offer, should you need to relocate.

WHAT'S THE ROLE?

We are looking for a Senior Gameplay Programmer to join our Planet Coaster 2 team and play an important role in delivering quality experiences to our players. Joining an established and diverse team, you will bring experience, expertise, curiosity and energy to the development of our games. You will program primarily in C++ working with our in-house Cobra engine and cross-platform game code.

As part of our development team, you will have a fantastic opportunity to apply, expand and share your expertise in modern game development techniques, and help push the boundaries of the current generation of gaming platforms. You will be collaborating with a talented team of programmers working on game features alongside specialists across multiple disciplines. You will also collaborate with game designers and QA testers on tuning the player experience.

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of the team behind our multi-million-selling, cross-platform titles and help us continue delivering exceptional gaming experiences to our players.

WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING

• Architecting and developing game features and systems.
• Collaborating effectively with team members and discipline leads.
• Designing and implementing technology using structured, efficient, maintainable, and well-documented code.
• Considering the impact of systems on other disciplines and projects, ensuring usability, scalability, and support for long-term maintenance.
• Guiding more junior programmers and providing feedback on their code, documentation and approach to game development.
• Creating and maintaining project wide documentation for more complex systems, features and workflows.
• Participating in, contributing to, and occasionally leading aspects of project reviews and meetings, as required.

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

• A track record in the development of complex game features in released titles.
• Excellent problem solving and programming skills using modern C++.
• Experience working in a large codebase with the ability to adapt to established methods.
• Proficient profiling and optimisation skills for CPU performance and memory usage.
• Experience of cross-discipline collaboration with game designers and content creators.
• A genuine passion for video games.
• A desire to be part of a world class team and contribute to its continued success.
• A proactive approach to collaborative learning and knowledge sharing with colleagues.
• A drive to expand your existing expertise in game development, and a passion for continued learning and self-improvement.

BONUS IF YOU HAVE

• Experience working with a proprietary game engine.
• Familiarity providing technical direction to teams for the development of core systems, game features or workstreams.
• Experience managing or mentoring other programmers to support their growth.
• Cross-platform development experience on shipped titles, including consoles (Xbox, PlayStation, etc.).
• Working knowledge of an entity component system.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

You will work with talented and passionate people to support, develop or publish our sophisticated and enduring games, in a creative, collaborative and inclusive environment. We love what we do, and we work hard to provide outstanding experiences for our players.

Wellbeing is a big focus at Frontier, and we are continually evolving how we can support our people. We encourage a healthy work/life balance and provide a range of wellbeing activities, initiatives and sessions to support both mental and physical health.

We offer a competitive salary and benefits package, which includes a success-based annual bonus, share option schemes, life assurance, private family healthcare, flexitime working hours, enhanced maternity/paternity leave, in-house subsidised catering, support with relocation, a Cycle to Work scheme, free bike servicing, and social activities and events.

We strive to create an environment where everyone can fully demonstrate their capability and potential. If you therefore need any reasonable adjustments to support you during the recruitment process, please speak to your Talent Acquisition representative.

For queries, please email: [e-mail]