Technical Director

Grendel Games; Leeuwarden; Hybrid; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Grendel Games in Leeuwarden is seeking a Technical Director to lead the technical vision across ambitious serious games. You will balance hands-on Unity development with high‑level architectural decisions, guiding a talented engineering team to deliver scalable, high‑quality titles.

You’ll mentor engineers, establish best practices, ensure ISO and GDPR compliance, and oversee recruitment and performance reviews, while representing the studio in industry networks and shaping systems that enable

Qualifications

• Lead the technical direction and ensure engineering excellence.
• Balance hands-on Unity development with strategic leadership.
• Mentor engineers and manage performance, growth and wellbeing.
• Ensure ISO/GDPR compliance through proper procedures and documentation.

Responsibilities

• Define and communicate the high-level engineering vision and technical direction.
• Drive innovation and R&D initiatives, exploring new tools and technologies.
• Lead design and architecture decisions balancing quality, scalability and delivery.
• Oversee recruitment, interviewing and onboarding of engineers.
• Conduct performance reviews and provide regular feedback.

Skills

C++/C#

Architectural design

Leadership

Mentorship

People management

Communication

ISO/GDPR compliance knowledge

Tools

Unity

Job description

Location: Leeuwarden | Remote work: 2 days from home

Reports to: CEO

Who are we?

At Grendel, we create serious games that drive real change in healthcare, education, and sustainability. Our award-winning titles don’t just entertain—they make an impact.

We’re now looking for a Technical Director to lead the technical vision of our projects and guide our talented development team. You’ll balance hands‑on Unity development with high‑level architectural decisions, ensuring our technology supports both creativity and scalability. As the driving force behind our engineering excellence, you’ll mentor developers, define best practices, and shape the systems that keep our production smooth and future‑proof. Your leadership will empower the team to deliver high-quality, high-impact games that make a real difference.

Role Overview

The Engineering Lead is responsible for guiding the technical direction of our projects, ensuring engineering excellence, and supporting the growth and well‑being of the engineering team. This role combines hands‑on Unity development with strategic leadership, architectural decision‑making, and people management.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Define and communicate the high‑level engineering vision and technical direction.
• Drive innovation and R&D initiatives, facilitating experiments with new tools and technologies.
• Ensure technical decisions align with product goals and studio strategy.

Representation & Decision‑Making

• Serve as the voice of the engineering team in management and production meetings.
• Lead design and architecture decisions, balancing quality, scalability, and delivery needs.
• Conduct performance reviews (every 6–12 months) and provide regular feedback.
• Run engineering meetings and maintain open communication within the team.
• Oversee recruitment: reviewing applications, conducting interviews, and onboarding.
• Mentor and guide engineers in their career growth, supporting professional development.
• Foster team well‑being, engagement, and retention initiatives.

Compliance & Process

• Ensure ISO and GDPR compliance through proper procedures, documentation, and reporting.
• Maintain technical documentation and help improve development processes.

Production Work (Hands‑on Contribution)

• Contribute directly to Unity development, focusing on low‑level technical implementation and problem‑solving.

Professional Networking

• Represent the studio in the wider industry: network with peers, write technical articles, and give presentations to share knowledge and attract talent.

Technical Requirements

• Expert in C++/C# and Object‑Oriented Programming.
• Highly skilled at designing and implementing readable, maintainable, and extendable software systems.
• Proficient in implementing and debugging common algorithms (searching, sorting, decision‑making) and data structures (graphs, trees, hash tables).
• Fluent in vector mathematics and algebra.
• Broad experience with the Unity game engine, including architecture and optimization.
• Experienced in developing and releasing games for PC/Mac, web, and mobile platforms with a solid understanding of their different requirements.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as Lead Engineer, Senior Engineer, or similar technical leadership role.
• Strong leadership, mentorship, and communication skills.
• Experience balancing hands‑on development with strategic decision‑making.
• Familiarity with ISO/GDPR requirements and software development compliance practices is a plus.

Serious games are games with purposes beyond just entertainment. They contribute to learning and behaviour change.

Developing new habits or altering existing behaviours can be challenging, but what if the process could be enjoyable?

Inspire healthy eating habits through discovery and learning with Garfield in this fun game. It's not easy to make the right nutritional choices, especially if you don't know what they are.

Securing an internship in game design or programming is a thrilling yet competitive journey. With many talented candidates applying every year, standing out from the crowd can be challenging. If you're aiming for an internship at Grendel Games, you’re in the right place! In this post, we’ll walk you through how to stand out as a game design or programming intern by highlighting the skills we look for and how you can best showcase your passion for game development.

For several years, Blok Out allowed visitors to experience the Blokhuispoort in a unique, virtual way.

How can you motivate people to learn new healthy habits? By sending them on a challenging adventure where every new step is full of discovery.

Serious games are games with purposes beyond just entertainment. They contribute to learning and behaviour change.

Developing new habits or altering existing behaviours can be challenging, but what if the process could be enjoyable?

Inspire healthy eating habits through discovery and learning with Garfield in this fun game. It's not easy to make the right nutritional choices, especially if you don't know what they are.

Securing an internship in game design or programming is a thrilling yet competitive journey. With many talented candidates applying every year, standing out from the crowd can be challenging. If you're aiming for an internship at Grendel Games, you’re in the right place! In this post, we’ll walk you through how to stand out as a game design or programming intern by highlighting the skills we look for and how you can best showcase your passion for game development.

For several years, Blok Out allowed visitors to experience the Blokhuispoort in a unique, virtual way.

How can you motivate people to learn new healthy habits? By sending them on a challenging adventure where every new step is full of discovery.

Our awards are a testament to our collaborative spirit and dedication to quality. See how we create innovative serious games and contribute to the serious gaming landscape.

We are Grendel. With a versatile and international team we strive to make the world a better place by supporting life long learning through fun and immersive serious games.

Do you want to know more about the possibilities of serious games and gamification? Let’s discuss how we can help.