Lead Engineer, Game Systems

Absurd Ventures; Santa Monica; On-site; PHP 10,665,000 - 12,233,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation time

Health insurance

401(k) matching

Parental leave

Life insurance

Job summary

Absurd Ventures in Santa Monica, CA, is seeking a highly experienced Lead Engineer, Game Systems to drive the design, architecture, and implementation of core gameplay, progression, and economy systems. You will lead a team of gameplay engineers, partnering with design and production to deliver an immersive world with scalable systems.

The role emphasizes strong C++ expertise, engine knowledge, and leadership to mentor engineers, optimize performance, and deliver robust tooling and workflows for

Qualifications

• 7+ years of professional game development with focus on gameplay or systems engineering.
• Shipped at least one AAA title in a senior or lead systems role.
• Expertise in C++ and modern software engineering practices.
• Strong understanding of game engine architecture and gameplay systems development.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture, development, and maintenance of core gameplay systems (player control, NPC behavior, progression, economy, inventory).
• Collaborate with designers to translate goals into robust technical solutions and develop tooling for workflows.
• Mentor and guide a team of systems engineers and foster technical excellence and knowledge sharing.
• Own system performance and memory footprint; ensure cross-platform functionality and extensibility.
• Define and enforce coding standards, documentation, and architecture within the game systems team.
• Oversee tools/workflow design and coordinate with design leads on tool development.
• Participate in technical planning, task estimation, and milestone reviews.
• Debug and resolve complex game systems issues and contribute to stability and polish.

Skills

C++

Leadership

Communication

Game systems

Engine architecture

Tools

Unreal Engine

Job description

We areseekinga highly experienced and collaborative Lead Engineer, Game Systems to help drive the design, architecture, and implementation of core gameplay, progression, and economy systems. AsLeadEngineer, Game Systems, you are passionate about developing scalable, performant, and engaging systems that empower designers and enhance the player experience.Directa team of gameplay engineers andwork closely with design, production, and other engineering teams to bring a rich, responsive, and immersive world to life.

Core Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture, development, and maintenance of core gameplay systems, including but not limited toplayer control, NPC behavior,traversal, mission logic, progression,economyand inventory.
• Collaborate with designers and other stakeholders to translate design goals and specs into robust, extensible technical solutions.Design and develop a suite of tools to meet design workflow needs.
• Mentor and guide a team of systems engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence, accountability, and knowledge sharing.
• Own systems performance and memory footprint, working to ensure functionality and compatibility across multiple platforms, as well as long term extensibility.
• Define and enforce best practices for coding standards, documentation, and architecture within the game systems team.
• Oversee tools and workflow for game systems.Coordinate with designleads on tool and workflow design.
• Participate in technical planning, task estimation, and milestone reviews.
• Debug and resolve complex game systems issues and contribute to ongoing game stability and polish.

Core Qualifications

• 7+ years of professional game development experience with a focus on gameplay or systems engineering.
• Shipped at least one AAA title in a senior or lead systems engineering role.
• Expertisein C++ and strong knowledge of modern software engineering practices.
• Strong understanding of game engine architecture and modern gameplay systems development.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience leading technical teams and managing cross-disciplinary collaboration.
• Passion for crafting exceptional player experiences through gameplay systems.

Plus If...

• Experience with Unreal Engine 4 or 5.
• Familiarity with multiplayer game systems, replication, and network optimization.
• Knowledge of scripting languages (e.g., Blueprint, Lua,Angelscript, etc.) and their integration with game systems.
• Prior experience with open-world games or systemic gameplay projects.

Description

• Full-time job with benefits.
• Role is on-site in Santa Monica, CA.
• Office islocatednear downtown Santa Monica – near metro and freeways.

The base pay range for this position is $170,000 to $195,000 per year. Actual compensation is based on market location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. We also offer a competitive package of benefits including vacation time, sick time, company holidays, parental leave, medical/dental/vision insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, and 401(k) matching to regular full-time employees. Certain roles may also be eligible for bonus and equity.