Principal Engineer

Skydance; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 217,000 - 246,000; Full time

Job summary

Skydance in Austin, Texas is seeking a Principal Game Engineer to design and implement innovative game features using C++ and Unreal Engine. This role emphasizes collaboration with designers and artists, technical leadership, and mentoring other engineers. The ideal candidate has several years of experience in game development and excellent communication skills. The annual salary for this position ranges from $217,000 to $246,000, varying based on location and qualifications.

Qualifications

• Multiple years of professional experience with several shipped games.
• Extensive experience with Unreal Engine, modifying and creating custom tech.
• Deep understanding of modern game development challenges.
• Self-motivated and willing to contribute in other areas.
• Experience providing feedback and guidance to engineers.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement new game features using C++, Blueprints, and tools.
• Collaborate with teams to iterate on and refine key game systems.
• Take ownership of major systems, maintain schedules, and drive implementation.
• Guide technology development for use across multiple titles.

Skills

Unreal Engine

C++

Excellent communication skills

Team collaboration

Job description

Skydance Games, a division of Paramount, a Skydance Corporation, is creating the future of interactive entertainment across platforms and genres. Our teams are expanding beloved franchises with Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, pushing the limits of immersion, and shaping how we’ll deliver best‑in‑class games for years to come. We build our games through creativity, collaboration, and trust, empowering teams to take ownership, openly share ideas, and push the boundaries of what’s possible. Every project is built with these core values, turning bold visions into experiences that resonate with fans around the world. Do you want to craft games that challenge expectations and inspire players? Come build something extraordinary with us.

Skydance is looking for a Principal Game Engineer skilled in working with creative teams to architect key game features and frameworks. The Principal Engineer plays a critical role in driving innovation and ensuring that the organization stays at the forefront of technology trends. This role does not manage or have direct reports or responsible for employment decisions. The Principal Engineer is considered a craft/thought leader, responsible for technical leadership, mentoring, and guidance to other members of the team, and is recognized as an industry leader or master performer in exercising their competencies.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement new game features from scratch using a combination of C++, Blueprints, and other tools.
• Collaborate with designers, artists, and audio developers to iterate on and refine key game systems.
• Take ownership of major systems, maintain development schedules, and drive implementation tasks at all levels of complexity.
• Developing and guide technology development using modular approaches for use across multiple titles.

Qualifications

• Multiple years of professional experience with several shipped games.
• Extensive experience with Unreal Engine, modifying and creating custom tech to extend the engine’s feature set.
• Deep understanding of the challenges with modern game development, with proven history of building new technology to help teams overcome these challenges.
• Self‑motivated and self‑directing, willing to pitch in areas of development beyond direct responsibilities.
• Experience providing feedback and guidance to other engineers – helping them stay on track and true to the overall vision of the game.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.

The annual salary range for this position in Los Angeles is $217,000 – $246,000. The salary offered may vary based on the candidate’s location, qualifications, experience and relevant expertise, among other factors. The range indicated is for base salary only and does not reflect the total compensation package, including bonus, benefits, etc. We realize that skills and expertise can come from many different experiences and paths, and we encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet all of the requirements as written in the job description.