Real-Time Game Systems Programmer (C++, 3D Engine)

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory; Laurel (MD); On-site; USD 85,000 - 195,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Retirement contributions

Education assistance

Health insurance

Job summary

The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) seeks a game systems programmer to help build advanced training and simulation capabilities for national security challenges. You will join a multidisciplinary team creating game-engine-based tools for scenario execution, physics modeling, visualization, and mission planning.

You will design, develop, and optimize real-time software systems that support interactive 3D visualization, simulation control, and run-time state management while

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, computer engineering, game development, physics, mathematics, or related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• 1+ years of professional software development experience in game-engine systems, real-time simulation, visualization, interactive tools, robotics, extended reality, or related performance-sensitive software.
• Experience developing clear, maintainable C++ software for real-time, interactive, simulation, engine, or other performance-sensitive applications.
• Experience debugging and improving software using profilers, logs, traces, debuggers, memory tools, frame captures, or similar diagnostic techniques.
• Experience with memory management, multithreading, job systems, networking, streaming, serialization, asset loading, resource management, platform abstraction, physics integration, rendering integration, tools, build systems, or data pipelines.
• Willing to travel occasionally for meetings, demonstrations, integration events, or partner engagements.
• Eligible for Interim Secret level clearance by start date and eventual Secret level clearance; U.S. citizenship required.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, test, and improve real-time software systems that support simulation, interactive 3D visualization, scenario execution, and training.
• Build performance-sensitive software for engine systems involving runtime state, physics models, data flow, networking, input, visualization, or simulation control.
• Integrate game engines, simulation frameworks, physics models, data sources, and external tools into reliable interactive capabilities.
• Profile, debug, and improve software across CPU, GPU, memory, networking, latency, load time, and real-time frame-budget constraints.
• Contribute to runtime systems, tools, automated tests, data pipelines, debugging utilities, and workflows used by engineers and analysts.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teammates to understand user needs, communicate technical tradeoffs, and deliver software that supports training, experimentation, analysis, and mission planning.

Skills

C++

Game-engine systems

Real-time simulation

Performance-sensitive software

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent in CS/Engineering

Tools

Unity

Unreal Engine

Profilers

Memory tools

Job description

The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) seeks a game systems programmer to help build advanced training and simulation capabilities for national security challenges. You will join a multidisciplinary team creating game-engine-based tools for scenario execution, physics modeling, visualization, and mission planning.

You will design, develop, and optimize real-time software systems that support interactive 3D visualization, simulation control, and run-time state management while