Senior Engineer

Socket.dev; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 160,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Side is seeking a Senior Engine & Graphics Engineer to advance Unreal Engine 5 rendering and graphics across multiple game projects. You will work hands-on across engine, rendering, and low-level systems to push visual fidelity while keeping performance in check on target platforms.

Ideal candidates are senior engineers who thrive autonomously, own complex challenges, mentor peers, and collaborate with clients and leadership to deliver impactful technical solutions.

Qualifications

• Senior/lead/principal level with game engine and graphics experience.
• Expert knowledge of Unreal Engine 5, rendering systems and profiling.
• Strong GPU/graphics fundamentals, shaders and pipelines.
• Excellent C++ skills and low-level engine experience.
• Ability to work autonomously and deliver solutions with minimal direction.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and optimisation of core engine, rendering, and graphics systems within Unreal Engine 5.
• Profile, analyse, and resolve CPU, GPU, memory, and platform performance challenges.
• Collaborate with gameplay engineers, technical artists, and content teams to remove bottlenecks.
• Own performance strategy and establish best practices across projects.
• Contribute hands-on to engine-level development, rendering pipelines, graphics features, and low-level systems.
• Serve as a senior technical advisor to internal teams and clients.
• Identify technical challenges early and drive solutions with minimal oversight.
• Mentor engineers and champion engineering excellence through code reviews.

Skills

Unreal Engine 5

C++ programming

Graphics programming

Performance profiling

Engine systems

Mentoring

Cross-functional collaboration

Job description

At Side, we work alongside some of the world's leading game developers to solve complex technical challenges and bring exceptional player experiences to life. As our projects continue to grow in scale and technical ambition, we're looking for a Senior Engine & Graphics Engineer with deep expertise in Unreal Engine 5, rendering systems, and performance optimisation.
This is a highly senior, hands‑on engineering role suited to someone who enjoys getting close to the hardware, diagnosing difficult performance problems, and building elegant technical solutions. You'll work across engine, rendering, and graphics systems, helping teams maximise visual fidelity while ensuring games run efficiently across target platforms.
We're looking for an engineer who thrives on autonomy, takes ownership of complex challenges, and proactively drives improvements without needing constant direction. You'll be trusted to identify issues, propose solutions, and work closely with project leadership, clients, and development teams to deliver meaningful technical impact across multiple projects.

What you will be doing

• Lead the development and optimisation of core engine, rendering, and graphics systems within Unreal Engine 5, helping teams achieve high levels of visual quality and performance.
• Profile, analyse, and resolve complex CPU, GPU, memory, and platform‑specific performance challenges across active development projects.
• Partner closely with gameplay engineers, technical artists, and content teams to identify bottlenecks and implement scalable technical solutions.
• Own performance and optimisation strategy, establishing best practices and providing technical direction across multiple projects.
• Contribute hands‑on to engine‑level development, rendering pipelines, graphics features, and low‑level systems programming.
• Serve as a senior technical advisor to internal teams and clients, communicating risks, trade‑offs, and recommendations clearly.
• Proactively identify technical challenges before they become production issues and drive solutions with minimal oversight.
• Mentor engineers and champion engineering excellence through code reviews, knowledge sharing, and technical leadership.

What We're Looking For

• Significant professional experience as a Senior, Lead, or Principal, with deep expertise in game engine and graphics programming.
• Expert knowledge of Unreal Engine 5, including engine architecture, rendering systems, performance profiling, and optimisation techniques.
• Strong understanding of graphics programming fundamentals, GPU performance, rendering pipelines, shaders, and modern graphics APIs.
• Experience optimising games or real‑time applications across PC, console, or other hardware platforms, with a solid understanding of hardware‑level performance constraints.
• Excellent C++ programming skills and experience working with low‑level engine systems.
• Proven ability to work autonomously, take ownership of complex technical challenges, and proactively deliver solutions while keeping stakeholders informed.
• Strong communication skills and experience collaborating effectively with multidisciplinary teams, clients, and technical leadership.
• Passion for solving difficult engineering problems and improving performance, scalability, and overall technical quality.
• Competitive Salary.
• Dynamic, multicultural and fun environment.
• You will be working for the world's leading provider of game services.
• We empower our people and offer regular progression opportunities to ensure our employees flourish.

About Side

Side (formerly PTW) is a global video game development and services provider, offering technical and creative solutions to many of the largest developers and studios around the world. Founded in 2009 and drawing on 30+ years' experience from our parent company in Japan, Side has since grown to become a global force with 20 studios in 14 countries across North America, Europe, South America, and Asia.
Our industry‑leading services include game development, art production, audio production, quality assurance, localization, localization QA, player support, community management, and datasets.
Help us bring stories to the world! Join a global team of passionate gamers and contribute to delivering unforgettable game experiences.
Experience our side of life. For more information, visit www.side.inc