Senior Gameplay AI Engineer - Pathfinding (Hybrid)

Placements24; United States; Hybrid; USD 66,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Hybrid work in Randburg

Learning opportunities

Medical & retirement benefits

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Gameplay Programmer focused on AI and pathfinding for a Randburg-based studio. You will design, implement, and optimize sophisticated AI behaviors and robust pathfinding systems, collaborating with designers and engineers to deliver engaging experiences.

The role requires 5+ years in gameplay programming, strong C++ skills, and hands-on experience with major engines like Unreal or Unity. Hybrid work options and a modern development environment are provided.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of gameplay programming experience focusing on AI and pathfinding.
• Expert in C++ with Unreal or Unity experience.
• Strong understanding of AI concepts, data structures, and mathematics.
• Proven experience implementing and optimizing pathfinding solutions (A*, NavMesh).
• Bachelor’s degree in CS, Engineering, or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and optimize AI systems (behavior trees, state machines, GOAP).
• Develop and refine advanced pathfinding algorithms for complex environments.
• Collaborate with designers to translate gameplay requirements into AI behaviors.
• Integrate AI and pathfinding into the game engine for performance and scalability.
• Profile and debug AI/pathfinding code to resolve bottlenecks and errors.
• Contribute to architecture for robustness and maintainability.
• Mentor junior programmers and participate in code reviews and learning.

Skills

C++

Unreal Engine

Unity

AI concepts

Pathfinding

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/Engineering

Tools

NavMesh

Behavior Trees

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Gameplay Programmer focused on AI and pathfinding for a Randburg-based studio. You will design, implement, and optimize sophisticated AI behaviors and robust pathfinding systems, collaborating with designers and engineers to deliver engaging experiences.

The role requires 5+ years in gameplay programming, strong C++ skills, and hands-on experience with major engines like Unreal or Unity. Hybrid work options and a modern development environment are provided.