Staff Gameplay Engineer - Systems and Performance

Ladders; United States; Remote; USD 172,000 - 259,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

401(k) Matching

Paid Time Off

Wellness Program

Employee Discounts

Job summary

Ladders is seeking a Staff Gameplay Engineer - Systems and Performance to advance core gameplay systems for scalable, high-quality experiences. This remote role is US-based and collaborates with engineers and content creators to optimize runtime performance on Unreal Engine 5.

You will design and implement complex C++ gameplay frameworks, profile and fix bottlenecks, and set performance metrics to improve player experience and production efficiency.

Qualifications

• Strong C++ proficiency for designing, implementing, debugging, and maintaining complex systems.
• Experience architecting large-scale gameplay systems or frameworks.
• Profiling and optimizing real-time games, with expertise in identifying performance issues.
• Familiarity with Unreal Engine development practices.
• Excellent communication skills across disciplines.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain gameplay systems, frameworks, and tools in C++ on Unreal Engine 5.
• Provide technical direction for gameplay systems, collaborating with engineers and content creators.
• Optimize game performance by profiling, identifying, and addressing systemic bottlenecks.
• Establish performance metrics, practices, and tools to help teams understand runtime costs and optimization needs.

Skills

C++ proficiency

Gameplay systems

Profiling & optimization

Unreal Engine development

Cross-disciplinary communication

Job description

For our client, we are seeking a Staff Gameplay Engineer - Systems and Performance to join the team of a leader in the Hospitality & Recreation space.

This role will focus on advancing the core gameplay systems that support high-quality interactive experiences at scale. You will partner closely with engineers and content creators to shape technical direction, improve runtime performance, and build the tools and frameworks needed to support efficient development. The work will center on C++ engineering, system architecture, and performance optimization within a modern game development environment. Success in this role will come from balancing technical depth with cross-functional collaboration to improve both player experience and production efficiency.

Location: Remote - US based candidates only, no visa sponsorship available

Compensation: $172,000 – $259,000 annually

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain gameplay systems, frameworks, and tools in C++ on Unreal Engine 5.
• Provide technical direction for gameplay systems, collaborating with engineers and content creators.
• Optimize game performance by profiling, identifying, and addressing systemic bottlenecks.
• Establish performance metrics, practices, and tools to help teams understand runtime costs and optimization needs.

Qualifications

• Strong C++ proficiency for designing, implementing, debugging, and maintaining complex systems.
• Experience in architecting large-scale gameplay systems or frameworks, not just implementing features.
• Proficiency in profiling and optimizing real-time games, with expertise in identifying various performance issues.
• Familiarity with Unreal Engine development practices.
• Excellent communication skills for explaining complex technical concepts across disciplines.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k) matching contributions.
• Paid time off for work-life balance.
• Wellness program support.
• Employee discounts on products.

Our client is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet every qualification—your background could be exactly what this team needs.