Technical Lead (only gamedev experience)

Whimsy Games LTD; Plum (Allegheny County); Remote; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading game development company seeks a Technical Lead to oversee multiple projects and ensure high code quality. This role requires extensive experience in game development, particularly with Unity and backend integration. The candidate will lead cross-disciplinary teams, manage architectural decisions, and contribute to major projects in a flexible and remote-first work environment.

Benefits

Flexible, remote-first company

Leadership opportunities in project shaping

Collaboration with experienced business leadership

Work-life balance with European time zone overlap

Qualifications

• 7+ years in game development or related tech roles.
• At least 2 years in a leadership position.
• Deep understanding of Unity and backend services.

Responsibilities

• Own technical direction and quality for 1-4 active projects.
• Guide and support cross-functional teams.
• Provide architecture documentation and implementation guidance.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Unity

Backend service integration

Architectural planning

Tools

AWS

Job description

Whimsy Games is an established game development company that has been creating exciting and engaging games for a diverse range of platforms, including mobile, desktop, and console, since its inception in 2018. The company has gained a reputation for producing high-quality games that entertain and captivate players of all ages.

Technical Lead (only gamedev experience)

Role Overview

As a Tech Lead, you will be the technical owner of 1 to 4 game projects, depending on their scale. You will be responsible for architectural decisions, team coordination, code quality oversight, and technical planning. While this role is not expected to be fully hands-on, you should be comfortable diving into the codebase when needed—especially for technical reviews, prototyping, or mentoring.

This is a cross-disciplinary leadership role where you’ll work closely with Unity developers, .NET backend engineers, QA, DevOps, and tech artists. You’ll also collaborate directly with the CTO and project managers and occasionally provide technical updates to clients.

Responsibilities

• Own technical direction, architecture, and quality for 1–4 active projects.
• Translate high-level project goals into actionable technical tasks and roadmaps.
• Ensure proper integration of game clients (e.g., Unity) with backend services (.NET-based).
• Monitor and improve code quality, performance, and development workflows.

Team Coordination & Oversight

• Provide guidance and support to developers, QA, and technical artists across project teams.
• Collaborate with project managers to ensure timely and predictable delivery.
• Review code, validate architectural decisions, and help unblock team members when needed.
• Establish internal tech standards and ensure adherence within projects.

Technical Communication

• Provide architecture documentation and implementation guidance.
• Offer technical insights and updates in internal and occasional client-facing discussions.
• Work with the CTO and PM to identify project risks, plan mitigations, and support upsell opportunities.

R&D Contribution

• When capacity allows, contribute to shared tools, reusable modules, and prototype initiatives that support our company’s strategic growth (e.g., common slot engine modules, integration templates, core gameplay systems).

Requirements

• 7+ years in game development or related tech roles, with at least 2 years in a Tech Lead or similar leadership position.
• Deep understanding of Unity, plus a solid grasp of backend service integration (ideally .NET/AWS).
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and coordinate frontend, backend, QA, and art pipelines.
• Experience in architectural planning, project estimation, and delivery tracking.
• Strong communication skills and a proactive mindset.

Nice to Have

• Experience in outsourcing and multi-project environments.
• Background in gaming, casino, or slot game development.
• Understanding of DevOps practices on AWS infrastructure.

What We Offer

• Leadership role in a flexible, remote-first company.
• Opportunity to own multiple projects and shape the tech direction of key titles.
• Direct collaboration with experienced business and sales leadership.
• European time zone overlap for balanced work-life and communication.