Lead Game Programmer (Hybrid) - Architect & Mentor Gameplay

Placements24; Sandton; Hybrid; ZAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary with bonus

Hybrid work model

Health insurance

Professional growth opportunities

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking an experienced Lead Game Programmer in Sandton to steer the programming team on innovative game projects. You will guide technical direction, mentor junior programmers, and deliver high-performance, robust gameplay systems.

You will collaborate with designers, artists, and producers to architect features for multiple platforms while upholding coding standards and performance budgets in a hybrid work environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in CS/Engineering.
• 7+ years of professional game programming experience, with at least 2 years in a lead/senior role.
• Expert proficiency in C++ and OO programming principles.
• Extensive experience with Unreal Engine or Unity.
• Strong understanding of graphics programming, AI, physics, and network programming.
• Proven experience leading and mentoring technical teams.
• Excellent problem solving, analytical, and debugging skills.
• Strong communication and collaboration in a hybrid setting.
• Experience with Git or Perforce.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of game programmers.
• Architect and implement core gameplay systems, engine features, and tools.
• Collaborate with designers and artists to translate concepts into code.
• Ensure code quality, performance, and stability across platforms.
• Oversee code reviews and establish coding standards.
• Identify and resolve complex technical challenges and bottlenecks.
• Optimize game performance and memory usage.
• Contribute to technical roadmap and planning.
• Stay current with technologies and industry trends.

Skills

C++

Object-oriented programming

Graphics programming

Team leadership

Mentoring

Unreal Engine/Unity

Version control

Problem solving

Networking

Debugging

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science/Engineering or equivalent

Tools

Git

Perforce

Unreal Engine

Unity

Job description

Placements24 is seeking an experienced Lead Game Programmer in Sandton to steer the programming team on innovative game projects. You will guide technical direction, mentor junior programmers, and deliver high-performance, robust gameplay systems.

You will collaborate with designers, artists, and producers to architect features for multiple platforms while upholding coding standards and performance budgets in a hybrid work environment.