Senior Gameplay Software Engineer (Unreal Engine 5)
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada (Remote within Canada OK)
Team: Programming – Gameplay
Blackbird Interactive is a creative-fueled, future-driven, independent game studio where the best talent in the industry can find long-term careers to help grow their abilities while working on a wide range of projects. These include both world-class IPs and our own creations across multiple genres and platforms.
We’re looking for a senior gameplay engineer to join an unannounced sci-fi action game. This role will drive the design and implementation of moment-to-moment systems that define the player experience. You’ll partner closely with design, art, and production to shape gameplay architecture, create tools and systems for fast iteration, solve cross-disciplinary challenges, and help craft an innovative and exciting title.
What You’ll Tackle
Gameplay Systems Ownership – Lead the development of player-facing mechanics such as traversal, combat, interaction, and abilities in C++ and Blueprints.
Technical Architecture – Define modular, scalable gameplay frameworks that empower content creators, support networked/multiplayer play, and scale across PC and console SKUs.
Cross-functional Leadership – Collaborate deeply with design, animation, audio, and production to ensure features are robust, performant, and aligned with creative goals.
Performance & Optimization – Profile, analyze, and optimize gameplay systems across platforms to meet performance and memory targets.
Mentorship & Code Quality – Provide technical mentorship, guide best practices, and elevate the engineering team through thoughtful code reviews and pair programming.
Innovation & Exploration – Prototype and evaluate new gameplay paradigms, stay current with UE5 tech (e.g. GAS, MassEntity, Chaos), and lead knowledge-sharing initiatives within the studio.
You’ll Thrive Here If You…
Have 5+ years of professional experience with C++ in Unreal Engine 4 or 5, with a strong track record of gameplay system development.
Hold a BSc in Computer Science or a college diploma in software engineering, game programming, or a closely related field.
Have shipped multiple titles, including at least one where you owned significant gameplay features from concept to release.
Excel at bridging design vision with technical execution, and enjoy collaborating across disciplines.
Think critically about player experience, systemic design, and clean abstraction.
Are experienced with performance profiling, memory budgeting, and debugging tools.
Communicate clearly, advocate for efficiency, and lead by example in engineering culture.
Bonus XP
- Experience with systems for procedural generation.
- Familiarity with animation programming, AI behavior systems, or multiplayer gameplay logic.
- Passion for empowering designers through tools, data-driven systems, or scripting APIs.
- Strong advocate for accessibility, player expression, and diverse playstyles.
Top Skills
What We Do
Blackbird Interactive (BBI) is a creative-fueled, future-driven, independent studio - behind such games as Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak, Hardspace: Shipbreaker, and the upcoming Homeworld 3, Minecraft Legends, and Crossfire: Legion. Founded by Rob Cunningham, Yossarian King, and Aaron Kambeitz in 2010, the award-winning Vancouver studio boast its own internal CG cinematics department, led by the founder of Pixar Canada, and has also been involved in various game-adjacent projects over the years - such as Project Eagle with the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and other initiatives with the eatART Foundation and Sanctuary AI.
