Published: Apr 09, 2025 – The Senior Gameplay Programmer collaborates with the design team to develop, implement, and balance gameplay systems using modular C++ code within Unreal Engine. This position supports system customization by exposing well-documented variables and ensures clear communication of technical designs to both code and design leads. The senior programmer also maintains performance through code optimization, estimates implementation timelines with production, and mentors junior programmers while upholding code stability and gameplay quality.

Tips for Senior Gameplay Programmer Skills and Responsibilities on a Resume
1. Senior Gameplay Programmer, Ironclad Interactive Studios, Albany, NY
Job Summary:
- Implement combat-oriented gameplay systems and tooling for Game Designers to balance such systems.
- Design, implement, and test game systems, including the implementation of automated tests and tooling to support asset pipelines.
- Develop solutions to ensure a low memory footprint, over-the-air update capabilities, and low CPU usage for the games you work on.
- Follow the release of new versions of the game to production, from planning to post-release monitoring.
- Participate in code review sessions.
- Participate in sprint planning, and help to estimate engineering-related tasks.
- Document all implementations, and whenever possible, introduce an automated generation of documentation.
- Maintain and fix bugs on the systems developed, including the production environment.
Skills on Resume:
- Combat Systems (Hard Skills)
- Test Automation (Hard Skills)
- Performance Optimization (Hard Skills)
- Release Management (Hard Skills)
- Code Reviews (Soft Skills)
- Sprint Planning (Soft Skills)
- Documentation (Hard Skills)
- Bug Fixing (Hard Skills)
2. Senior Gameplay Programmer, Quantum Realm Games, Eugene, OR
Job Summary:
- Work closely with the design team to plan code, produce technical designs and overviews, and action feedback on designs
- Write high-quality code, following any standards and guidelines in place
- Participate in code reviews across features in the specialist area
- Coaching and/or mentoring less experienced staff on technical matters
- Keep the management team up to date with any problems and delays
- Test all code against the design, ensuring it performs and performs tests
- Assist in finding and fixing bugs within the feature area
- Collaborate with the team and mentors to support good engineering practices
Skills on Resume:
- Technical Design Planning (Hard Skills)
- High-Quality Coding (Hard Skills)
- Code Reviews (Soft Skills)
- Mentoring Staff (Soft Skills)
- Progress Reporting (Soft Skills)
- Code Testing (Hard Skills)
- Bug Fixing (Hard Skills)
- Team Collaboration (Soft Skills)
3. Senior Gameplay Programmer, Redspire Entertainment, Fort Collins, CO
Job Summary:
- Understand, extend, and build on tech for the in-house engine, based on requirements for the project
- Creates or provides solutions to facilitate the integration and adaptation of gameplay elements, such as design, sound, and animation, into the game.
- Develops game engine features and contributes to developing systems
- Works with other production teams to understand their intentions and translate them into system elements
- Provides team members with solutions to modify and improve their features iteratively
- Build adequate knowledge of the codebase and pipeline to be able to individually and safely work in the development environment.
- Work to ensure that the code base is healthy by refactoring outdated systems and removing unnecessary code.
- Participate in code reviews and technical discussions, giving constructive input.
Skills on Resume:
- Engine Development (Hard Skills)
- Gameplay Integration (Hard Skills)
- System Development (Hard Skills)
- Cross-Team Communication (Soft Skills)
- Feature Iteration Support (Soft Skills)
- Codebase Familiarity (Hard Skills)
- Code Refactoring (Hard Skills)
- Technical Discussions (Soft Skills)
4. Senior Gameplay Programmer, Emberlight Interactive, Rochester, MN
Job Summary:
- Architecting the AI solution in cooperation with the Technical Director.
- Building and overseeing the AI code base to deliver a solid platform to build from.
- Working in tandem with the design and gameplay teams to bring compelling AI features.
- Supporting other programmers in developing the AI.
- Managing the Agile backlog and speed of delivery with production.
- Contributing to other parts of development.
- Providing tools and working with QA to effectively handle testing of the AI.
- Writing automated tests to support longevity and ensure support when the game goes live.
Skills on Resume:
- AI Architecture (Hard Skills)
- AI Codebase Management (Hard Skills)
- AI Feature Collaboration (Soft Skills)
- Programmer Support (Soft Skills)
- Agile Backlog Management (Soft Skills)
- Development Flexibility (Soft Skills)
- AI Testing Tools (Hard Skills)
- Automated Testing (Hard Skills)
5. Senior Gameplay Programmer, Black Hollow Games, Knoxville, TN
Job Summary:
- Technical ownership of a major game feature and see this through from production to release.
- Work closely with the design team to create high-quality gameplay features.
- Write high-quality code, following any standards/guidelines
- Help to develop technical design specifications and implement them
- Test and refine gameplay features throughout the development cycle of the project.
- Design, develop, maintain, and debug efficient Gameplay/animation systems
- Work with gameplay engineers, game designers, and tech animators to integrate and use the developed systems
- Gather requirements from game and level designers, and document the systems
- Identify and implement efficient Gameplay/Animation systems and algorithms
Skills on Resume:
- Feature Ownership (Soft Skills)
- Gameplay Collaboration (Soft Skills)
- High-Quality Coding (Hard Skills)
- Technical Design (Hard Skills)
- Feature Testing (Hard Skills)
- System Development (Hard Skills)
- Cross-Team Integration (Soft Skills)
- System Documentation (Hard Skills)
6. Senior Gameplay Programmer, Arcwave Digital, Mesa, AZ
Job Summary:
- Work closely with game designers in the development of systems related to mechanical and game logic, as well as with animators, and other tech disciplines
- Ensure their constraints are well integrated into the game's development
- Be heavily involved with the architecture, design, and implementation of gameplay code, following the game design intentions
- Own the prototyping of gameplay mechanics and explore creative ideas with an absolute focus on quality, player experience, and making the most of PlayStation hardware.
- Lead the design and development of wider gameplay systems and implement game content.
- Troubleshoot gameplay-related issues throughout the team.
- Continuously strive to deliver highly entertaining, interactive, cutting-edge experiences.
- Proactively and methodically improve quality, efficiency, and best practice in the team - innovate tools and techniques to achieve the best gameplay quality possible
Skills on Resume:
- Systems Collaboration (Soft Skills)
- Constraint Integration (Hard Skills)
- Gameplay Architecture (Hard Skills)
- Mechanic Prototyping (Hard Skills)
- Gameplay System Design (Hard Skills)
- Issue Troubleshooting (Hard Skills)
- Player Experience Focus (Soft Skills)
- Process Improvement (Soft Skills)
7. Senior Gameplay Programmer, Frostbyte Forge Studios, Des Moines, IA
Job Summary:
- Working closely with the design department to ideate, plan, implement, and balance gameplay systems and player-facing mechanics.
- Writing stable, readable, and modular C++ code that makes the best use of Unreal Engine and its game framework.
- Exposing carefully chosen and documented variables to the design team so they can balance and customise game systems.
- Communicating technical designs for game systems to code and design leads.
- Helping QA to understand game systems and their properties so they can test and verify work accurately.
- Collaborating with production to estimate timescales for feature implementation and issue resolution.
- Profiling and optimising existing code and systems.
- Taking ownership of key features and mentoring junior members of the team, ensuring a stable codebase and great player experience.
Skills on Resume:
- Gameplay System Design (Hard Skills)
- C++ Development (Hard Skills)
- Variable Exposure (Hard Skills)
- Technical Communication (Soft Skills)
- QA Support (Soft Skills)
- Time Estimation (Soft Skills)
- Code Optimization (Hard Skills)
- Feature Ownership (Soft Skills)