Senior / Principal Game Engineer

About This Opportunity

Our talent team is representing a confidential game development studio in Cardiff seeking a Senior or Principal Game Engineer. This hybrid position requires three days onsite each week, with remote work available on the remaining days.

Our client is a seasoned co-development studio working with major publishers and platforms globally. You'll take ownership of the systems players interact with most directly—gameplay mechanics, UI architecture, character controls, camera systems, and AI—across multiple partner projects. This is a customer-facing role where you'll act as a trusted technical representative, setting direction, making architectural decisions, and delivering the polished, responsive experiences that define great games.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and refine gameplay features, UI systems, and core player controls (character, camera, and input handling) that feel responsive and satisfying
• Own technical direction for player experience work across projects, making sound architectural decisions and guiding solutions from prototype through shipping
• Serve as senior technical representative to partners, gathering requirements, presenting solutions, and communicating trade-offs clearly
• Apply profiling and diagnostic tools to investigate and resolve complex technical issues across gameplay, UI, and engine-level systems
• Mentor engineers across the team, sharing expertise in player experience engineering and growing studio capabilities
• Champion code quality, performance, and maintainability through reviews and setting examples in your own work
• Collaborate with engineers, designers, artists, producers, and project leads to deliver exceptional player experiences

What We're Looking For

Required:

• Extensive professional experience developing and shipping games at a senior or principal level
• Expert proficiency in C++ and C#, with commitment to clean, maintainable, and efficient code
• Strong grasp of 3D mathematics—linear algebra and geometry underpinning cameras, character movement, animation, and gameplay systems
• Deep experience with Unreal Engine player-facing systems including Gameplay Framework, UMG/Slate, input and camera systems (Unity backgrounds also valued)
• Strong analytical skills and methodical approach to diagnosing and resolving technical challenges
• Confidence communicating complex technical topics to partners and stakeholders of varied backgrounds
• Instinct for what makes games feel great and the craft to translate that into responsive controls, readable UI, and satisfying gameplay
• Genuine enthusiasm for games and creating high-quality player experiences
• Right to work in the UK

Preferred:

• Experience shipping titles on current-generation consoles (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, or Switch 2)
• Professional Unity experience alongside Unreal background
• Familiarity with custom engine modifications, plugin development, Gameplay Ability System, or working from Unreal Engine source
• Experience designing and implementing accessible controls, UI, and player options
• Prior co-development or external development experience working with multiple partners and codebases

How We Work With You

Candidates apply directly through Get A Job.ai. Our recruiting team will conduct an initial screen to understand your background and confirm alignment with the role requirements. Qualified candidates are then submitted to our client for consideration. Please do not attempt to contact the client directly, as all communication is managed through our team to ensure a professional and coordinated process.

Pay

Compensation details will be discussed during the screening process based on experience level and qualifications.

Equal Employment Opportunity: Get A Job.ai is committed to inclusive hiring practices and welcomes candidates from all backgrounds, communities, and identities. We evaluate all applicants based on qualifications and merit.