Blackbird Interactive

Game Engineer

• Work across disciplines to build, refactor and maintain a variety of robust, flexible, and well-architected AI features.
• Work with the design team to prototype and implement AI behaviors that empower the fun.
• Implement enemies, NPCs or any kind of AI managed characters.
• Work with gameplay engineers to integrate developed AI systems.
• Implement optimizations in perception systems and decision-making systems to make the AI performant.
• Work on navigation & pathfinding systems and demonstrate the ability to debug complex AI issues.
• Integrate and maintain AI middleware across all platforms.
• Partner closely with design and content teams to build high quality and fun experiences.
• Drive engineering quality across gameplay code, emphasizing performance, maintainability, extensibility, and production-readiness.
• Establish engineering best practices for Unreal Engine 5 development, including code review standards, debugging workflows, profiling habits, and technical planning.
• Collaborate with technical leadership to break down risks, define implementation strategies, and align engineering execution with project goals and production timelines.
• Communicate clearly with stakeholders about technical constraints, trade-offs, dependencies, and execution plans.

Gameplay AI Software Engineer, Unreal Engine 5

3D Artist

• Create and develop convincing environment and level art using Unreal Engine 5
• Work with the Creative Leads to author immersive content for a Third Person Shooter
• Problem-solve and support tools and tech development to achieve visual and performance targets in engine
• Monitor deliverable progress, manage assigned scope and requested changes, and follow through on commitments
• Ensure assets meet technical requirements for Unreal Engine 5
• Work independently with minimal supervision while collaborating effectively within the team and taking ownership of problems
• Document tools and production pipelines in a clear and understandable way

Environment Artist – 5-month contract

• Build gameplay systems, including narrative, exploration and inventory.
• Support artists and animators with the Metahuman pipeline.
• Partner closely with designers to build high quality and fun experiences.
• Integrate modern Unreal pipelines to improve efficiency and quality of the game.
• Communicate clearly with stakeholders about technical constraints, trade-offs, dependencies, and execution plans.

Senior Software Engineer – Original Game, Unreal Engine 5

• Be the first engineer on the project - establish pipelines and workflows for engineering and art, pick which technologies to use and help guide artists and designers to achieve project goals.
• Lead the technical direction and implementation of core gameplay and runtime systems in the engine.
• Partner closely with design and content teams to build high quality and fun experiences.
• Drive engineering quality across gameplay code, emphasizing performance, maintainability, extensibility, and production-readiness.
• Establish engineering best practices for Unreal Engine 5 development, including code review standards, debugging workflows, profiling habits, and technical planning.
• Collaborate with technical leadership to break down risks, define implementation strategies, and align engineering execution with project goals and production timelines.
• Mentor engineers through design reviews, hands-on problem solving, and day-to-day technical guidance. Contribute to hiring, onboarding, and raising the overall quality bar of the team.
• Communicate clearly with stakeholders about technical constraints, trade-offs, dependencies, and execution plans.

Lead Software Engineer, Original Game – Unreal Engine 5

Art Director

• Partner with the Executive Producer and Technical Director to provide leadership and oversight across a portfolio of projects within the External Development business unit.
• Help establish, communicate, and maintain creative intentions and appropriate quality bars across ports, remasters, live service initiatives, and co-development projects.
• Drive creative and product due diligence for new partner opportunities, evaluating gameplay, presentation, user experience, modernization opportunities, production complexity, and quality expectations to inform proposals, staffing strategies, and project planning.
• Evaluate project roadmaps, feature plans, and major initiatives to ensure teams are pursuing the highest-value opportunities within schedule and budget constraints.
• Work with project leadership teams to identify risks, uncover gaps in planning, and support mitigation strategies.
• Help teams decompose complex creative, gameplay, UX, technical, and production challenges into clear initiatives, ownership structures, dependencies, and measurable outcomes.
• Collaborate with Design, Art, UI/UX, Engineering, Production, and Technical Art teams to align quality expectations and delivery strategies.
• Support teams in evaluating trade-offs between quality, scope, schedule, cost, and player value.
• Facilitate alignment between clients, project leadership, and development teams regarding priorities, scope, quality expectations, and execution plans.
• Participate in project reviews, milestone planning, roadmap discussions, and quality assessments across the business unit.
• Help establish scalable frameworks, planning methodologies, and best practices that improve consistency across projects.
• Support project leaders and multidisciplinary teams by providing guidance on prioritization, initiative structuring, quality evaluation, and solution development.
• Communicate recommendations, risks, dependencies, and strategic considerations clearly to internal and external stakeholders.
• Contribute to the long-term growth and maturity of the business unit through leadership, mentorship, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Creative Director – External Development

• Act as a bridge between Art, Engineering, and the game engine, helping teams communicate effectively and solve cross-disciplinary problems
• Support artists with art-to-engine integration, including setup, debugging, and optimization of assets and systems, as well as housekeeping and naming conventions
• Design, build, and maintain tools, scripts, and workflows that improve artist productivity and content quality
• Collaborate with artists on animation, modeling, texturing, shaders, FX, Destruction and other real-time content disciplines
• Help identify visual or performance issues and devise high-quality solutions within technical constraints
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of art pipelines and production processes
• Generate clear, concise documentation for tools, workflows, and pipelines
• Take ownership of technical challenges, work with minimal supervision, and proactively propose improvements

Technical Artist – 5-month Contract

Designer

• Collaborate with design, engineering, animation, and production to support and implement the established creative vision, identifying opportunities where audio can improve player experience, immersion, and gameplay clarity
• Work within production schedules and constraints, creating and implementing audio content in a timely and iterative manner while communicating risks, dependencies, and technical requirements
• Design, create, edit, and implement sound effects for gameplay systems, weapons, characters, environments, vehicles, and scripted events
• Develop and maintain interactive audio systems that support player feedback, combat readability, navigation, squad coordination, and overall gameplay experience
• Implement audio directly in-engine using established tools and middleware, ensuring content functions reliably across gameplay scenarios and platforms
• Test, debug, and iterate on audio content regularly, identifying and resolving issues related to mix, clarity, performance, implementation, and player comprehension
• Respond constructively to feedback, refining audio assets, implementation, and mix balance to improve immersion, readability, and overall quality
• Help establish and maintain audio quality standards, best practices, and implementation workflows across the project

Senior Audio Designer – 5-month Contract

• Implement enemy and companion behavior, perception systems, decision-making trees, and high-level strategies using Behavior Trees, EQS, MassAI, and GAS.
• Design scalable, modular AI systems that support a range of enemy types, factions, and emergent behaviors across PC and console targets.
• Leverage UE5’s MassEntity and crowd simulation systems to support large-scale AI interactions and tactical group behaviors.
• Work closely with designers and animators to bring characters to life and ensure AI reacts believably and responsively in gameplay.
• Profile and tune AI performance across platforms; diagnose and fix bugs to meet framerate and memory targets.
• Participate in code reviews, provide mentorship to junior developers, and contribute to best practices in AI code and design.
• Stay on top of UE5 AI tech advancements, prototype new techniques, and share your findings through internal demos and discussions.

Intermediate AI Software Engineer, Unreal Engine 5

Product Designer

• Collaborate with design, art, engineering, and production to adapt existing UI and UX systems for new platforms while preserving core gameplay workflows and player expectations
• Review existing interfaces and identify opportunities to improve navigation, readability, accessibility, and overall user experience
• Design user flows, wireframes, mockups, and interface layouts that support new input methods and platform-specific interaction patterns
• Identify UX friction points introduced by platform transitions and develop solutions that improve clarity, usability, and player comfort
• Maintain consistency with the established visual style, information hierarchy, and interaction patterns of the original game
• Participate in reviews, playtests, and usability evaluations, using player feedback and observations to refine designs
• Advocate for usability, accessibility, and player-centered design throughout development

UI/UX Designer

2D Artist

• Collaborate with Art Director and creative leadership to expand artistic vision of established IP
• Create both 2D and 3D concepts as required to produce a variety of assets with a focus on characters but has the versatility to design tools, vehicles and environments
• Create 2D assets to be used in-game as well as key art
• Create storyboards that can be used to visualize narrative and cinematics
• Curate in-depth knowledge of game universe with an eye for immersion
• Develop ideas rapidly and provide workable variations based on technical constraints

Senior Concept Artist – 9-month Contract

• Work closely with the Project Art Director and Team Leads to execute the visual direction of a third-person sci-fi action game via a highly technical Unreal engine pipeline.
• Create high-quality hardsurface assets such as props and environmental set pieces.
• Produce clean, efficient models and materials suited for real-time workflows and optimized for gameplay needs.
• Iterate quickly on concepts, prototypes, and final assets in collaboration with design, animation, and tech art.
• Consistently deliver polished, production-ready work that enhances the overall quality bar.

Environment Artist – 9-month Contract

• Collaborate with art, engineering, and production to support and implement the established creative vision, raising questions or inconsistencies as they arise during development
• Work within production schedules and constraints, implementing level content in a timely and iterative manner while communicating risks or dependencies to appropriate team members
• Design and build levels end-to-end, including layout, combat encounters, traversal, pacing, player flow, and objectives
• Create and implement tactical combat spaces that support flanking, cover usage, squad coordination, sightlines, and multiple approaches to objectives
• Script and set up gameplay events, encounters, AI behaviors, triggers, and environmental interactions to support mission functionality and player experience
• Test, debug, and iterate on levels regularly, identifying and resolving issues related to navigation, combat balance, progression blockers, readability, and edge cases
• Respond constructively to feedback, refining layouts, encounters, pacing, and mission flow to improve clarity, challenge, and overall player experience
• Maintain an understanding of core gameplay systems and AI behaviors, adjusting layouts and encounters to support tactical gameplay and multiple player approaches

Level Designer – 4-month contract

• Create and develop convincing environment and level art using Unreal Engine 5
• Work with the Creative Leads to author immersive content for a Third Person Shooter
• Problem-solve and support tools and tech development to achieve visual and performance targets in engine
• Monitor deliverable progress, manage assigned scope and requested changes, and follow through on commitments
• Ensure assets meet technical requirements for Unreal Engine 5
• Work independently with minimal supervision, while collaborating effectively within the team and taking ownership of problems
• Document tools and production pipelines in a clear and understandable way