Lead Software Engineer, Original Game – Unreal Engine 5

Blackbird Interactive

Lead Software Engineer shaping the technical execution of a new original game in Unreal Engine 5. Oversee engineering efforts, establish workflows, and mentor developers in a remote-friendly environment.

Posted 7/9/2026full-timeRemote • 🇨🇦 CanadaSenior💰 CA$136,000 - CA$170,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

Use this summary to align your resume positioning with the role.

Demonstrates expertise in Unreal Engine 5 and C++ for developing and optimizing gameplay systems, while establishing engineering best practices and mentoring teams to enhance project quality and execution.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Unreal Engine 5 DevelopmentC++ ProgrammingGameplay ArchitectureTechnical LeadershipMentorship

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Gameplay Systems DevelopmentRuntime Systems OptimizationDebugging WorkflowsPerformance ProfilingCode Review Standards

Soft Skills

Clear CommunicationProblem SolvingCollaborationDecision MakingOwnership Mindset

Tools & Technologies

Game Development PipelinesBuild SystemsAutomation Tools

Industry Keywords

Game DevelopmentEngineering Best PracticesProduction ReadinessTechnical ConstraintsCross-Disciplinary Collaboration

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

Unreal Engine

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

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.

Requirements

What you’ll need

5+ years of professional game development experience, with demonstrated technical leadership through project ownership, mentorship, and setting engineering standards.
Strong professional experience with C++ and Unreal Engine, including gameplay architecture, runtime systems, debugging, and optimization.
Enjoy being jack-of-all-trades, getting your hands dirty and solving problems across all engineering spectrum including engine, gameplay, build systems, automation.
Have deep experience building and maintaining gameplay systems that are responsive, scalable, and designer-friendly.
Are comfortable working across systems boundaries, collaborating with multiple disciplines, and balancing short-term production needs with long-term technical health.
Bring a strong ownership mindset, practical decision-making, and a focus on helping teams move effectively under production constraints.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Flexible work arrangements