Senior Game Engine Developer

Summary

Join Pocket Worlds, a leading innovative company, as a Senior Game Engine Programmer to contribute to the development and optimization of our custom game engine in Unity. You will collaborate with a talented team to enhance avatar systems, improve rendering performance, and build scalable features for millions of users. This role demands expertise in Unity, C#, and render pipelines, along with a proven track record in game engine programming. You will own key systems, collaborate cross-functionally, and champion technical excellence. The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced environment and is passionate about creating immersive social experiences. Success will be measured by the performance, flexibility, and innovation you bring to the platform.

Requirements

• 8+ years of experience in game development, with at least 4 years focused on game engine programming
• Deep experience building and optimizing systems in Unity, including extensive use of C#
• Strong understanding of render pipelines (URP, HDRP, or custom solutions)
• Experience working on or building avatar systems (rigging, animation, customization)
• Proven track record of technical leadership, ownership, and delivering scalable engine features
• Passion for virtual worlds, UGC, and empowering creative communities
• Comfortable working in a high-velocity, startup environment
• You have a shipped at least one successful game on mobile, desktop, or console

Responsibilities

• Own key systems within our Unity-based engine, with a focus on rendering, avatars, animation, and performance optimization
• Collaborate cross-functionally with our content, design, and backend teams to deliver engine improvements that directly impact user experience
• Improve engine scalability and efficiency to support our growing global player base
• Dive deep into Unity’s render pipelines (URP/HDRP/custom) to extend and adapt them to our needs
• Build systems that enable richer avatar customization, visuals, and performance across devices
• Champion technical excellence through code quality, performance, and architectural decisions
• Work autonomously and take full ownership of features—from design and prototyping to implementation and maintenance

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing or modifying Unity's SRP (Scriptable Render Pipeline)
• Experience with shader programming (HLSL/Shader Graph)
• Experience working on MMO or social games at scale
• Familiarity with ECS (Entity Component System) architecture
• Contributions to open-source tools or personal engine/game projects
• Experience with tools development or asset pipelines in Unity
• Exposure to backend game server architecture or multiplayer systems

Benefits

• Competitive Compensation
• Meaningful equity - we’re here to do amazing work, and we share in our wins together
• Equipment allowance - choose what you need to work at your best
• Healthcare, 401k (US only)
• Unlimited PTO
• Education/Training stipend - we've set aside a budget for every employee to continue to learn and grow their skills