Principal Game Programmer (Unreal Engine)
Job Description
WHAT YOU WILL BE WORKING ON
What you will focus on
As the primary technical authority for the OTT portfolio (all non-Brand-Partnership), you are responsible for technical strategy and transformative innovation across all technological disciplines within OTT.
This encompasses everything from game engine architecture, large-scale infrastructure, advanced tools, optimized pipelines, and robust live service operations – including C++ internal engines, Unreal Engine/Unity production, and legacy game stacks.
You will guide, empower, and inspire multi-disciplinary teams of programmers, architects, and technologists on game technology areas, ensuring technical excellence and alignment across multiple projects and production teams in line with Studio production goals and long-term vision
Furthermore, you will encourage team upskilling and manage the integration of AI-driven productivity tools across the OTT portfolio.
What it means on a daily basis
1. Strategic innovation and leadership
- Shape the long-term strategic technical vision, roadmap, and architectural direction of the entire division.
- Build a scalable production ecosystem, strategically designed to support the studio's long-term content demands, operational flexibility, and global reach.
- Initiate, manage, and oversee core R&D activities (including AI pipeline in game development).
- Consistently explore and integrate new technologies and methodologies to enhance production efficiency and technical quality.
- Continuously analyze and resolve complex, critical technical challenges at division or studio level to prevent roadblocks and ensure seamless operations.
- Promote a culture of creativity, experimentation, continuous improvement, and a product-focused mindset within programming teams.
2. Technical alignment and operational excellence
- Act as the primary point of contact and escalation path for complex technical challenges, providing consultation and guidance to production teams and partners.
- Partner with the Studio Technical Director on strategic resource planning and project allocation.
- Follow up closely with technical leads and other stakeholders (game managers, producers, cross-functional team leads) to monitor all projects’ technical status, prevent and solve critical issues, and ensure programming teams meet deadlines with efficiency and quality.
- Establish and enforce studio-wide coding standards, architectural patterns, and workflows with industry-standard engineering practices.
- Oversee the effective transition and integration of R&D outcomes (e.g., comprehensive documentation, Proofs of Concept, mature prototypes) into production pipelines.
- Continuously optimize processes and technical infrastructure to support project scaling and the studio’s long-term strategic direction.
- Collaborate with technical experts to share AI/Unreal/engine-level learnings and align on technical directions.
- Coordinate with partner studios to standardize Unreal toolchains (Horde, UGS, Perforce branching, AutoSDK/Turnkey, plugin baseline) per Gameloft Technical Summit directives.
3. Talent focus and team upskilling
- Manage the team of seniors/experts/leads, focus on skills and career development
- Perform periodic assessments of technical competencies across the division with regards to technical challenges and strategic directions.
- Take action to fill the identified skill gaps (e.g., training, on-the-job mentoring, coaching), with focus on high-potential and skilled programmers, facilitating their development path towards future technical experts/leads.
- Promote a positive and effective cooperation between programming and other departments.
4. Studio and technology partnerships
- Develop and maintain strategic relationships with technical/production counterparts in co-development studios and technology partners.
- Oversee the technical co-development relationship with other partner studios, including alignment on style guides, architecture, tooling, and frequent lead-to-lead syncs during active production phases.
- Evaluate new external technologies and partnerships for strategic fit and potential impact on studio capabilities.
What success will look like
As the Division Principal Programmer, you will bring visible impact on technical leadership and development on strategic projects and missions aligned with the studio's vision.
Who you would be working with
You will overseeing your programing team of approximately 35 to 40 people, and collaborating closely with other department heads and team leads in game development like Game Design, Art, and Producing.
You will also report to the Studio Technical Director and coordinate with Studio Directors, Studio Manager, and Technical Managers/Directors from partner studios.
Qualifications
WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED
- Experience in game creation across various genres.
- Deep knowledge in core game development domains (e.g., AI, 3D rendering, online/network scalability, cloud technology).
- Proficiency in multiple game engines (e.g., Unity, Unreal), with mandatory advanced skill in Unreal (UE5).
- Advanced proficiency in architecture design and coding in multiple languages (e.g., C#, C++, Python).
- Solid knowledge of AI/LLM production deployment; practical experience using AI coding assistants (e.g., Claude Code, Copilot).
- Committed to staying current with industry technological advancements; ability to lead R&D initiatives and produce high-quality technical documentation (whitepapers, specifications).
WHO YOU ARE
- Demonstrated experience in strategic project management.
- A solid product mindset (balancing technical requirements with business and player value).
- Ability to collaborate effectively with high-level leadership and external partners.
- Solid problem-solving skills with a structured approach that considers both the immediate issue and the overall system architecture.
- Advanced communication skills, with the ability to help shape or facilitate the decision-making process.
- Effective negotiation and conflict resolution skills.
- Well-developed technical mentorship skill.
- Highly autonomous, initiative driver.
- Demonstrated adaptability and steady leadership during periods of change or high-pressure situations.
- Advanced analytical and critical thinking skills.
- Collaborative team player with a high sense of responsibility and a focus on results.
- Open, proactive, excellence-driven mindset.
- Fast learner and visionary leader.
Additional Information
WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU
Benefits
- A hybrid working model with 2 days working from home every week.
- A range of well-being events and policies to support employees physically, mentally, and emotionally.
- Various training packages, including internal training, training sponsorship, and e-learning platforms (iLearn, Udemy, O'Reilly,...).
- Opportunities to collaborate and train with Gameloft worldwide experts and develop yourself.
- An attractive monthly salary alongside Tet and other performance bonuses.
- Minimum 12 days of paid annual leave, plus 5 days of paid sick leave, Christmas leave, Birthday leave, CSR leave,...
- 100% coverage of mandatory insurance plus private healthcare insurance.
- A monthly allowance to support lunch meals and working-from-home electricity and Internet bills.
- Relocation supprt for international candidates joining from overseas.
Life at Gameloft
- A collaborative workplace environment, with over 15+ nationalities, where hundreds of world-renowned game titles were born.
- An open-space office, a canteen, a billiard table, a ping-pong table, and a foosball table.
- A gaming room equipped with mutiple devices (PS, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, arcade machine,...).
- A capable and encouraging team of professionals focused on creating compelling video games.
- A global company where you can meet great people around the world.
- A fun place to work in the heart of the city.
How to proceed
Ready to level up your career? Apply now and help us create the next great game!
Please note:
To ensure a fair and compliant recruitment process under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), please submit your application through the official job posting, preferably via Gameloft website, Gameloft or Gameloft Vietnam LinkedIn pages, or SmartRecruiters. Applications sent via email or LinkedIn messages will not be considered.
Due to the high volume of applications, only candidates whose profiles most closely match the role needs will be contacted by our recruiters. We sincerely appreciate your understanding and interest.
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