Lead Software Engineer, Original Game (Unreal Engine 5)

**This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Lead Software Engineer, Original Game (Unreal Engine 5) based in Canada.** This role offers the opportunity to define the technical foundation of an ambitious new game project built with Unreal Engine 5. You will be the first engineering hire on the project, shaping architecture, workflows, and development practices from the ground up. Working closely with creative, design, and technical teams, you will bring innovative gameplay systems to life while ensuring high performance and scalability. You will influence engineering standards, mentor developers, and help build a strong technical culture throughout production. The position combines hands-on development with strategic technical leadership across gameplay, AI, platforms, and delivery pipelines. You will join a remote-first environment where collaboration, ownership, and creativity are central to building memorable gaming experiences. ### Accountabilities: As a Lead Software Engineer, you will drive the technical execution of a new original game project, balancing hands-on engineering with technical leadership. You will establish the foundations needed for successful game development, guide engineering decisions, and collaborate across disciplines to deliver a polished and engaging player experience. - Build the initial engineering foundation for the project, including development pipelines, workflows, technical architecture, and technology choices. - Lead the design and implementation of core gameplay systems, runtime features, and engine-level solutions using Unreal Engine 5. - Collaborate closely with designers, artists, and content teams to create high-quality, responsive, and engaging gameplay experiences. - Establish engineering best practices around code quality, reviews, debugging, profiling, optimization, and technical planning. - Drive solutions that improve performance, scalability, maintainability, and production readiness across the game. - Partner with technical leadership to identify risks, define implementation strategies, and align engineering priorities with project goals. - Mentor engineers through technical guidance, design discussions, code reviews, and problem-solving support. - Contribute to hiring, onboarding, and building a high-performing engineering team. - Communicate technical decisions, trade-offs, constraints, dependencies, and progress clearly with stakeholders. - Support platform development, build systems, automation, and delivery processes required for a successful production cycle. ## Requirements: The ideal candidate is an experienced game engineer with strong technical leadership skills and a passion for building innovative gameplay experiences. You should have deep expertise in Unreal Engine, C++, and large-scale game development, with the ability to solve complex engineering challenges while collaborating effectively across teams. - 5+ years of professional experience in game development, including ownership of technical initiatives, mentorship, and engineering leadership. - Strong professional experience with C++ and Unreal Engine, including gameplay architecture, runtime systems, debugging, and optimization. - Proven experience designing and maintaining gameplay systems that are scalable, responsive, and easy for designers to work with. - Strong understanding of game development workflows, engine systems, build pipelines, and production environments. - Ability to work across multiple engineering areas, including gameplay, engine technologies, automation, and development tools. - Experience making practical technical decisions while balancing immediate production needs with long-term maintainability. - Strong collaboration and communication skills with both technical and non-technical stakeholders. - Ability to work effectively in a remote environment with Pacific Time overlap. **Nice-to-have qualificat…