Senior Gameplay Engineer

 

Skeleton Key is a game development studio and division of Wizards of the Coast. We are a group of industry veterans who are guided by the belief that empowering our teams and providing the necessary time, tools, and support we can foster a creative culture where everyone can do their best work.

 

Our studio is located in Austin, TX, and we are looking for a passionate and dedicated Senior Gameplay Engineer to join us and bring our first AAA game to life. This role will be based out of Austin, TX with a 3-day per week onsite hybrid working model.

 

Reporting to the Lead Gameplay Engineer, you will be a key contributor as we enter pre-production, focused on building and iterating on core gameplay systems. This role emphasizes hands-on implementation of player-facing features, networked multiplayer gameplay, and NPC and enemy combatant behaviors. You will develop systems that must function reliably in shared game states, working closely with design, animation, and engineering teams to deliver responsive, scalable gameplay within Unreal Engine.

 

What you'll do:

• Design, implement, and iterate on gameplay systems and player-facing features using C++ in Unreal Engine.
• Collaborate closely with Gameplay Design to translate concepts into scalable, maintainable systems.
• Implement features with awareness of replication, shared state, and multiplayer considerations.
• Partner with animation and technical animation teams to ensure gameplay feels responsive and cohesive.
• Debug, profile, and optimize systems to ensure performance, stability, and scalability.
• Contribute to code reviews, technical discussions, and shared engineering practices across the team.
• Design and implement AI-related gameplay features, including behavior logic, decision-making, and player interactions.

 

What you'll bring:

• 5+ years of professional experience as a Gameplay Engineer on shipped games.
• Strong C++ experience with Unreal Engine gameplay systems.
• Experience implementing gameplay features in real-time 3D environments.
• Familiarity with gameplay systems that operate across multiple players or shared game states, including Unreal Engine AI systems such as behavior trees, AI controllers, or navigation.
• Experience collaborating closely with design and content teams.
• Strong debugging, problem-solving, and systems-thinking skills.
• Clear communication skills and the ability to work effectively in a cross-disciplinary team.

 

Nice to have:

• Experience working on multiplayer or co-operative gameplay systems.
• Familiarity with Unreal Engine replication or multiplayer gameplay patterns.
• Experience working on action-oriented or systems-heavy games.
• Background contributing to early pre-production or foundational gameplay systems.