Senior Gameplay Programmer, Game Prototypes

At Netflix, our mission is to entertain the world. Together, we are writing the next episode - pushing the boundaries of storytelling, global fandom and making the unimaginable a reality. We are a dream team obsessed with the uncomfortable excitement of discovering what happens when you merge creativity, intuition and cutting-edge technology. Come be a part of what’s next.

We're looking for a highly-skilled Senior Gameplay Programmer to join an in-house strategic incubation game development team focused on shaping the gameplay foundation of Netflix Games. This role is central to our efforts regarding the cloud streaming platform, the Netflix Game Controller (NGC), and other potential platforms. You will be responsible for implementing and refining gameplay systems across a diverse portfolio of game prototypes. These prototypes will cover a wide spectrum of genres available in the Netflix portfolio.

The right candidate will possess industry-leading craft expertise, meticulous attention to detail, and a proactive curiosity. This role requires a Senior Gameplay Programmer comfortable working across diverse game genres, from children's titles to AAA Action Adventures games, as well as working with a unique input device (the NGC). You will contribute to every stage of development, from initial vision to creating playable prototypes.

A key expectation is the ability to move seamlessly between gameplay sensibility and hands-on engineering. This includes partnering with designers to shape systems and directly building them yourself using technical fluency in Unreal Engine 5, leveraging a combination of C++ and Blueprints as well as using Gen AI. You must possess the engineering rigor to architect reliable, maintainable systems and the prototyping speed to find the fun fast.

THE TEAM

Our mission is to empower small teams of exceptional developers to build breakout hits, leveraging innovative gameplay married with beloved IPs and served with minimal friction within the Netflix ecosystem. We seek new teammates who care deeply about the experiences they create and the people they make them with, who bias towards hands-on action and are energized by the learning that comes with bold experimentation at an agile pace. As a part of Netflix, we strive to hire the best and value integrity, excellence, respect, inclusion, and collaboration.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Build Across Genres: Contribute to a rotating slate of projects spanning many different genres, adapting your engineering approach to fit the genre, audience, and platform at hand.

• Drive Feature Areas End-to-End: Own multiple complex gameplay features from prototype to polished implementation, producing well-engineered, reliable, and maintainable code.

• Prototype in UE5: Translate design intent into functional, playable systems and mechanics using Unreal Engine 5 with a combination of C++, Blueprints, Gen AI, and custom tools to validate gameplay hypotheses and find the fun fast.

• Optimize & Debug: Profile, optimize, and debug both code and content across projects as needed to keep prototypes performant on TV via the cloud streaming platform and other targets.

• Collaboration Catalyst: Partner closely with designers, artists, producers, and other engineers to integrate and improve features, ensuring cohesion between design intent and execution. Participate in code reviews and create documentation and functional tests for the features you build.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

• Proven experience prototyping and shipping two or more titles as a Gameplay Programmer/Engineer across varied genres, with a focus on excellent player experience.
• Excellent technical knowledge in C++, optimization, math, and debugging, with extensive hands-on experience in Unreal Engine 5 and strong Blueprint implementation skills.
• Strong gameplay and design sensibilities, able to partner with designers to shape systems and articulate the core elements that contribute to the "feel" and success of each genre.
• Demonstrates ability to develop complex features and systems end-to-end, and to produce reliable, maintainable code under fast iterative timelines.
• Thrives in a fast-moving, prototype-first environment where scope and direction evolve quickly, demonstrating exceptional adaptability to change.
• Strong communicator who can translate complex technical ideas for other disciplines and communicates actively about the status of their tasks.
• Maintains a broad and active engagement with games, offering well-informed and strong perspectives on the elements that contribute to an exceptional player experience.
• Demonstrates good judgement on the required quality level and technical approach for a wide array of tasks ranging from quick and dirty prototypes to shippable features.
• Demonstrates a commitment to task planning and timely delivery of tasks

REQUIRED APPLICATION DETAILS

• Resume
• Portfolio examples are welcomed

LOCATION

This is a remote position. However, candidates must be willing to travel for work-related events and adhere to a development team schedule oriented toward Eastern Standard Time (EST).

Generally, our compensation structure consists solely of an annual salary; we do not have bonuses. You choose each year how much of your compensation you want in salary versus stock options. To determine your personal top of market compensation, we rely on market indicators and consider your specific job family, background, skills, and experience to determine your compensation in the market range. The range for this role is $140,000.00 - $250,000.00.

Netflix provides comprehensive benefits including Supplemental Health and Dental Plans, Mental Health support, a RRSP Retirement Plan with employer match, Stock Option Program, Disability Programs, Family-forming benefits, and Life and Serious Injury Benefits. We also offer paid leave of absence programs. Full-time hourly employees accrue 35 days annually for paid time off to be used for vacation, holidays, and sick paid time off. Full-time salaried employees are immediately entitled to flexible time off. See more detail about our Benefits here.

Netflix is a unique culture and environment. Learn more here.

Inclusion is a Netflix value and we strive to host a meaningful interview experience for all candidates. If you want an accommodation/adjustment for a disability or any other reason during the hiring process, please send a request to your recruiting partner.

We are an equal-opportunity employer and celebrate diversity, recognizing that diversity builds stronger teams. We approach diversity and inclusion seriously and thoughtfully. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, ancestry, national origin, caste, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, age, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic makeup, marital status, or military service.