About this role
● Core RTS gameplay systems: Design, implement, maintain, and improve player-facing gameplay features such as unit behaviors, abilities, commands, selection, movement, combat interactions, targeting, and game-state systems using C++. ● Mission and scenario gameplay: Build and support scripted gameplay content including triggers, objectives, events, encounters, victory conditions, progression logic, and campaign or custom scenario systems. ● Simulation and systems architecture: Develop modular, data-driven gameplay systems that support iteration, determinism, save/load reliability, multiplayer stability, and maintainability across a large legacy codebase. ● Technical leadership and collaboration: Partner closely with design, art, audio, production, QA, and engineering peers to prototype features, tune game feel, guide implementation approaches, review code, and resolve gameplay issues efficiently. ● Performance and stability: Debug and optimize gameplay systems with attention to CPU, memory, desync risk, determinism, save/load issues, and edge-case behavior in both single-player and multiplayer contexts. ● Legacy stewardship and improvement: Work within an established codebase to extend and refactor existing systems, modernize workflows where appropriate, reduce technical debt, and preserve the responsiveness and readability players expect from a classic RTS experience.
● Have 6+ years of professional software development experience using C++, ideally in games. ● Hold a BSc in Computer Science or a college diploma in software engineering, game programming, or a closely related field, or have equivalent professional experience. ● Have shipped at least one commercial game or major update where you contributed significantly to gameplay, simulation, AI, tools, or engine systems. ● Are comfortable working in mature or legacy codebases and can improve existing systems without losing sight of gameplay feel, stability, and maintainability. ● Can independently own medium-to-large gameplay features from investigation and design through implementation, debugging, polish, and support. ● Have experience implementing or debugging gameplay systems involving state, timing, scripting, AI, player input, mission logic, or simulation. ● Care deeply about responsiveness, clarity, polish, and long-term maintainability in player-facing systems. ● Communicate clearly, work well with cross-functional teams, and can provide constructive technical feedback through code reviews, design discussions, and mentoring.
● Experience working on real-time strategy, simulation-heavy, tactics, or systems-driven games. ● Familiarity with gameplay scripting, trigger systems, event systems, mission logic, or content pipelines. ● Experience with AI systems such as state machines, behavior trees, utility systems, navigation, targeting, or tactical decision-making. ● Experience working on live, remastered, or long-running titles with an established player base. ● Familiarity with multiplayer gameplay considerations such as synchronization, determinism, replay systems, lockstep simulation, or networked simulation.
● Have 6+ years of professional software development experience using C++, ideally in games. ● Hold a BSc in Computer Science or a college diploma in software engineering, game programming, or a closely related field, or have equivalent professional experience. ● Have shipped at least one commercial game or major update where you contributed significantly to gameplay, simulation, AI, tools, or engine systems. ● Are comfortable working in mature or legacy codebases and can improve existing systems without losing sight of gameplay feel, stability, and maintainability. ● Can independently own medium-to-large gameplay features from investigation and design through implementation, debugging, polish, and support. ● Have experience implementing or debugging gameplay systems involving state, timing, scripting, AI, player input, mission logic, or simulation. ● Care deeply about responsiveness, clarity, polish, and long-term maintainability in player-facing systems. ● Communicate clearly, work well with cross-functional teams, and can provide constructive technical feedback through code reviews, design discussions, and mentoring.
● Experience working on real-time strategy, simulation-heavy, tactics, or systems-driven games. ● Familiarity with gameplay scripting, trigger systems, event systems, mission logic, or content pipelines. ● Experience with AI systems such as state machines, behavior trees, utility systems, navigation, targeting, or tactical decision-making. ● Experience working on live, remastered, or long-running titles with an established player base. ● Familiarity with multiplayer gameplay considerations such as synchronization, determinism, replay systems, lockstep simulation, or networked simulation.
Tech stack
C++
About Blackbird Interactive
Blackbird Interactive is hiring for the senior software engineer role. NewJob aggregates active openings directly from Blackbird Interactive's applicant tracking system, so this listing is current.
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