Unreal Engine Gameplay Developer

---

Company description

Ember Crows is an independent game studio based in London.

We founded the studio to create original, story-driven games with distinctive worlds, strong artistic direction and stories worth playing.

We’re a small and ambitious team. We take the work seriously, but we like working in a straightforward and relaxed way built around trust, good communication and mutual respect.

Website: https://embercrows.com

Game description

We’re working on ‘Names Go Dark’, a dark, narrative-driven third-person action RPG for PC and consoles, built in Unreal Engine 5.

The game is set on Proxima b, a tidally locked planet divided between eternal light and endless darkness, combining science-fiction technology with Slavic mythology and a grounded, atmospheric world.

We’re looking for an Unreal Engine Gameplay Developer to join the team and help us bring the gameplay of ‘Names Go Dark’ to life.

You’ll work closely with the Game Director, Game Designer and wider team, developing gameplay features and turning design ideas into systems that feel good to play.

Responsibilities

• Designing technical solutions and implementing gameplay features in Unreal Engine 5.
• Developing player mechanics, interactions, combat and other core gameplay systems.
• Implementing gameplay using C++ and Blueprints.
• Building reusable and maintainable gameplay systems.
• Implementing enemy and NPC behaviours.
• Prototyping and iterating new gameplay mechanics.
• Working closely with Game Design to translate design documentation into functional gameplay.
• Integrating gameplay with animation, VFX, UI and audio.
• Supporting scripted sequences and gameplay-to-cinematic transitions.
• Debugging gameplay and technical issues.
• Profiling and optimising gameplay systems.
• Maintaining clean and well-organised project architecture.
• Working with source control and maintaining technical documentation.
• Taking ownership of features from implementation through testing and iteration.
• Collaborating with designers, artists and other developers across the project.

Requirements

• At least 3 years of professional game development experience as a Gameplay Programmer, Unreal Engine Developer or in a closely related role.
• At least one commercially shipped game or equivalent substantial production credit.
• Strong practical knowledge of Unreal Engine 5.
• Strong C++ skills.
• Very good knowledge of Blueprints.
• Experience implementing and owning gameplay systems in Unreal Engine.
• Good understanding of Unreal Engine gameplay architecture.
• Strong debugging and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to implement complete gameplay solutions based on design documentation.
• Experience with source control and professional development workflows.
• Ability to prototype quickly and iterate based on playtesting and feedback.
• Ability to manage your own tasks, take ownership of features and communicate clearly with the rest of the team.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with Game Design, Art, Animation and other disciplines.
• Very good written and spoken English.
• Portfolio, gameplay footage, repository or released work showing what you personally built.

Experience working on AA/AAA productions, RPGs, third-person action games or similarly complex PC/console titles is strongly preferred.

If you don’t quite meet every requirement but think your work speaks for itself, take a chance and apply anyway. We’ll keep an open mind too.

Nice to have

• Experience developing third-person action games.
• Experience with action RPGs or action-adventure games.
• Experience with realistic, cyberpunk, science-fiction or dark atmospheric projects.
• Strong understanding of narrative-driven RPGs and how gameplay systems support story, worldbuilding and player immersion.
• Interest in Central and Eastern European history, culture, mythology or folklore.
• Familiarity with Slavic mythology and folklore.
• Gameplay Ability System.
• Combat system development.
• AI, Behaviour Trees and EQS.
• Animation Blueprints and Motion Matching.
• Niagara.
• Sequencer.
• NPC and dialogue systems.
• Performance profiling and optimisation.
• Experience developing for PC and consoles.

Where from?

Wherever you work best.

The role can be fully remote, hybrid or based in London.

We have access to our workspace in Battersea for team members who want to work together in person.

For remote collaboration, we ask for reasonable overlap with UK working hours and regular communication with the team.

What we offer

• A hands-on role with real influence over an original IP.
• Significant ownership of gameplay features.
• Direct collaboration with the Game Director and a small multidisciplinary team.
• Flexible remote, hybrid or London-based collaboration.
• A professional but relaxed working culture built around trust, communication and mutual respect.
• Option to participate in Ember Crows’ project-based profit-sharing programme.
• The opportunity to grow with the project and studio as development progresses.

This is a freelance contract. Compensation, scope and expected commitment will be agreed individually based on the role, experience and availability.

What happens after I apply?

• If, based on your CV, portfolio and previous work, we feel you might be a good fit, we’ll ask you to complete a short technical test.
• You’ll have 7 days to complete and submit it.
• The test will be a self-contained gameplay programming exercise designed to help us understand how you approach Unreal Engine, code structure, gameplay logic and problem-solving.
• It will not contain production work intended for use in ‘Names Go Dark’.
• We’re interested in the quality of your thinking and implementation, not in how much content you can produce.
• If we like your test, we’ll arrange a remote interview with the Game Director.
• We’ll ask you to walk us through previous work and explain exactly what you were responsible for.
• Following the interview, we may ask for references from people you’ve worked with previously.
• If all goes well, we’ll have a final conversation about the role, project, scope and collaboration before making an offer.
• If we decide it isn’t the right fit, we’ll let you know as soon as we can.

Please note that we will only contact shortlisted candidates.

---