Senior Unreal Gameplay Engineer

Join the team who's helped build 300+ games ranging from Call of Duty, Halo, PUBG, and Bioshock

You know the difference between client prediction and server reconciliation. You've debugged replication issues at 3 AM. You understand why a 16ms frame budget matters in competitive shooters.

We're Ironbelly Studios - 20+ industry veterans building our next multiplayer FPS in Unreal Engine 5. This is new system architecture from the ground up, not maintenance work.

⚡ The Mission

Own the core gameplay architecture for a fully-funded competitive shooter targeting the hardcore PC FPS community. You'll architect systems handling thousands of concurrent players while maintaining the sub-16ms responsiveness that competitive players demand.

🎯 You Will

Architect Multiplayer Systems

• Design server-authoritative architecture with client prediction and lag compensation
• Implement advanced ballistics with material penetration and damage modeling
• Build AI state machines for combat encounters and world simulation
• Own inventory replication and dynamic loot spawn systems

Drive Technical Excellence

• Optimize for consistent 60+ FPS in intense multiplayer scenarios
• Establish Unreal best practices across the engineering team
• Balance competitive feel with network performance

Scale for Success

• Implement persistent player progression and reputation systems
• Design session management and skill-based matchmaking
• Integrate backend services, databases, and analytics pipelines

🛡️ Must-Haves

• 5+ years shipping games with Unreal Engine (UE4/UE5)
• Deep C++ expertise in gameplay architecture
• Shipped at least 2 commercial games (ideally multiplayer)
• Proven experience with weapon systems and combat mechanics
• Mastery of multiplayer concepts: replication, RPCs, lag compensation
• Backend integration experience

🌟 Bonus Points

• Extraction shooter or Battle Royale development
• Anti-cheat and competitive integrity systems
• Gameplay Ability System (GAS) expertise
• Experience scaling to 1000+ concurrent players
• Live-service game operations

💡 Why Ironbelly?

Proven Track Record: Our team has contributed to 300+ projects from indie to AAA franchises

Technical Freedom: Senior engineers drive architectural decisions - no micromanagement

Stable & Funded: Fully-funded project with clear roadmap and experienced leadership

Remote-First Culture: Work from anywhere in Canada, USA, or South America. Optional collaboration at our Montreal hub for those who want it.

Real Benefits: Competitive salary, comprehensive health coverage (dental, vision), generous PTO

📍 Location

This is a hybrid role based in Montreal, Quebec. We're building a centralized team in one of gaming's most vibrant cities. Local candidates or those willing to relocate will be prioritized but all are welcome!

- 5+ years shipping games with Unreal Engine (UE4/UE5) - Deep C++ expertise in gameplay architecture - Shipped at least 2 commercial games (ideally multiplayer) - Proven experience with weapon systems and combat mechanics - Mastery of multiplayer concepts: replication, RPCs, lag compensation - Backend integration experience