Lead Engine Programmer, Core Systems

Job Description

ENGINEERING - UNREAL ENGINE
What We Do
Unreal-powered projects have been on the bleeding edge of real-time entertainment for over 20 years. Our team of engineering experts are always innovating to improve the tools and technology that empower content developers worldwide.
What You'll Do
Epic Games seeks an experienced Lead Programmer to join our Core Engine Systems team. In this role, you will manage a team of highly specialized and experienced systems engineers who are improving the performance of our existing core technologies (loading, memory, serialization, concurrency) and delivering new, engine-critical, high-impact features directly to Unreal Engine, UEFN, and Fortnite. Reporting to the Group Director of Engineering and working closely with the Technical Director, you will be responsible for delivering all team outcomes. The ideal candidate will love practical problem-solving and be passionate about improving the day-to-day workflow of other developers.
In this role, you will
• Participate in technical discussions, review technical designs and proposals, identify technical risks, evaluate tradeoffs, challenge existing thinking, and contribute directly to the codebase
• Plan and deliver work with the team while balancing timelines, company priorities, team health, and sustainable work practices
• Set clear goals for the team and define growth opportunities that support individual development and long-term success
• Drive cross-team collaboration by fostering inclusivity, visibility, and clear communication across engineering groups
• Maintain a high bar for technical quality while supporting performance management, feedback, and career progression
What we're looking for
• A proven track record of driving and delivering long-running, complex technical solutions
• Strong ability to reason about large, interacting systems and their performance characteristics
• High proficiency in C++
• Experience working with core engine or system-level codebases
• Ability to operate autonomously while aligning with broader technical direction
• Good knowledge of the Unreal Engine reflection system and serialization versioning is a plus

Note to Recruitment Agencies: Epic does not accept any unsolicited resumes or approaches from any unauthorized third party (including recruitment or placement agencies) (i.e., a third party with whom we do not have a negotiated and validly executed agreement). We will not pay any fees to any unauthorized third party. Further details on these matters can be found here.

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-ve1x10-216-73-216-26-42 in your application.