An Engine Programmer is a professional who possesses the technical expertise to develop, optimize, and maintain the underlying engine systems that power various software applications and games. They are the architects behind the functionality and performance of game engines, simulation engines, and other software platforms. In this blog post, we delve into the primary responsibilities and the most sought-after hard and soft skills for Engine Programmers.

Get market insights and compare skills for other jobs here.

Main Responsibilities of an Engine Programmer

The following list describes the typical responsibilities of an Engine Programmer

Adapt

Adapt or replace game engine systems to enhance the efficiency of game development.

Advise

• Advise and aid in streamlining the development process.

• Advise less experienced developers regarding their implementation approaches.

Alter

Alter existing core engine systems.

Analyze

• Analyze and maintain CPU and loading performance by optimizing algorithms to ensure high efficiency.

• Analyze and support data pipelines, ensuring they're efficient and reliable.

• Analyze and understand the requirements of content creators to design new engine systems.

• Analyze code performance and optimize whenever needed.

• Analyze existing engine systems and determine if they meet project requirements.

• Analyze memory footprint and performance characteristics of systems.

• Analyze memory usage to identify and solve inefficiencies, errors, and fragmentation.

• Analyze requests and raises flags, foresees potential issues, offer different options.

Architect

Architect holistic platform development across multiple services and applications.

Assist

Assist your team in keeping technical documentation well maintained.

Build

• Build, improve, and maintain scalable Blueprints.

• Build server and Swarm pipeline setup.

• Build sustainable, performant, rigorously tested, and maintainable technologies and code.

Collaborate with

• Collaborate with artists and designers to implement game mechanics.

• Collaborate with artists and designers to push the technical limits of the game engine.

• Collaborate with other programmers to resolve technical challenges.

• Collaborate with our QA teams to identify and fix bugs in a timely manner.

• Collaborate with the Leads to plan and schedule tasks.

• Collaborate with the whole team to achieve project goals.

Conduct

Conduct code reviews and provide constructive feedback.

Contribute to

Contribute to the overall technical vision and roadmap of the engine.

Create

• Create and maintain systems to help code teams with performance analysis.

• Create and maintain systems to minimise impact of loading on players.

• Create and maintain systems to minimize impact of loading on players.

• Create new engine systems and features.

• Create scripting interfaces and support for modding.

• Create tools and utilities to support engine development.

Debug

• Debug and maintain the code base to meet elevated standards of flexibility and performance.

• Debug and troubleshoot engine issues and performance bottlenecks.

Design

Design and implement physics simulations and interactions.

Determine

• Determine and correct « bugs » identified by other teams and the quality control team.

• Determine and fix the bugs identified by other production and quality control teams.

• Determine and help maintain CPU performance and memory budgets across code disciplines and platforms.

Develop

• Develop and design robust, modular, efficient, and scalable systems that can handle large RTS worlds.

• Develop and maintain Engine Systems which can include Animation, Physics, F / X and others.

• Develop automated testing frameworks for engine validation.

• Develop debugging and profiling tools for engine analysis.

• Develop game features and tools in Unreal Engine 4.

• Develop networked multiplayer functionalities.

• Develop scalable, fast and efficient code.

• Develop tools to assist the development team.

• Develop user interface systems and components.

Diagnose

• Diagnose and repair the most complex bugs, including creating systems to help in debugging.

• Diagnose and repair the most complex defects, including creating systems to help in debugging.

Document

Document code and engine architecture for reference and maintenance.

Enjoy

Enjoy mentoring and coaching less experienced programmers.

Ensure

• Ensure coding standards are followed.

• Ensure coding standards are met and help apply good programming practices within the tool team.

• Ensure compatibility and performance of systems on all target platforms.

• Ensure compatibility with various platforms and hardware configurations.

• Ensure compliance with coding standards and best practices.

• Ensure systems take advantage of the features of the Stadia platform.

• Ensure the creation of technical documentation.

• Ensure the creation of the technical documentation.

• Ensure the quality and performance of developed game features.

• Ensure timely and high-quality modular software development.

Estimate

Estimate own tasks and delivers high quality code to that schedule.

Evaluate

• Evaluate and adopt new technologies for engine enhancement.

• Evaluate, plan, and manage updates of SDKs and Middleware.

Examine

Examine and validate the development of team tools.

Help

• Help mentor and support more junior members of the team.

• Help research and evaluate new plugins, approaches, and patterns in Unreal Engine 4.

• Help to determine CPU and memory budgets.

• Help to develop technical design specifications and is able to implement them.

Identify

• Identify and recommend solutions to technical problems in implementations.

• Identify performance issues.

• Identify technical and developmental risks / obstacles and find solutions to overcome them.

Implement

• Implement artificial intelligence algorithms and behaviors.

• Implement audio systems and effects within the engine.

• Implement input handling and control schemes.

• Implement new core engine systems.

• Implement procedural generation algorithms for dynamic content.

• Implement rendering pipelines and graphics features.

Innovate

Innovate and improve workflows and user experience.

Integrate

• Integrate and improve the development kit (SDK) / third-party library.

• Integrate localization and internationalization features.

• Integrate third-party libraries and APIs into the engine framework.

Interact

Interact with Transparency.

Make

Make suggestions and improvements to answer needs by designing and implementing new systems.

Measure

Measure and track the in-game loading processes to ensure high efficiency.

Mentor

Mentor code team, passing on experience and expertise, and lead by example.

Multiplayer

Multiplayer networking in UE4.

Optimize

• Optimize and improve existing systems, particularly in terms of performance, memory and game data.

• Optimize both memory and performance in systems that have to scale from high-end to mobile systems.

• Optimize game engine performance for real time operation while maximizing high fidelity realism.

• Optimize memory usage and resource management.

• Optimize the game code taking into account that some of our games will be live and online ones.

Participate in

• Participate in all project phases, from concept to maintenance.

• Participate in creating data export technology (animations, sound, textures, modelling.).

• Participate in design discussions and feature planning.

Perforce

Perforce version control and code review processes.

Perform

Perform code reviews with the team to ensure code quality.

Plan

• Plan, manage and regulate the multi threading environment and CPU core assignment.

• Plan, manage and regulate the multithreading environment and CPU core assignment.

• Plan, work effectively, and provide realistic updates on progress to your team and managers.

Profile

Profile and optimize existing system according to hardware constraints.

Promote

Promote and adhere to best-practice with regards to code quality and performance.

Propose

Propose new systems and architecture to drive innovation in our game engines.

Prototype

Prototype custom IDE's and tools for enterprise application use cases.

Provide

• Provide best estimation of feature delivery.

• Provide support for developed features to internal users.

• Provide technical support and guidance to other team members.

Receive

Receive similar job offers.

Research

Research and development of innovative XR experiences.

Resolve

Resolve any conflict situation that may arise with your team members.

Review

• Review and support the data pipelines, ensuring that they are efficient and work reliably.

• Review performance of code and optimise or aid in optimising algorithms.

• Review performance of code and optimize or aid in optimizing algorithms.

• Review performance of compiler and associated build processes.

Secure

Secure bike storage room and a subsidy to encourage active transportation (during the summer).

Solve

Solve common problems with planetary scale open world.

Stay updated on

Stay updated on industry trends and advancements in engine technology.

Suggest

Suggest improvements to the existing pipeline that match the project's needs.

Support

• Support and maintain legacy engine systems.

• Support for new employees relocating from countries or regions outside Quebec.

Transit

Transit passes & heated underground parking.

Use

Use the CPU profiling tools (PC, consoles) and make needed optimizations when necessary.

Work

• Work across disciplines to identify needs and requirements of the game teams.

• Work closely with cross-displine teams including programmers, designers, animators and artists.

• Work with development leads to build Unreal Engine expertise across the studio.

• Work with multiple teams to collaborate and solve complex technical challenges.

• Work with technical leads to improve our Unreal Engine 4 subsystems and components.

• Work with the programming team to build an efficient software architecture.

Write

• Write and develop robust maintainable engine code.

• Write clear, debuggable, maintainable and performance targeted code.

• Write system documentation and test cases for assigned systems.

• Write unit, functional, or integration tests for features you deliver.

Most In-demand Hard Skills

The following list describes the most required technical skills of an Engine Programmer

1. Proficiency in programming languages such as C++, C#, or Java.

2. In-depth knowledge of game engines (e.g., Unreal Engine, Unity).

3. Familiarity with graphics programming and rendering techniques.

4. Understanding of physics simulation principles and algorithms.

5. Experience with audio programming and DSP algorithms.

6. Knowledge of networking protocols and multiplayer architectures.

7. Mastery of software development tools such as Visual Studio or IntelliJ.

8. Proficiency in version control systems like Git or SVN.

9. Understanding of data structures and algorithms.

10. Experience with shader programming languages (e.g., HLSL, GLSL).

11. Knowledge of 3D mathematics and linear algebra.

12. Familiarity with scripting languages like Python or Lua.

13. Understanding of memory management and optimization techniques.

14. Experience with cross-platform development and porting.

15. Knowledge of user interface development frameworks.

16. Familiarity with artificial intelligence techniques and algorithms.

17. Proficiency in debugging and profiling tools (e.g., PIX, RenderDoc).

18. Understanding of low-level system architectures and APIs.

19. Experience with game development frameworks and engines.

20. Ability to learn and adapt to new technologies and methodologies quickly.

Most In-demand Soft Skills

The following list describes the most required soft skills of an Engine Programmer

1. Effective communication and collaboration within multidisciplinary teams.

2. Problem-solving mindset and analytical thinking.

3. Attention to detail and quality in code craftsmanship.

4. Creativity and innovation in engine design and optimization.

5. Time management and ability to meet deadlines.

6. Adaptability to changing project requirements and priorities.

7. Leadership and mentorship capabilities.

8. Willingness to receive and provide constructive feedback.

9. Ability to work under pressure and handle multiple tasks.

10. Passion for game development and engine technology.

Conclusion

Engine Programmers play a crucial role in shaping the performance, functionality, and immersive experiences of software applications and games. With a blend of technical prowess and soft skills, they drive innovation and excellence in engine development.