Lead Game Programmer (f/m/x)

Your Quest

We're seeking a passionate and accomplished Lead Game programmer (f/m/x) to guide our technical teams and ensure the excellence of our projects, custom development tools, and core gameplay systems.

In this role, you’ll balance hands-on programming with leadership, setting engineering standards, driving technical architecture, leading code reviews, and collaborating with cross-disciplinary teams to solve challenging problems. The ideal candidate will thrive on managing a diverse development team, have deep expertise in game development, and excel at bridging creative and technical ambitions to deliver groundbreaking gaming experiences.

Your Toolkit

Your mission includes:

Lead and coordinate the design, implementation, and maintenance of key systems for our Unreal Engine 5 project, development tools, and gameplay/animation features, ensuring performance, scalability, and system stability

Mentor and support engineers of varying experience levels—sharing expertise, reviewing code, and fostering professional growth

Establish and enforce coding standards and development best practices for sustainable, high-quality output

Collaborate with designers, artists, animators, and producers to align technical solutions with creative vision, workflow needs, and project goals

Champion innovation—evaluate emerging technologies and workflows for engine, art, audio, gameplay, and animation development

Debug and resolve complex technical issues across various disciplines

Promote teamwork and cross-functional communication, facilitating knowledge-sharing and alignment on project deliverables

Your Toolkit:

Proven leadership experience managing game development teams or leading complex technical projects; strong mentorship and interpersonal skills

Advanced proficiency in C and solid mastery of core programming principles, system design, and large codebases

Extensive experience developing custom tools, editor extensions, and implementing scalable gameplay systems

Minimum 5 years of professional programming experience in the game industry, with at least 3 years in a lead or supervisory role

Demonstrated success shipping console games, with deep knowledge in debugging, optimization, and system architecture

Excellent communication, technical documentation, and cross-team collaboration abilities

Bonus qualifications

In-depth Unreal Engine architecture knowledge

Experience with multiple programming languages (e.g., C#, Python)

Past contributions to open-source, indie, or community game projects

Advanced expertise in AI or animation systems

Passion for mentoring, industry trends, and staying ahead in cutting-edge engine tech

Power-Ups You Receive

At DECK 13 Interactive, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We believe in creating an environment where you feel valued, supported, and empowered to do your best work. Here’s what we offer to make that happen:

A modern, centrally located office in Frankfurt, Germany (near Messe)

Free language courses to help you expand your skills

Monthly allowances for remote working and gym memberships A monthly allowance for the Deutschlandticket to ease your commute

Tax-free Probonio vouchers available every month

Free access to an online mental health platform (Bloom) to support your well-being

Opportunities for career growth with a yearly learning & development budget

28 days of paid vacation, plus the 24th and 31st of December off

Our Commitment to Inclusivity:

DECK 13 Interactive is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We welcome applications from all individuals regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, or any other characteristic that makes you unique.

We believe that diverse teams create the best games, and we’re dedicated to building a workplace where everyone can thrive.