At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the charge in optimising game performance and mentoring a talented team.
- Company: Join Cast Iron Games, a people-first studio focused on craft and collaboration.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible hours, competitive salary, and a supportive work environment.
- Other info: No crunch culture, just good code and great people.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by shipping high-quality, cross-platform games you can be proud of.
- Qualifications: Extensive Unreal experience and strong leadership skills required.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Who We Are
At Cast Iron Games, we build technically ambitious games in a calm, focused environment, where every team member has a voice. Based in Tileyard North, we collaborate with high quality partners on high-quality projects, guided by clarity, consistency, and mutual respect.
We’re a young and growing studio, but our team is made up of experienced developers who’ve worked across AAA and independent titles. Together, we’re building a supportive, balanced environment where great work happens without crunch. We’re now looking for a Lead (Unreal) Programmer to focus on performance, optimisation, and platform delivery, someone who can guide technical problem‑solving, support team growth, and help us ship confidently across multiple platforms.
The Role
As Lead Unreal Programmer, you’ll work across codebases to identify performance issues, resolve low‑level technical challenges, and lead the team in shipping games that meet platform standards and run smoothly on real hardware.
You’ll collaborate with production, QA, design, and other engineers to profile builds, tackle bottlenecks, and ensure we meet platform compliance requirements. You’ll also provide technical leadership, mentoring others, setting quality standards, and ensuring robust code makes it into builds across all platforms.
This is an ideal role for someone who loves getting into the weeds of real-time performance, threading, memory constraints, and platform quirks, but who also enjoys helping others learn, grow, and deliver their best work.
Responsibilities
- Lead technical performance efforts across projects. CPU/GPU profiling, optimisation, and memory tuning
- Collaborate with QA and other engineers to debug and fix runtime issues (performance, crashes, hitches, etc.)
- Guide the team in preparing and shipping builds for multiple platforms (console and PC)
- Work closely with production to ensure compliance, certification, and platform‑specific requirements are met
- Own technical planning for platform deliverables
- Mentor junior and mid‑level engineers, supporting skill growth and autonomy
- Review code and provide constructive feedback to ensure quality, performance, and maintainability
- Collaborate with design and art teams to assess performance impact of content and tools
- Help shape our engineering practices and tech culture with humility and clarity
What We’re Looking For
Technical Experience
- Extensive experience working in Unreal 4 or 5 on shipped or late‑stage games
- Proficiency in C++, Blueprints, and Unreal’s component‑based architecture
- Strong experience with profiling tools (e.g., Unreal Insights, RenderDoc, PIX, platform SDK tools)
- Working knowledge of threading, memory management, and system bottlenecks
- Hands‑on experience debugging and optimising across multiple hardware platforms
- Familiar with console and PC platform APIs, submission requirements, and compliance challenges
- Comfortable using Perforce or similar source control, and task/bug tracking tools such as Jira
Leadership & Communication
- Experience leading a team or acting as a technical point of contact
- Confident breaking down work, estimating scope, and managing risk
- Able to collaborate across disciplines to resolve cross‑functional technical issues
- Committed to fostering a collaborative, respectful, and supportive engineering culture
- Skilled at giving clear feedback, both technical and developmental
Bonus Points
- Shipped a title using Unreal 4 or 5 on console such as Xbox, PlayStation, Switch
- Familiar with platform certification processes (TRCs/XRs/LOTs)
- Experience supporting late‑stage optimisation or porting projects
- Built tooling or automation to support QA and build processes
- Comfortable navigating platform abstraction layers or writing hardware‑specific logic
Why Cast Iron Games
- A people‑first studio with a clear focus on craft, clarity, and collaboration
- A high‑trust team where experience is valued and voices are heard
- A respectful, experienced team with a strong engineering culture
- The opportunity to ship performance‑optimised, cross‑platform games you’re proud of
- Projects that offer real variety. Different game engines, new challenges, constant growth
- Creative surroundings at Tileyard North, with a supportive creative community
- Competitive salary, flexible hours and professional development support
- Opportunities to lead with clarity, autonomy, and real impact
- No crunch. No egos. Just good code, good people and good games
What to Expect / Key Benefits
- Start your day any time between 8:00am and 10:00am
- 35 working hours per week with a 1‑hour lunch break (with the opportunity to flex down to 30 minutes or up to 2 hours)
- 25 days annual leave + 8 days bank holiday
- 1 day leave for your birthday and 1 day leave if you’re moving house
- Length of service increases are 1 day per year of service up to maximum of 8 additional days
- Up to 8 days discretionary annual leave during our end of year break
- Potential for annual performance bonus
- Free breakfast options, juice, hot drinks and fruit
- Employee referral bonus (up to £2000)
- Group Life Assurance – 4 x annual salary payable to nominated beneficiaries through an expression of wishes form.
- Income Protection – covers you up for up to 50% of monthly salary for 2 years (after a 26‑week deferred period, i.e. when SSP runs out)
- Critical Illness Cover – lump sum of 1 x annual salary on diagnosis of a critical illness
- Cycle to Work Scheme
- EV & Hybrid Car Scheme
- Tech Purchase Scheme – split the cost of Tech or Home electronics through salary deduction, interest free
- Healthcare Cash plan – claim back the cost of everyday healthcare, dental, physio, chiropractor, opticians, podiatry etc
- Private Medical Insurance with Vitality
- Reward Gateway with cashback and discounts on 900+ retailers
- Employee Assistance Programme including Virtual GP service
- Wellbeing Centre based on Mind, Move, Munch and Money
Lead (Unreal) Programmer in Wakefield employer: Cast Iron Games
At Cast Iron Games, we pride ourselves on being a people-first studio located in the vibrant Tileyard North, Wakefield. Our commitment to clarity, quality, and collaboration fosters a supportive work culture where your voice is valued, and you can take pride in shipping performance-optimised, cross-platform games. With competitive salaries, flexible working hours, and ample opportunities for professional development, we ensure that our team members grow alongside their projects in an environment free from crunch and egos.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead (Unreal) Programmer in Wakefield
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in the industry, attend gaming events, and connect with people on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio that highlights your best work in Unreal programming. Include projects that demonstrate your technical expertise and problem-solving abilities. This will make you stand out when you apply through our website.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on common technical questions related to Unreal Engine and performance optimisation. Practice explaining your thought process clearly, as communication is key in collaborative environments like ours.
✨Tip Number 4
Follow up after interviews! A quick thank-you email can go a long way in showing your enthusiasm for the role. It keeps you fresh in their minds and demonstrates your professionalism.
We think you need these skills to ace Lead (Unreal) Programmer in Wakefield
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Unreal:When you're writing your application, let your love for Unreal shine through! Talk about your experience with Unreal 4 or 5 and any cool projects you've worked on. We want to see that you’re not just skilled, but genuinely excited about the tech.
Be Clear and Concise:We appreciate clarity, so make sure your application is easy to read. Use bullet points for your skills and experiences, and keep your sentences short and to the point. This helps us quickly see how you fit into our team!
Highlight Your Leadership Skills:As a Lead Programmer, we’re looking for someone who can guide others. Share examples of how you've mentored junior engineers or led a team in past projects. Show us that you can inspire and support your colleagues while delivering top-notch results.
Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our awesome team at Cast Iron Games!
How to prepare for a job interview at Cast Iron Games
✨Know Your Unreal Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your Unreal Engine knowledge, especially if you've worked with Unreal 4 or 5. Be ready to discuss specific projects you've contributed to, focusing on performance optimisation and any challenges you faced. This will show your technical expertise and passion for the role.
✨Show Off Your Leadership Skills
Since this is a lead position, be prepared to talk about your experience in mentoring others and leading teams. Share examples of how you've guided junior engineers or resolved cross-functional issues. Highlight your ability to foster a collaborative environment, as this aligns with the studio's values.
✨Prepare for Technical Questions
Expect to dive deep into technical discussions during the interview. Familiarise yourself with profiling tools like Unreal Insights and RenderDoc, and be ready to explain how you've used them to tackle performance bottlenecks. This will demonstrate your hands-on experience and problem-solving skills.
✨Cultural Fit Matters
Cast Iron Games values clarity, respect, and collaboration. Think about how your personal values align with theirs and be ready to discuss how you can contribute to their positive engineering culture. Showing that you're not just a great programmer but also a great team player will set you apart.
