At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead programming efforts on exciting AAA games using Unreal Engine.
- Company: Join Cast Iron Games, a people-first studio focused on craft and collaboration.
- Benefits: Flexible hours, competitive salary, 25 days leave, and wellness support.
- Other info: Enjoy a creative community at Tileyard North with opportunities for growth.
- Why this job: Make an impact by optimising cross-platform games in a supportive environment.
- Qualifications: Extensive Unreal experience and strong C++ skills required.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ 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 delivering AAA games.
Our experienced team has contributed to some of the industry's biggest AAA and independent titles, and we're building a supportive, balanced environment where great work happens without crunch.
We’re now looking for a Lead Programmer, with Unreal experience, 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
In this role, 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.
Youʼll collaborate with production, QA, art, 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.
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 Unrealʼs component-based architecture
- Strong experience with profiling tools (e. g., Unreal Insights, Render Doc, 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, Play Station, 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
- #J-18808-Ljbffr
Lead Programmer - Unreal Code · Wakefield, UK employer: Cast Iron Games
At Cast Iron Games, we pride ourselves on fostering a collaborative and innovative work culture that empowers our employees to excel in their roles. As a Senior Programmer, you will not only contribute to the development of cutting-edge games but also have access to mentorship opportunities and a supportive environment that values work-life balance, allowing you to thrive without the pressures of crunch culture.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Programmer - Unreal Code · Wakefield, UK
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at Cast Iron Games or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to Cast Iron Games.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like Cast Iron Games.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like Cast Iron Games that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Programmer - Unreal Code · Wakefield, UK
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at Cast Iron Games.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Cast Iron Games and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at Cast Iron Games
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If Cast Iron Games uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
