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- Tasks: Lead the design of networking systems for a massive multiplayer world in Unreal Engine 5.
- Company: Join Couch Heroes, an innovative game studio focused on creativity and player connection.
- Benefits: Enjoy remote work, competitive salary, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on multiplayer gaming experiences and tackle exciting technical challenges.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in network programming with strong C++ skills and Unreal Engine experience.
- Other info: Be part of a collaborative team shaping the future of social-first gaming.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
We’re looking for a Senior Network Engineer to join our Engineering team and take the lead on building the networking foundations of our large-scale, social-first multiplayer world. You’ll design and optimize low-level systems inside Unreal Engine 5, enabling seamless transitions across server instances and maximizing concurrent player support per shard. This is a highly technical, high-impact role for someone with deep Unreal networking experience, strong C++ skills, and a passion for solving complex multiplayer problems: latency, synchronization, server meshing, connection stability, and more. You’ll report to the Lead Gameplay Programmer and work closely with our gameplay team to ensure player experiences are smooth, scalable, and ready for massive interaction.
Your Role Core Responsibilities:
- Design, implement, and extend server meshing systems to enable seamless player transitions between Unreal Engine server instances (no loading screens).
- Modify and optimize Unreal Engine’s low-level networking architecture to support high player counts per server instance with minimal latency or jitter.
- Reduce per-player cost on server performance, optimizing bandwidth usage, packet handling, and replication strategies.
- Debug and profile networking performance using tools like Unreal Insights, Wireshark, and platform-native tools (e.g., netstat, perf, traceroute).
- Collaborate closely with gameplay programmers and designers to align networking systems with gameplay goals, including combat, traversal, and social systems.
Must-Haves:
- 5+ years of experience in network programming for games, including shipping multiplayer titles in Unreal Engine.
- Deep understanding of TCP/IP, UDP, sockets, NAT traversal, packet fragmentation, and latency mitigation techniques.
- Proficiency in C++, with strong understanding of memory/performance constraints in networked systems.
- Solid grasp of client-server architectures, replication strategies, and packet serialization/compression.
- Hands-on experience with Unreal Engine’s networking stack, including NetDriver, replication graphs, and gameplay-specific networking.
- Proficiency in debugging and profiling tools such as Unreal Insights, Wireshark, netstat, perf, etc.
- Familiarity with authentication, matchmaking, and session management systems.
- Experience working on MMO or large-scale multiplayer games.
- Strong understanding of network infrastructure (switches, routers, VLANs, firewalls) and their impact on real-time performance.
- Comfortable working in Linux, and familiar with Git and/or Perforce.
Nice-to-Haves:
- Experience with large-scale server orchestration and hosting systems (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes, Azure).
- Familiarity with mesh networking or custom replication strategies beyond Unreal defaults.
- Experience scaling real-time multiplayer systems to thousands of concurrent users.
About You:
You’re passionate about multiplayer systems and love tackling deep, technical challenges in networking and systems architecture. You bring a strong sense of ownership, with the discipline to build scalable, stable, and performant infrastructure. You’re a clear communicator who thrives in collaborative environments and enjoys working across disciplines. You’re comfortable solving complex low-level problems and balancing performance with gameplay needs. You’re self-driven, curious, and always looking to push what’s possible in online play.
About Couch Heroes:
Couch Heroes is a growing, international game studio building a modular, social-first MMO world designed for creativity, expression, and deep player connection. We’re crafting a platform where players shape stories, collaborate on content, and explore a constantly evolving universe together. We’re remote-first, legally based in the UK, and scaling operations to support our multi-year roadmap. We value autonomy, curiosity, and collaborative ownership, and we’re always looking for people who love games and building great systems.
Location: Remote
Type: Full-time
Start: As soon as possible
Senior Network Engineer (Unreal 5) employer: Couch Heroes
Contact Detail:
Couch Heroes Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Network Engineer (Unreal 5)
✨Tip Number 1
Network with industry professionals! Join forums, attend meetups, or connect on LinkedIn. Engaging with others in the field can lead to job opportunities that aren't even advertised.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your projects, especially those involving Unreal Engine and multiplayer systems. This gives potential employers a taste of what you can do.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for technical interviews by brushing up on your C++ and networking concepts. Practice coding challenges and be ready to discuss your past experiences in detail.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! We love seeing passionate candidates who are eager to join our team. Make sure to tailor your application to highlight your relevant experience in network programming and multiplayer games.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Network Engineer (Unreal 5)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Skills: When you're writing your application, make sure to highlight your experience with Unreal Engine and network programming. We want to see how you've tackled complex multiplayer challenges in the past, so don’t hold back on those details!
Tailor Your Application: Take a moment to customise your application for this role. Mention specific projects or experiences that align with our needs, like server meshing or optimising player counts. This shows us you’re genuinely interested in the position and understand what we’re looking for.
Be Clear and Concise: We appreciate clarity! Keep your application straightforward and to the point. Use bullet points if it helps, and make sure to communicate your ideas effectively. We want to get a good sense of your expertise without wading through too much fluff.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to keep track of your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it’s super easy to do!
How to prepare for a job interview at Couch Heroes
✨Know Your Networking Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of TCP/IP, UDP, and all those low-level networking concepts. Be ready to discuss how you've tackled latency and synchronization issues in past projects, especially in Unreal Engine.
✨Show Off Your C++ Skills
Prepare to demonstrate your C++ expertise. Have examples ready that showcase your understanding of memory and performance constraints in networked systems. You might even want to code a small snippet during the interview!
✨Familiarise Yourself with Tools
Get comfortable with debugging and profiling tools like Unreal Insights and Wireshark. Be prepared to talk about how you've used these tools to optimise networking performance in previous roles.
✨Collaborate and Communicate
Since this role involves working closely with gameplay programmers and designers, think of examples where you've successfully collaborated across teams. Highlight your communication skills and how they helped solve complex problems.
