Lead C++ Software Engineer (Gameplay) in Oxford

Playrix is one of the most successful mobile game development companies in the world. We are among the top 3 mobile applications globally by revenue, and we are first in Europe. Our games have been installed 2.3 billion times (one-third of the world's population), with over 30 million people playing them daily worldwide!

We have ambitious plans for the development and growth of our projects, which is why we are looking for the strongest experts to join our development teams. Experience with C++ and/or in game development is not mandatory; we have an excellent adaptation system for a comfortable transition for newcomers from Unity and other industries.

The development teams are the core of our company, enabling our games to grow and evolve for 21 years. The Lead Software Engineer is a driver of technical product development, leading and developing the team in terms of architecture, quality, culture, and engineering practices.

In each project, we focus on:

• Feature Development: creating events and mini-games from scratch (from various competitions to mini-games like Merge);
• Technical: optimisation, maintaining technical stability, SDK (reducing load times, memory consumption, etc.);
• Match-3 and Meta: working with graphics and core game mechanics (adding new functionality, refactoring, and optimisation).

Tasks include:

• People management: responsibility for team development, hiring/firing, and performance evaluation;
• Improving processes within teams (both at the team level and across the entire project development);
• Producing: solving complex technical problems on projects, developing architectural solutions, and ensuring rapid implementation;
• Monitoring stability and quality of the game's software;
• Code review and design review;
• Programming and refactoring game logic.

Our tech stack includes:

• Languages: C++, with Lua and Python for specific tasks;
• Graphics: OpenGL ES and Metal;
• Our own engine, similar to Unity or Unreal, which we continuously develop;
• Advanced CI/CD, automated testing, code review processes, and more;
• AI assistants: we use Cursor to automate and accelerate development (from routine tasks to planning and decomposition).

We expect:

• At least 3 years of experience in commercial project development using C++ and/or Unity;
• Experience in developing projects released in production;
• At least 1 year of experience managing a team of programmers (3+ people).

It would be a plus to have:

• Confident knowledge of modern C++ standards (C++ 14/17) and STL;
• Experience with popular game engines (Unity, Unreal, Godot, Cocos2D, Defold, etc.);
• Experience with AI assistants for development (Cursor, Copilot, etc.);
• Experience in developing mobile casual games.

We offer a great work environment with:

• Open communication and transparency in decision-making, sharing experiences within teams;
• A focus on code quality and reliability;
• An emphasis on developing product vision for every specialist in the company;
• The ability to change processes and approaches to more effective ones without lengthy approvals and bureaucracy;
• Clear opportunities for career advancement to technical director, programming manager, or project manager.

We actively use Cursor and other AI tools in the development process — you will have the opportunity to work at the forefront of technology, share experiences, and shape best practices for their application.

We provide flexibility in work: we have a flexible schedule, and employees can work from anywhere in the world (except Russia and Belarus). We value results over where and how you perform your work.

Health and well-being support includes:

• Providing health insurance for employees and their children, compensating online sessions with psychologists;
• Maintaining 100% salary during vacations or sick leave without unnecessary paperwork, and providing additional days off for special cases;
• Supporting a healthy lifestyle by compensating for sports memberships and subscriptions to fitness apps.

Development and training opportunities include:

• Funding participation in relevant conferences and courses, conducting internal conferences;
• Offering discounts on English language courses and courses in countries where the company operates.

Events and merchandise include:

• Regular entertainment and work events in offline mode: team meetings, large corporate parties, and lighter office parties;
• Regular entertainment contests, quizzes, hackathons, and sports challenges online;
• Our own merchandise store with internal currency, where unique gifts can be purchased. Currency is awarded on significant dates and can also be earned by participating in events and brand activities.

By applying for our vacancy, you agree that your personal data collected during interviews at Playrix will be processed in accordance with the terms outlined on our website. You can send requests regarding your personal data to job@playrix.com.