At a Glance
- Tasks: Join us to develop online features for the exciting boxing game, Undisputed.
- Company: Steel City Interactive, a passionate team creating the first major boxing video game in over a decade.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, 23 days annual leave, private healthcare, and a vibrant office environment.
- Other info: Great career growth opportunities and a supportive work-life balance.
- Why this job: Be part of a diverse team shaping the future of gaming with cutting-edge technology.
- Qualifications: Experience in Unreal Engine and C++, focusing on online or multiplayer systems.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 € per year.
About Steel City Interactive SCI was born out of passion for video games and boxing, with the ambition to create an authentic and exciting boxing game that does justice to the sport we love. What started as a fun prototype has grown into ‘Undisputed’, the first major boxing video game in over a decade. SCI is a welcoming place for expression and open communication, where everyone has a voice. We’re a diverse bunch, consisting of people with decades of games industry experience, graduates and talented individuals who come from other industries. We all bring knowledge and learn from each other. Together we are driven by ambition to bring the world of boxing into a video game like never before.
No Visa sponsorship or transfer available for this role
Flexible working available, onsite / hybrid (Sheffield or Leamington Spa), remote (UK only)
The Role We are looking for an experienced, mid level, Online Programmer to help shape the future of our boxing game, Undisputed. As we continue development in UE5, you’ll be responsible for integrating and maintaining online feature flows such as authentication, progression, matchmaking, and social systems, leveraging our backend platform. You will contribute to these interconnected and service-driven systems across both the client and service layers, requiring careful handling of state and data flow to ensure consistency between them.
You are an experienced engineer with a strong focus on integrating and operating player-facing online features, having worked on live or multiplayer titles within Unreal Engine using C++. You are comfortable working within established architectures, contributing by building, refining, and optimising online systems that connect the game client to platform and service layers. You will be working in collaboration with a highly talented, diverse team to create reliable, scalable online experiences, with a hands-on focus on correctness, performance, and robustness under real-world conditions.
Responsibilities
- Design, build and maintain online feature flows including authentication, entitlements, progression, matchmaking, parties, and other service-driven systems.
- Integrate the game client with Pragma backend services, ensuring reliable and predictable data flow between them.
- Contribute to the implementation of backend service logic to support game features, including defining behaviour and data models.
- Implement and maintain data-driven systems aligned with backend service contracts and configuration.
- Define and maintain clear interfaces between client systems and backend services.
- Ensure consistent state across client and service boundaries, including handling reconnects, latency, and partial failures.
- Identify, debug, and resolve issues across client-service interactions, including asynchronous and data consistency issues.
- Optimise systems for network efficiency, responsiveness, and minimal client performance impact.
- Take ownership of system quality, ensuring a stable and predictable online player experience.
- Collaborate with gameplay, UI, backend, QA, and production to deliver cohesive features and clear technical outcomes.
Knowledge, Skills & Experience
- Strong experience developing in Unreal Engine using C++, with a focus on online or multiplayer systems.
- Experience integrating online services or backend platforms within a game client.
- Experience developing or contributing to backend services for online or service-based systems.
- Good understanding of common online systems such as authentication, matchmaking, progression, entitlements, and social features.
- Strong understanding of service-based architectures, asynchronous flows, and state management across client and backend systems.
- Experience working with data-driven systems, including schemas, configuration, and service-defined data.
- Ability to debug and resolve issues in complex client-service interactions.
- Experience identifying and addressing performance issues related to network usage and latency.
- Ability to reason about system behaviour across multiple interacting systems and edge cases.
- Good communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across disciplines and explain technical considerations clearly.
- Familiarity with debugging tools and techniques for diagnosing issues in distributed or asynchronous systems.
- Experience with the Pragma platform or similar backend solutions would be beneficial.
- Experience developing backend services using Kotlin or other JVM-based languages would be a bonus.
- Console development experience and awareness of platform certification requirements is beneficial.
- Knowledge of relational databases, particularly (MySQL), is also a plus.
What we Offer
- Healthy work-life balance: 23 days annual leave (plus bank holidays), that increases 1 day per year of service, up to a maximum of 30 days.
- Christmas shut down
- Holiday exchange programme
- Flexible working hours & pattern (Certain Hybrid models available)
- Support for family life: Enhanced Maternity and Paternity pay (subject to eligibility requirements)
- Private Healthcare which includes Optical & Dental
- Great office environment: Friendly studios based in Sheffield and Leamington, with free snacks, fruit and drinks!
- Free parking - At our Sheffield site
- Health & wellbeing support: Company sick pay, 2 days Wellbeing Days leave per year, Access to 24/7 doctors, Employee Assistance Programme
- Learning support: Learning days
- Additional financial support: Technology scheme (salary sacrifice up to £750), Relocation benefits (subject to eligibility requirements), Electric Car Vehicle Scheme (subject to eligibility requirements), Discretionary Bonus
- Connection and perks: Wrap parties & company paid outings, Individual entertainment budget to cover team events
Online Programmer in Doncaster employer: Steel City Interactive
Steel City Interactive is an exceptional employer that fosters a vibrant and inclusive work culture, where creativity and collaboration thrive. With flexible working options available in Sheffield or Leamington Spa, employees enjoy a healthy work-life balance, generous leave policies, and comprehensive support for family life. The company prioritises employee growth through learning opportunities and offers unique perks such as a technology scheme and individual entertainment budgets, making it an ideal place for passionate individuals to contribute to the exciting world of gaming.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Online Programmer in Doncaster
✨Tip Number 1
Get your networking game on! Reach out to folks in the gaming industry, especially those who work at Steel City Interactive. A friendly chat can go a long way in making you stand out when applying for that Online Programmer role.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! If you've got a portfolio or any projects showcasing your work with Unreal Engine and online systems, make sure to highlight them during interviews. We love seeing what you can do!
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for technical questions! Brush up on your knowledge of online features like matchmaking and authentication. Being able to discuss these topics confidently will impress the team and show you're ready to dive into the role.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our awesome team at SCI.
We think you need these skills to ace Online Programmer in Doncaster
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion:When you're writing your application, let your love for gaming and boxing shine through! We want to see that you’re genuinely excited about the role and the project. Share any relevant experiences or projects that highlight your enthusiasm.
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the Online Programmer role. Highlight your experience with Unreal Engine and C++, especially in online or multiplayer systems. We want to see how your skills align with what we’re looking for!
Be Clear and Concise:Keep your application clear and to the point. Use straightforward language to explain your experience and skills. We appreciate a well-structured application that makes it easy for us to see why you’d be a great fit.
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’re considered for the role. Plus, it gives you a chance to explore more about who we are and what we do.
How to prepare for a job interview at Steel City Interactive
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your Unreal Engine and C++ skills. Be ready to discuss your previous experience with online systems, especially in multiplayer games. They’ll want to know how you’ve tackled challenges like authentication and matchmaking, so have some examples ready.
✨Show Your Passion for Gaming
Steel City Interactive is all about boxing games, so express your enthusiasm for both gaming and the sport. Share any personal projects or experiences that relate to their mission of creating an authentic boxing game. This will show them you’re not just a programmer, but someone who genuinely cares about the product.
✨Prepare for Technical Questions
Expect to dive deep into technical discussions. Brush up on service-based architectures and be prepared to explain how you would handle data flow between client and backend services. Practise explaining complex concepts in simple terms, as good communication is key in a collaborative environment.
✨Ask Insightful Questions
At the end of the interview, don’t forget to ask questions! Inquire about their development process, team dynamics, or future projects. This shows your interest in the role and helps you gauge if it’s the right fit for you. Plus, it gives you a chance to engage with the interviewers on a deeper level.
