The opportunity
Unity Spark is our browser-based game editor, with an ambitious vision for how real-time 3D games are created, shared, and played on the web. As a Senior Backend Engineer on the Spark team, you will design and run the cloud services behind the product: real-time multi-user collaboration, build and publishing pipelines, and the platform APIs the editor is built on. Our team moves fast and uses AI coding tools every day. That shifts the work from typing code to deciding what to build, checking it is right, and owning it once it is live. We value generalists who pick up whatever the product needs next, whether that is a new service, a deploy pipeline, or a bug on the other side of the stack. You will work closely with engineers, designers, and product managers from day one, and own meaningful parts of the backend from first idea to production.
What you'll be doing
- Design, build, and operate the services and APIs behind real-time collaborative editing, game publishing, and content delivery, built to perform at scale
- Own features end to end, from a loosely defined problem to a design, shipped code, and a service running in production
- Weigh multiple approaches, make sensible trade‑offs, and break complex problems into clear tasks while leading the design with your team
- Work across the stack when needed, including infrastructure as code, CI/CD, internal tooling, or the occasional frontend change
- Keep the platform reliable: anticipate failure modes, watch it, respond to production issues, and fix the cause rather than the symptom
- Use AI coding tools as a normal part of your work, and help the team learn where they help and where they don't
- Review code and designs, mentor engineers, and raise the team's engineering bar
What we’re looking for
- A track record building, operating, and owning backend services at scale in production, including monitoring, debugging, and fixing them when they break
- Strong proficiency in at least one modern backend language, and willingness to pick up others
- Deep knowledge of distributed systems, including API design, data persistence, data consistency, and state management
- Hands‑on experience with cloud platforms and containerized, orchestrated deployments
- Experience with real‑time or multiplayer systems, such as WebSockets, collaborative editing, or state synchronization
- Sound judgment that teammates trust, and effective written/verbal communication with technical and non‑technical colleagues
- Comfort with ambiguity and with AI coding tools, reviewing what they produce as critically as a colleague's code
You might also have
- Experience with the Unity Engine or other interactive 3D technology
- Experience building backend services for games or interactive media
Additional information
Relocation support is not available for this position. Work visa/immigration sponsorship is not available for this position.
Base Salary Range
Base Salary Range: We determine the base salary range for this role based on your primary work location:
Zone A: £55,700 - £83,500 GBP gross
Zone B: £63,700 - £95,500 GBP gross
This range reflects the anticipated base salary for this position. Beyond base salary, this role may be eligible for equity awards and participation in our company incentive plans (such as annual discretionary bonuses or sales commissions). The final offer amount will depend on several factors, including geographic location and the candidate's relevant experience, professional background, and skill set.
Benefits
- Comprehensive health, life, and disability insurance
- Commute subsidy
- Employee stock ownership
- Competitive retirement/pension plans
- Generous vacation and personal days
- Support for new parents through leave and family-care programs
- Office food snacks
- Mental Health and Wellbeing programs and support
- Employee Resource Groups
- Global Employee Assistance Program
- Training and development programs
- Volunteering and donation matching program
Life at Unity
Unity [NYSE: U] is the world's leading game engine, powering play for more than 3 billion consumers each month. The top mobile games in the world, the most played PC indie titles, the most innovative console games, and virtually all of the top XR and Web Games are developed, deployed, and grown in Unity. Unity also enables teams across industries like automotive, manufacturing, and healthcare to design, simulate, and collaborate in 3D - closing the gap between ideas and reality. For more information, please visit www.unity.com .
Unity is a proud equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive, innovative environment and celebrate our
Senior Software Engineer, Backend in Brighton employer: Unity Technologies SF
Unity is an exceptional employer that fosters a high-performance culture focused on collaboration, accountability, and customer impact. With comprehensive benefits including health insurance, generous vacation days, and robust training programs, employees are supported in their professional growth and well-being. Working at Unity not only offers the chance to lead in the dynamic mobile gaming industry but also provides a unique opportunity to shape the future of interactive experiences across EMEA.