Lead Gameplay Programmer

To create revolutionary, story-driven RPGs which go straight to the hearts of gamers — this is our mission. Want to dive deeper into our company’s culture? Explore our social media and check out our YouTube channel and Beyond the Game Blog where we share behind-the-scenes insights and stories direct from our team members!

CD PROJEKT RED is looking for a Lead Gameplay Programmer to join our team to work on Cyberpunk 2, the follow-up to Cyberpunk 2077 and the next major video game in the Cyberpunk franchise.
In this role, you will lead the Cyberpunk 2 Gameplay engineering team to create amazing player experiences and top-quality gameplay in Unreal Engine 5. Management and the success of your team will be your priority, but you will also be doing some hands-on coding.  

Daily Responsibilities:

• Manage your direct reports and help them grow while delivering high-quality player experiences.  This includes career support, 1:1s, performance management, hiring and promotions. 
• Guide your team to build high quality, performant and scalable gameplay systems in Unreal Engine.
• Foster cross-team and cross-functional collaboration to ensure efficient development.
• Work with production to contribute to roadmapping and planning efforts.
• Work closely with designers, artists and other developers to understand their needs and ensure that your team is aligned with everyone to deliver on expectations.
• Ensure that designers have efficient workflows and tools.
• Write high-quality code that is optimised, bug-free, and aligned with project goals.

• Solid management skills, with a minimum of one year of experience managing a team of programmers.
• At least 7 years of professional programming experience within the games industry.
• Excellent proficiency in C++ programming.
• Knowledge of mathematical concepts, including 3D math and linear algebra.
• Ability to think creatively and strategically to overcome technical challenges and drive innovation in technology.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively communicate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Ability to evaluate the quality of player gameplay experience/game feel.

Nice to have

• Knowledge of Unreal engine and a shipped project using Unreal.
• Experience with current-gen console hardware.
• Experience working with multi-threaded systems.

The application window for this position will close by 04/30/2026.

This job can be hybrid/in-office or fully remote.

Remote roles in the US are only available to candidates that reside in the following states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin.

Health & Well-Being

• Company-paid medical healthcare (dental, vision, and mental).
• Free mental health support, including access to counseling, psychiatric care, and a variety of well-being webinars.
• Paid leave — 26 days of vacation, 10 sick days, & 12 calendar holidays per year.
• 401K with employer matching.
• Gym Membership Reimbursement.
• Menstrual leave — employees who menstruate can take one extra day off when experiencing period pain.
• RED Parents Network — support for working parents, including childcare benefits, and family-friendly events.

Perks & Professional Growth

• Flexible working hours.
• Trainings, lectures, and courses — internal workshops, knowledge-sharing initiatives, online tutorials, and e-learning classes are all available.
• A welcome pack filled with goodies — to help you feel right at home once you join the team.

Life in the Office

• Dog-friendly office — bring your pooch with you and look after them while working! There’s always a furry friend or two to meet.
• Truly international working environment — a chance to meet and work with a diverse selection of people from all around the world.
• No dress-code — we like to keep it casual.

This position is a new role.

Estimated pay range for this position: $168,200 - $257,000 USD annually
This role may also be eligible for discretionary stock options.

At CD PROJEKT RED compensation for our roles in North America are determined based on competitive market data, geographic location, and individual factors tied to business needs. The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. Final offers are dependent on job-related factors like experience, qualifications, and location.

If you've observed any irregularities (i.e. legal or ethical violations) in our recruitment process, please click here to report them anonymously.

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