Careers

We're looking for a versatile Unreal Engine developer who thrives across disciplines—someone comfortable moving between blueprints, materials, lighting, and optimization without needing their hand held.

What you'll do:

• Build and iterate on real-time environments, characters, and systems
• Collaborate directly with artists, animators, and engineers to solve problems fast
• Prototype new features and tools that push our pipeline forward
• Debug, optimize, and ship work that holds up under production pressure

What we're looking for:

• 3+ years working in Unreal Engine (5.x preferred)
• Strong fundamentals across multiple disciplines—you don't need to be an expert in everything, but you can't be afraid of anything
• Experience shipping projects, not just building demos
• Clear communication and a low-ego approach to feedback

Bonus points:

• Familiarity with real-time performance capture or virtual production
• Experience with Niagara, PCG, or custom tooling
• A portfolio that shows range

We're looking for a versatile Unreal Engine developer who thrives across disciplines—someone comfortable moving between blueprints, materials, lighting, and optimization without needing their hand held.

What you'll do:

• Build and iterate on real-time environments, characters, and systems
• Collaborate directly with artists, animators, and engineers to solve problems fast
• Prototype new features and tools that push our pipeline forward
• Debug, optimize, and ship work that holds up under production pressure

What we're looking for:

• 3+ years working in Unreal Engine (5.x preferred)
• Strong fundamentals across multiple disciplines—you don't need to be an expert in everything, but you can't be afraid of anything
• Experience shipping projects, not just building demos
• Clear communication and a low-ego approach to feedback

Bonus points:

• Familiarity with real-time performance capture or virtual production
• Experience with Niagara, PCG, or custom tooling
• A portfolio that shows range

About Sans Strings Studio

Sans Strings Studio is built on a passion for blending expressive artistry with cutting-edge technology. Our mission is to make animation immediate, accessible, and full of soul, creating characters and experiences that truly connect with audiences. Whether for traditional media or interactive platforms, we’re focused on building something bold and original.

The Role

We are looking for a skilled Technical Designer to help bring our game to life. You’ll collaborate closely with design, art, and production to prototype and build core gameplay mechanics and workflows. This is a key role on a small, focused team and is perfect for someone who thrives in creative environments and enjoys solving real production challenges from the ground up.

Your responsibilities will include creating, prototyping, and implementing fun gameplay mechanics using Unreal Engine 5's visual scripting (Blueprints), focusing on systems like combat, AI behaviour trees, UI/UX, and level flow, collaborating with the team to bring game concepts to life, and ensuring features are balanced and performant. Key responsibilities include rapid prototyping, feature implementation, documentation, and optimizing gameplay for different platforms within the UE5 environment.

If this sounds like you, we would love to see your resume.

Core Responsibilities

• Prototyping & Implementation: Design and build core gameplay features (combat, abilities, scoring, AI behaviour trees) using Blueprints for quick iteration.
• System Design: Develop and refine game systems like enemy behaviors, progression, and user interfaces.
• Collaboration: Work closely with the team to translate creative ideas into functional game elements, ensuring alignment.
• Iteration & Balancing: Tune game mechanics, difficulty, and player experience to ensure fun and engagement.
• Documentation: Create clear design documents, system specifications, and best practices.
• Optimization: Profile and debug gameplay systems to maintain performance. 
• Regularly playtest and iterate on designs based on feedback and performance analysis.
• Own specific gameplay elements and manage design workflows.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience as a game designer, with at least one shipped title.
• Strong proficiency in UE5 editor, specifically with Blueprints.
• Solid understanding of game mechanics, systems, level design, UI/UX, and player psychology.
• Experience with animation, physics and combat systems.
• Collaborative ability to work closely 
• Experience with version control systems like Perforce.
• Self-motivated, collaborative, and comfortable in an early-stage environment working within a small cross-discipline team in a production setting. 
• Strong organizational and communications skills along with the understanding of production values, deadlines and priorities.

Bonus Points

• Knowledge of and ability to build in C++
• Interest in expressive or stylized games
• VR experience 

This contract position has a base pay range of $45 - $65 USD per hour based on experience and location. Remote contract position, Pacific time zone preferred. Applicants must be legally eligible to work in the United States to be considered.

Sans Strings Studio is growing and looking to partner with exceptional Creative and Technical talent as we develop new IP across gaming, animation, social, and live experiences. If you thrive in real-time pipelines, and want to reinvent how stories are told and distributed, we’d love to hear from you.

We’re interested in connecting with talent across the following disciplines:

• Unreal Engine - Generalists & Specialists with experience in character performance, real-time cinematics, virtual production, game design & development.
• Producers and Project/ Resource Managers with experience in real-time, gaming and experiential.

What Makes You a Good Fit:

• A maker’s mindset. You’re curious, multi-skilled, and collaborate well.
• Experience working in games, animation, or hybrid real-time pipelines.
• Platform agnostic and excited to adapt across interactive, linear, and/or live.
• Excited about breaking the mold and defining new workflows, tools and pipelines.
• Passion for innovative storytelling.

How to Submit

Send your resume, reel/portfolio (if relevant), and areas of interest to talent@sansstrings.studio.

This is an expression of interest, not a specific open role. Submissions will be reviewed for future positions. We’ll be in touch as roles matching your profile open up.