Lead UI Engineer
2K
San Mateo, CA · Posted March 24, 2026
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Where San Mateo, CA ranks
Where San Mateo, CA placed in our monthly rankings, month by month. Each month stays online at its own address.
November 2026
- #1Best cities for engineering pay after cost of living$216k · of 94
- #1Best cities for finance pay after cost of living$162k · of 35
- #1Best cities for HR pay after cost of living$158k · of 15
- #1Best cities for legal pay after cost of living$238k · of 20
- #1Best cities for security pay after cost of living$241k · of 10
- #1Best cities for media and entertainment pay after cost of living$209k · of 9
Rankings about engineering jobs
- Best cities for software and engineering jobs #1 San Francisco (3,412 openings)
- Best cities for engineering pay after cost of living #1 San Mateo ($216k)
- Most requested AI skills in engineering jobs #1 AI tools in daily work (6.1%)
- AI tools named most often in engineering jobs #1 Claude (1.7%)
- Employers with the most engineering jobs #1 Amazon (2,992 roles)
How AI is used in this kind of work
Among web and digital interface designers, AI is already used for some of the tasks. Measured exposure for web and digital interface designers: 25% (some).
Share of this job’s tasks that AI is already used for at work, from real usage. It is not a forecast of job loss, and a low number means no use seen yet. Source: Anthropic Economic Index.
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About the job
WE ARE GAME MAKERS
Who We Are:
We are a diverse team of developers driven by a passion for our art, united by our core values and inspired by a culture of inclusivity to build amazing games that thrill players everywhere. We pursue growth and innovation in an environment of safety and trust. Our culture is built on the belief that the more varied voices in our collective will strengthen our team and our games. We are looking for our next teammate who will raise our bar and make us better.
What We Need:
We're seeking a Lead UI Engineer, to provide tech direction for our AAA multiplayer project and leadership for our team of UI engineers. In this role, you will design and build flexible, scalable, accessible, and high-performance UI systems using modern UE5 frameworks (CommonUI, MVVM, Enhanced Input), while partnering closely with engineers and cross-disciplinary teams. The ideal candidate has deep experience in all aspects of UI development – including hitch-free resource management, integration with latent backend services, support for a wide set of display devices and high frame rates, console-specific requirements, and live configuration.
What You’ll Do:
Engage creatively with Design and Production on new features to identify opportunities, challenges and cost.
Direct the technical design and implementation of the game’s UI using highly supported / best-in-class patterns and UE frameworks.
Maintain robust solutions for asynchronous asset management and integration with latent backend services (e.g. inventory, matchmaking, live telemetry) while maintaining a responsive user experience.
Manage UI performance and memory budgets. Leverage GPU where needed to support competitive, high framerate play.
Ensure UI implementations meet first party certification requirements.
Build UI systems designed for global deployment – supporting dynamic text scaling, diverse font sets, complex string tables, and right-to-left languages.
Implement comprehensive accessibility features to support inclusive UX design.
Architect data-driven UI systems that support server-side configuration. This includes dynamic screen layouts, remote control reordering, friction reduction, and real-time promotions without requiring client patches.
Mentor a team of UI engineers, conduct code reviews, and develop workflows to improve the efficiency of the UI/UX design team.
What Will Make You A Great Fit:
7+ years of professional game programming experience, including at least 2 shipped AAA titles in a Senior or Lead UI role.
Deep technical knowledge of Unreal Engine UI systems, specifically CommonUI, UMG, Slate, and MVVM patterns.
Expert C++ programming skills, specifically regarding asynchronous data handling, memory management, and C++/Blueprint interoperability.
Direct experience resolving UI-related console certification issues (TRC/TCR) for PlayStation and/or Xbox platforms.
Practical understanding of the Unreal material pipeline as applied to building performant UI materials and shaders.
Beneficial Qualifications:
Live Ops / F2P Experience: Proven experience working on a live-service or Free-to-Play game, with a strong understanding of commerce UI, dynamic content delivery, and player conversion funnels.
Action Game Background: Previous experience working on multiplayer shooters, action RPGs, or competitive games.
The pay range for this position in California at the start of employment is expected to be between $133,900 and $198,160 per per year. However, base pay offered is based on market location, and may vary further depending on individualized factors for job candidates, such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and other objective business considerations.
Subject to those same considerations, the total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, including a bonus and/or equity awards and eligibility to participate in our 401(K) plan and Employee Stock Purchase Program.
Regular, full-time employees are also eligible for a range of benefi ts at the Company, including: medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance coverage; 14 paid holidays per calendar year; paid vacation time per calendar year (ranging from 15 to 25 days) or eligibility to participate in the Company’s discretionary time off program; up to 10 paid sick days per calendar year; paid parental and compassionate leave; wellbeing programs for mental health and other wellness support; family planning support through Maven; commuter benefi ts; and reimbursements for fi tness-related expenses. Ontario only: The use of Artifi cial Intelligence is not being used to screen candidates. The position is for an existing vacancy.
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