Senior Gameplay Engineer - RuneScape: Dragonwilds

Location:

Cambridge, UK – This position offers flexible working options, including predominantly remote work. Applicants are preferably be based (or willing to relocate) within a comfortable commuting distance of our office to attend onsite as required.

• Own and implement gameplay features in UE5 C++ and Blueprint, using GAS for abilities, attributes, effects, cues and tags, taking an area from prototype to shipped so there is one person accountable for how it plays.
• Design and maintain reusable gameplay frameworks and components aligned with GAS-first patterns, giving designers room to iterate quickly without a programmer in the loop for every change.
• Build networked gameplay that replicates correctly and feels responsive, working with prediction, authority, RPCs and relevancy, because the networking model decides whether gameplay feels good or feels broken.
• Collaborate with designers to iterate on combat, abilities and systems, protecting technical integrity while still landing the version that plays best.
• Debug gameplay issues across client and server, from desyncs and edge cases to live repros, keeping the game stable while the team ships at pace.
• Profile and optimise gameplay code against performance and bandwidth targets so systems hold up as the game and its player counts scale.

• Strong Unreal Engine (UE5) gameplay programming experience in C++, with Blueprint familiarity for collaboration and iteration.
• Strong multiplayer networking knowledge in Unreal: replication, RPCs, the authority model, relevancy and dormancy, prediction concepts, and client and server debugging.
• Proven ability to work directly with designers to iterate quickly while keeping implementations scalable and maintainable.
• Experience building and maintaining gameplay systems such as player abilities, combat, progression, items and UI-facing gameplay hooks, with practical Gameplay Ability System experience and a background shipping and supporting live multiplayer games a strong advantage.
• Solid debugging and performance awareness, including profiling gameplay code and diagnosing desyncs and edge cases.
• Strong code quality habits across testing, code reviews, documentation and refactoring, and demonstrable experience delivering at scale on sizeable teams.

When you join Jagex you can look forward to a generous Perks & Benefits package including:

• Private Healthcare, including Dental Plan.
• Discretionary annual performance bonus.
• Minimum 6% Pension contributions.
• Life Insurance.
• Enhanced family leave policies from day 1.
• Flexible working hours.
• 25 days annual leave + Bank holidays & the option to buy/sell holidays + so much more!

We are committed to providing equal opportunities and creating an environment where everyone can thrive. We welcome applications from all backgrounds, and we recruit, develop, and promote based on merit and ability.

If you require any reasonable adjustments to support you during the recruitment process, please let us know when you’re invited to interview.

This role is only open to applicants who have the permanent right to work in the UK. We are unable to provide or take over visa sponsorship for this position, either now or in the future. Applicants must therefore be able to demonstrate their ongoing eligibility to work in the UK without the need for employer sponsorship.

We are Jagex:
The Rune Scape Company. Home to one of gaming’s most enduring success stories. We create deep, community-powered games with worlds that evolve, inspire, and endure. Our flagship MMORPG franchise, Rune Scape, has welcomed over 300 million player accounts, inspiring generations of players across PC and mobile for 25 years.

As we begin our 26th year, we are accelerating our strategy to expand Rune Scape into a broader ecosystem of forever games and connected experiences, grounded in a renewed commitment to integrity and fair play. This includes the reduction of monetisation mechanics, as well as the launch of Rune Scape:
Dragon Wilds into Steam Early Access in 2025, representing a major step in building a multi-genre…