We’re looking for a Gameplay Engineer to help build a vertical slice of Last Call, a sci-fi bartending sim. The goal is to take a core idea, shape it into its most engaging form, and distill that vision into a 10-minute slice that captures the fun and shows what the full game could become.

You won’t be executing someone else’s roadmap. Instead, you will be building from the ground up. That means choosing the engine, setting up pipelines, and defining how the game comes to life week after week. You’ll flag feasibility issues early, stand up the systems that design and art rely on, and guide the technical shape of every build.

Responsibilities

• Lock engine choice (Unity or Godot) by Week 1 and set project conventions to support it
• Prototype, refine, and lock the core loop, layering on scoped supporting systems
• Integrate art, audio, UI, and narrative content into a reliable build pipeline
• Ship a weekly playable build with a changelog, maintaining performance on mid-tier PCs
• Set up version control and a lightweight CI/CD pipeline to ensure stable weekly builds
• Set up and document workflows so non-technical team members can add content reliably
• Instrument lightweight telemetry to help guide the iteration of the core loop
• Lead bug triage, ensuring issues are reproducible and prioritized

Ideal profile

• You’ve shipped a small game or vertical slice and know how to cut scope without losing fun
• You can prototype quickly and harden code into reliable, reusable systems
• You have broad comfort outside of gameplay and know enough to unblock designers
• You can translate abstract design goals into technical plans, then explain tradeoffs clearly
• You embrace iteration over polish early with weekly builds as the backbone of collaboration

Additional details

• Duration: ~4 months (Oct 1, 2025 to Jan 30, 2026)
• Compensation: $80/hr, up to 400 hours
• Location: Remote (US-based preferred for payment and logistics)

How to apply

Send an email with the subject “Gameplay Engineer - Last Call.” Include your resume, a portfolio link (GitHub, itch, personal site), and a brief note covering your time zone, weekly availability, preferred tools, and any work examples you'd like to highlight.