Principal/Lead Systems Engineer

Job title: Principal/Lead Systems Engineer

About the Role As a Principal/Lead Systems Engineer at Bonfire Studios, you’ll shape the foundational technology powering Arkheron, our first original IP. You’ll lead engineering work on a cross-platform competitive multiplayer title, shaping engine systems in Unity/DOTS with a focus on performance, memory, and tooling to deliver fast iteration and a great player experience.

What You'll Do

• Shaping the architecture, optimization, and long-term evolution of core engine systems in Unity/DOTS (C# and C/C++) — spanning runtime performance, memory management, platform-specific optimization (PC and consoles), networking infrastructure, graphics, and tooling.
• Driving complex technical decisions across console performance and low-level systems architecture, with reach into graphics, tooling, and engine infrastructure to ensure our systems scale for both developers and players.
• Collaborating with internal and external leads to advance engine platform capabilities — including console features, anti-cheat, and team workflows.
• Tackling high-impact projects such as optimizing iteration pipelines, building live-editable profiling systems, and enhancing runtime systems like rendering, streaming, and netcode.
• Creating tools and APIs that make developers' lives easier and help the team deliver high-quality content faster.
• Jumping into other areas as needed — from audio to UI to gameplay systems — to support the broader team.
• Contributing beyond core engineering, leaning on your passions and perspectives to help the studio grow.
• Providing technical leadership and mentorship across a senior engineering team — fostering autonomy, accountability, and growth through clear direction, constructive feedback, and deliberate skill development.

What We're Looking For

• Have shipped multiple titles with deep, hands-on experience leading technical direction on proprietary, custom, or heavily modified engines for AAA games on PC and modern consoles.
• Bring proven experience building and optimizing systems for competitive multiplayer games, with a sharp understanding of how low-level decisions impact responsiveness and player experience.
• Have deep expertise in high-performance real-time systems, multi-threaded architecture, and ECS paradigms.
• Have led and grown senior engineering teams, and can provide the mentorship and clarity that high-performing engineers need to do their best work.
• Enjoy solving the hardest problems — debugging elusive issues, optimizing complex systems, or making foundational architectural calls with long-term consequences.
• Thrive on curiosity and adaptability, eager to dive into new areas and unfamiliar code.
• Value collaboration, trust, and diverse perspectives, building strong partnerships across the studio.
• Carry a genuine passion for both technology and the creative process of making games.