Job Location:
We are hiring for this position in Salina, Kansas.
About Us:
Pure Imagination Studios started in 2012 as a diversified entertainment company built by a team of creators who shared a true passion for storytelling. We thrive on imagination, and everything we do is designed to bring a tangible experience to anything our clients, partners and even ourselves, are able to imagine. We believe that pure imagination should be the fuel to our reality. Pure Imagination Labs designs immersive, interactive experiences that make complex training and simulation intuitive, purposeful, and fun. Our projects blend real-time systems, tactile interfaces, and narrative framing to support education, decision-making, teamwork, and user engagement in high-stakes scenarios. We take the best of game design and apply it to real-world learning environments that demand more than just entertainment. The environments are dynamic, the challenges are varied, and the work is as rewarding as it is technically ambitious. We are storytellers, dreamers, and creators of new worlds – striving to develop the future of entertainment. Join our team today!
Overview:
Pure Imagination Labs’ Lead Unreal Engineer leads the engineering track for simulation and interactive projects. Develops core gameplay systems in Unreal (C++ and Blueprints), mentor’s developers, and owns technical direction, system performance, and code quality. Oversees technical vendor contributions and ensures stable integration of gameplay features. Maintains engineering standards and documentation across the production lifecycle.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the engineering team and oversee cross-disciplinary technical development, providing mentorship and ensuring team alignment.
• Develop core gameplay systems, tools, and features using Unreal Engine (UE4/UE5), including both C++ and Blueprints.
• Collaborate with designers, artists, animators, producers, and other stakeholders to deliver on the project’s creative and technical goals.
• Prototype and iterate on gameplay mechanics and interactive features with an emphasis on responsiveness and user experience.
• Define and prioritize technical tasks in coordination with production.
• Identify, evaluate, and collaborate with contractors or vendors contributing to technical development.
• Oversee technical vendor contributions—defining requirements, reviewing deliverables, and ensuring clean integration into internal systems.
• Optimize platform performance, focusing on memory usage, frame rate, and runtime stability.
• Evaluate new Unreal Engine features and emerging tools—including AI-assisted workflows—to improve pipelines and productivity.
• Communicate technical decisions effectively across creative, production, and engineering teams.
• Document systems and lead code reviews to support team knowledge sharing.
• Establish and maintain engineering best practices, including clean, maintainable code and effective version control usage.
• Performs other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science or engineering is required or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum 7 to 10 years of recent professional experience with Unreal Engine (UE4 and UE5), including developing real-time systems using both C++ and Blueprints.
• Minimum 7 to 10 years of recent experience in C++, with advanced proficiency in gameplay systems, engine internals, and performance optimization.
• Relevant Professional Certifications in Unreal or equivalent certification required.
• Solid expertise of multiplayer architecture, including networking, replication, and backend service integration for online games.
• Expertise in debugging, profiling, and optimizing Unreal projects for performance and stability, with a strong preference for PC and console platforms.
• Strong leadership and mentorship experience, with a proven track record of guiding engineers and collaborating across disciplines.
• Proficiency with version control systems in a collaborative multi-developer environment.
• Experience implementing real-time rendering techniques, including shader integration and 3D asset optimization for Unreal.

Additional Qualifications:

• Proven ability to work with VR/AR development tools and hardware platforms, including input, rendering, and deployment constraints.
• Shipped at least one interactive PC or console title in Unreal as a lead developer, owning technical direction, system architecture, and feature delivery.
• Familiarity with scripting and automation workflows in DCC pipelines (e.g., Python, Maya, Houdini).
• Solid foundation in computer science principles—such as data structures, algorithms, and memory management—gained through a CS degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Actively explores emerging tools and AI-assisted workflows to improve engineering efficiency and creative iteration. Flexibility to travel for live staging and working on-site for installations, tests, or technical rehearsals.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to interact effectively with internal teams, external vendors, and other stakeholders.
• Ability to handle sensitive information with confidentiality and professionalism.

o Hybrid: This position has been designated as hybrid, generally contributing from the office a minimum of four days per week.
o Required Residence: This candidate must live or reside in the state of Kansas; or relocate within six (6) months of offered employment.
o Required Travel: This candidate is required to travel up to 15% for specific project installations.
The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. This position is eligible for company sponsored benefits, including medical, dental and vision insurance, 401(k), medical leave, and a variety of other perks. A bonus and incentive plan may be provided as part of the compensation package, dependent on the level and position offered.
Learn more about the opportunities offered by Pure Imagination by visiting the Careers page of the company website
Salary:
$150,000 annually (bonus eligible)
Pure Imagination Studios is an equal opportunity employer (EOE).

• Lead the engineering team and oversee cross-disciplinary technical development, providing mentorship and ensuring team alignment.
• Develop core gameplay systems, tools, and features using Unreal Engine (UE4/UE5), including both C++ and Blueprints.
• Collaborate with designers, artists, animators, producers, and other stakeholders to deliver on the project’s creative and technical goals.
• Prototype and iterate on gameplay mechanics and interactive features with an emphasis on responsiveness and user experience.
• Define and prioritize technical tasks in coordination with production.
• Identify, evaluate, and collaborate with contractors or vendors contributing to technical development.
• Oversee technical vendor contributions—defining requirements, reviewing deliverables, and ensuring clean integration into internal systems.
• Optimize platform performance, focusing on memory usage, frame rate, and runtime stability.
• Evaluate new Unreal Engine features and emerging tools—including AI-assisted workflows—to improve pipelines and productivity.
• Communicate technical decisions effectively across creative, production, and engineering teams.
• Document systems and lead code reviews to support team knowledge sharing.
• Establish and maintain engineering best practices, including clean, maintainable code and effective version control usage.
• Performs other duties as assigne