Simulation Engineer - 1099 Contract

About the role

Please note that this is a 1099 Contract position until April 2027.

Due to this we would need candidates to be available to start ASAP.

This role can be remote however our office is in Albany, NY, so welcome applicants that want to work in a hybrid set up.

Part of the Rocket Science Group, Atomic Theory is a multinational team of seasoned AAA veterans with roots extending from Blizzard, PUBG, Epic, and Unity. We have a track record of delivering player-centric, AAA-quality experiences, and we're unwavering in our commitment to performance, accessibility, and the engineering frameworks that underpin exceptional gameplay.

Atomic Theory is more than just a studio - it's a collaborative space where diverse experiences intersect to solve the toughest challenges in modern game development. With offices in Albany NY, Cardiff UK, and Brighton UK, we thrive at the opportunity to Get Sh!t Done on a global scale.

About the Role

We are seeking a C++ / Simulation Engineer to drive the performance, architecture, and migration efforts of our simulation projects. In this role, you will implement new gameplay features, implement Flecs ECS patterns, and optimize simulation performance to support large-scale, multi-server environments. You will be responsible for the core simulation logic that powers our partners’ interactive experiences.

An ideal candidate is passionate about games, enjoys tackling a wide range of technical challenges, and has a track record of delivering great player and customer experiences across different areas of game development.

What You’ll Do

• C++ Migration: Identify and migrate under-performing GDScript systems to C++ for improved performance and maintainability.
• ECS Implementation: Design and implement simulation logic using the Flecs ECS framework, ensuring efficient data locality and scalability.
• Performance Optimization: Profile simulation workloads, identify bottlenecks, and apply multithreading techniques to optimize frame time.
• Serialization & State: Develop robust serialization and state replication systems for distributed simulation support.
• Technical Design: Collaborate with the team to break down complex simulation requirements and deliver practical, high-performance solutions.

What We Value

• ECS Experience: Proficiency with Entity Component System architectures, preferably with Flecs.
• Mathematical Fundamentals: Solid understanding of linear algebra, physics, and simulation mathematics.
• Engineering Excellence: A commitment to writing clean, testable, and efficient code.
• Problem Solving: Ability to debug complex state issues and optimize performance-critical code paths.
• Breadth of Experience: Comfort working across different systems and disciplines within game development, with a generalist mindset.
• Team Collaboration: Strong communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively with engineers, designers, producers, and project leads.
• Problem Solving: A proactive and thoughtful approach to identifying, diagnosing, and resolving technical challenges.
• Passion for Gaming: A genuine enthusiasm for games and a desire to help create engaging, high-quality experiences for players.
• Interest in Learning: Curiosity and eagerness to learn new technologies, engines, and practices to remain adaptable and effective.

What You May Also Have

• GDScript Experience: Familiarity with Godot/GDScript to assist in migration efforts.
• Distributed Simulation: Experience with networking, state synchronization, or multi-server architectures.
• Multithreading: Advanced knowledge of concurrency, lock-free data structures, and parallel processing.
• Mentorship Skills: Experience supporting or mentoring less experienced developers as they build new skills.
• Stakeholder Communication: Experience working with internal or external partners to gather feedback, provide technical input, and solve problems collaboratively.

A Friendly Note from the Recruitment Team

Let us do the work for you: Even if your profile isn’t an exact match for all of the qualifications listed above, we still want you to apply. Our team members come from a variety of different industries, not all of which are immediately relevant to game or software development, and we welcome all candidates of similarly varied backgrounds, communities, and identities.

Pay and benefits

The hourly rate for this role is typically within the range of $40.00 - $70.00 per hour. Please note that this range includes multiple levels of experience and actual pay will ultimately be contingent upon a variety of factors, including your own combination of experience, skills, and qualifications.

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