Gameplay & UI Developer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Gameplay & UI Developer

Company: Jobgether (Partner Company)

Location: Portugal (Remote within CET ±2 hours)

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Game Development Operations / Technical Development

Date Posted: 2026-09-14

Experience Level: 5+ Years Professional Experience

🚀 Role Summary

• Develop and enhance client-facing gameplay features, with a significant emphasis on UI, animation, and visual polish for a globally successful mobile game.

• Design, implement, and refine core gameplay mechanics and new meta features, directly influencing player engagement and retention.

• Collaborate within a small, senior, multidisciplinary team, taking ownership of features from concept through to iteration and refinement.

• Contribute to game design decisions, translating creative concepts into technically sound and highly polished player experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Gameplay & UI Developer," the responsibilities and requirements strongly indicate a role focused on the technical implementation and polish of game features, rather than pure operations or sales operations. The emphasis on C#, Unity, UI, animation, and gameplay systems places this firmly within a game development engineering context. The "operations" aspect comes from managing a live game, iterating on features based on data, and maintaining technical standards within a development lifecycle.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and implement engaging client-facing gameplay features, focusing on intuitive UI, captivating animations, and exceptional visual polish.

• Design and integrate core gameplay improvements to enhance player experience, retention, and overall game fun factor.

• Create and implement new meta-game features and systems that expand the game's depth and long-term player value.

• Maintain, enhance, and optimize existing gameplay systems and technical infrastructure to ensure stability and performance.

• Translate game design concepts and player feedback into robust, high-quality code and playable features.

• Actively participate in testing, iteration, and refinement cycles, leveraging player feedback and performance data.

• Collaborate effectively with a multidisciplinary team, including designers, artists, and other engineers, to achieve project goals.

• Identify and resolve complex technical challenges, prioritizing performance optimization and overall technical quality.

• Take ownership of assigned features and projects, demonstrating initiative and driving them to successful completion.

• Contribute to maintaining and elevating the high technical and creative standards of the game.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities are structured to highlight the full lifecycle of feature development within a live game environment, emphasizing ownership, collaboration, and technical execution, which are critical for candidates in demanding development roles.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Not specified, but a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Game Development, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience, is typically expected for this level of role.

Experience: 5+ years of professional experience in game development, with a strong focus on Unity and C#. Proven success in shipping multiple mobile games, particularly within the casual gaming market.

Required Skills:

• Unity Engine: Deep proficiency in Unity development, including its core features, scripting, and asset pipeline.

• C# Programming: Expert-level C# development skills, essential for game logic, UI, and systems implementation.

• Mobile Game Development: Proven track record of developing and shipping successful games on mobile platforms (iOS/Android).

• UI Development: Strong experience in building user interfaces, menus, and HUDs within Unity, with an eye for usability and polish.

• Animation: Experience implementing and optimizing UI animations, character animations, or visual effects.

• Gameplay Systems: Solid understanding and practical application of designing and implementing core gameplay mechanics.

• Performance Optimization: Demonstrated ability to identify and resolve performance bottlenecks, ensuring smooth gameplay on a variety of mobile devices.

• Problem-Solving: Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with a methodical approach to debugging and technical challenges.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary team, contributing to a positive and productive work environment.

• English Proficiency: Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

Preferred Skills:

• Specialized Expertise: Exceptional knowledge in areas such as animation systems, particle effects, shader development, software architecture, networking, or advanced performance profiling.

• Casual Mobile Gaming Market: In-depth understanding of the trends, player behaviors, and design principles specific to the casual mobile gaming market.

• Game Design Acumen: Ability to contribute meaningfully to game design discussions and translate abstract concepts into concrete gameplay features.

• Data-Driven Development: Experience using player feedback and performance data to iterate and improve game features.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Preferred Skills" section has been expanded to include specialized areas often valued in senior game development roles, suggesting opportunities for candidates with deeper expertise in specific technical domains within Unity.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Project Showcase: A curated portfolio demonstrating at least 3-5 significant game development projects, with a clear emphasis on Unity and C#.

• UI/UX Polish: Specific examples of polished UI implementations, interactive menus, and user flow enhancements.

• Gameplay Feature Demos: Visual or video demonstrations of implemented core gameplay mechanics and meta-features.

• Animation & Visuals: Showcase of animations, particle systems, or shader work integrated into playable builds or demos.

• Performance Metrics: If possible, provide examples or data illustrating performance optimizations made on previous projects.

Process Documentation:

• Code Samples: Well-structured and commented C# code samples that highlight clean architecture, efficient algorithms, and best practices.

• Feature Breakdown: Concise documentation or presentations explaining the design and implementation process for a key gameplay or UI feature.

• Problem-Solving Case Studies: Descriptions of technical challenges encountered and the systematic approach taken to resolve them, including solutions and outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirements have been tailored to a game development context, focusing on tangible deliverables like code samples, feature demos, and problem-solving case studies that showcase practical skills in Unity and C#.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: As this role is based in Portugal and the company offers "best-in-class compensation," the estimated salary range for a Gameplay & UI Developer with 5+ years of experience in Portugal would typically fall between €45,000 and €75,000 annually, depending on specific skills, experience, and the exact location within Portugal. This range is based on industry benchmarks for senior game developers in Western Europe, considering the cost of living and demand for specialized talent.

Benefits:

• Fully Remote: Work from anywhere within the CET ±2 hours time zone, offering significant flexibility.

• Best-in-Class Compensation: Highly competitive salary package.

• Country-Specific Benefits: Additional benefits tailored to the candidate's country of residence in Portugal.

• Impactful Work: Opportunity to contribute directly to a globally recognized and successful mobile game.

• Collaborative Culture: Work alongside experienced and passionate gaming professionals in a supportive environment.

• Creative Influence: Chance to contribute creatively to key game development decisions and shape player experiences.

• Live Game Development: Exposure to the dynamic environment of live game development, including iteration based on player feedback and ongoing feature enhancements.

Working Hours: The role implies a standard full-time commitment, likely around 40 hours per week, with flexibility afforded by the remote nature of the position, provided work is completed within the CET ±2 hours time zone.

📝 Enhancement Note: A specific salary range estimate has been provided for Portugal, based on typical market rates for senior game developers, along with a detailed explanation of the methodology. The benefits are also elaborated to provide more context for operations professionals.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Mobile Game Development (specifically casual gaming). The company operates in a highly competitive and rapidly evolving market where player engagement, retention, and monetization are key drivers of success.

Company Size: While not explicitly stated, the mention of a "small, senior, and multidisciplinary team" suggests a focused, agile development unit, possibly within a larger organization or a well-established independent studio. This implies a lean structure where individual contributions have significant visibility.

Founded: Not specified, but the existence of a "globally successful mobile game" indicates a mature product and likely an established company with a proven track record in the industry.

Team Structure:

• Agile Development Unit: The team is described as "small, senior, and multidisciplinary," suggesting a highly skilled, autonomous unit focused on specific game development areas.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Close collaboration is expected with designers, artists, and other specialists, indicating a matrixed or project-based team structure.

• Direct Reporting: While not explicit, a senior role likely reports to a Lead Developer, Technical Director, or Game Director.

Methodology:

• Agile Development: The emphasis on iteration, player feedback, and adapting to performance insights strongly suggests an Agile development methodology (e.g., Scrum, Kanban).

• Data-Driven Iteration: Features are enhanced based on "player feedback and performance insights," indicating a commitment to using data to guide development decisions.

• Quality Focus: A strong emphasis on "visual polish," "technical quality," and "player experience" points to a culture that values craftsmanship and attention to detail.

Company Website: https://jobgether.com/ (Note: This is Jobgether's platform; the actual partner company's website is not provided but would be crucial for deeper insight.)

📝 Enhancement Note: Insights into company culture and team structure are inferred from the role description's emphasis on collaboration, ownership, and the nature of live game development. The distinction between Jobgether and the partner company is clarified.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Senior Gameplay & UI Developer. It requires a high degree of technical expertise, autonomy, and the ability to mentor or guide less experienced team members implicitly through example and collaboration. The scope includes owning features and contributing to design decisions.

Reporting Structure: The candidate will likely report to a Lead Developer, Technical Director, or Game Director within the partner company's game development team. Collaboration will be extensive with designers, artists, and other engineers.

Operations Impact: The impact is direct and significant, influencing the core player experience of a globally successful mobile game. Contributions to gameplay, UI, and meta-features directly affect player engagement, retention, and potentially monetization, thus driving the game's ongoing success.

Growth Opportunities:

• Technical Specialization: Deepen expertise in advanced areas like engine architecture, graphics programming, AI, or networking within Unity.

• Lead/Principal Engineer: Progress into a Lead Developer or Principal Engineer role, taking on more significant technical leadership and architectural responsibilities.

• Game Design Contribution: Further develop game design sensibilities and contribute more extensively to high-level game design decisions.

• Mentorship: Mentor junior developers, guiding them on technical best practices, Unity development, and game design principles.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Gain broader exposure to other areas of game development (e.g., backend services, live ops) through collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Operations" terminology is recontextualized for a game development role, focusing on technical leadership, specialized growth, and impact on the product's success metrics.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully Remote. This role is designed for remote work, offering flexibility in location as long as the candidate resides within CET ±2 hours.

Office Location(s): While the role is remote, the requirement to be within CET ±2 hours suggests a focus on time zone alignment for effective collaboration with the core team, likely in Europe. Specific company office locations are not detailed, but the remote nature removes the need for physical presence.

Workspace Context:

• Remote Collaboration Tools: Expect to utilize communication and collaboration tools like Slack, Discord, Jira, Confluence, and video conferencing platforms for team interaction and project management.

• Development Environment: A robust local development setup with the latest Unity versions and necessary SDKs will be required.

• Team Interaction: Despite being remote, the emphasis on collaboration implies regular virtual meetings, code reviews, and shared brainstorming sessions to foster a connected team environment.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (approx. 40 hours/week) are expected, with flexibility in daily scheduling as long as availability within the CET ±2 hours time zone is maintained for meetings and collaborative tasks.

📝 Enhancement Note: The work environment description focuses on the realities of remote game development, emphasizing the tools, communication methods, and time zone considerations crucial for remote collaboration.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening (Jobgether AI): Your application will be initially assessed by Jobgether's AI for core requirements alignment.

• Application Review (Partner Company): Shortlisted candidates' profiles and portfolios will be shared with the partner company for their internal review.

• Technical Interview(s): Expect one or more technical interviews focusing on Unity, C#, gameplay programming, UI implementation, and problem-solving. This may involve live coding exercises or discussions about past projects.

• Portfolio Deep Dive: A dedicated session to walk through your portfolio, discussing your contributions, technical decisions, and problem-solving approaches for specific projects.

• Design/System Discussion: Potential interviews focusing on game design contributions, system architecture, and how you approach translating creative ideas into technical solutions.

• Cultural Fit/Team Interview: An opportunity to meet potential team members and assess alignment with the team's collaborative style and company values.

• Final Decision: The partner company will manage the final decision and offer process.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Focus on projects that best showcase your skills in Unity, C#, UI development, animation, and gameplay systems. Prioritize quality over quantity.

• Highlight Your Contributions: For team projects, clearly articulate your specific role, responsibilities, and impact. Use "I" statements for your direct work.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Include playable demos, video walkthroughs, or interactive prototypes where possible. For code, ensure it's well-organized and commented.

• Explain Your Process: Be ready to discuss your thought process behind design decisions, technical challenges, and optimization strategies for each project.

• Quantify Impact: If possible, use metrics (e.g., performance improvements, engagement boosts) to demonstrate the impact of your work.

• Tailor to the Role: Emphasize aspects of your portfolio that align with the job description's focus on UI, animation, visual polish, and core gameplay for mobile.

Challenge Preparation:

• Unity/C# Fundamentals: Brush up on core Unity concepts, component lifecycle, scripting best practices, and common C# design patterns.

• Problem-Solving Scenarios: Prepare for algorithmic challenges and debugging exercises relevant to game development.

• UI/UX Design Principles: Review principles of good UI/UX design for mobile games and how to implement them effectively in Unity.

• Performance Optimization Techniques: Be ready to discuss strategies for optimizing CPU, GPU, memory usage, and load times in Unity mobile games.

• Game Design Concepts: Familiarize yourself with common gameplay loops, meta-game structures, and player motivation in casual mobile games.

📝 Enhancement Note: The application process and portfolio review tips are detailed with specific advice relevant to game developers, emphasizing practical demonstrations of skills and technical articulation.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Unity Engine: The core development platform. Proficiency with recent versions and its various modules (UI Toolkit, UGUI, Animation, Particle System) is essential.

• C#: The primary programming language for game logic and systems.

• Version Control: Git (likely via GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket) is standard for collaborative development.

• IDE: Visual Studio or Rider for C# development.

Analytics & Reporting:

• In-Game Analytics SDKs: Experience with platforms like Firebase Analytics, GameAnalytics, or custom solutions for tracking player behavior, feature usage, and game performance.

• Data Visualization Tools: Potentially tools like Tableau, Power BI, or custom dashboards for analyzing game performance data.

CRM & Automation:

• Project Management: Tools like Jira, Trello, or Asana for task tracking and workflow management.

• Communication Platforms: Slack, Discord, Microsoft Teams for team communication.

• Cloud Services: Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure) for potential backend services or analytics infrastructure.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack is specific to game development, focusing on Unity and associated tools, with an understanding of how analytics and project management fit into the live game development cycle.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values: (Interpreted for a game development context)

• Player-Centricity: A commitment to creating experiences that players will love, driven by feedback and a deep understanding of player motivations.

• Craftsmanship & Polish: A dedication to high-quality execution, attention to detail, and delivering visually appealing, technically sound features.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Open communication, mutual respect, and a willingness to share knowledge and support team members.

• Innovation & Iteration: Embracing new ideas, experimenting with features, and continuously improving the game based on data and insights.

• Ownership & Accountability: Taking responsibility for one's work, driving features to completion, and contributing to the overall success of the game.

Collaboration Style:

• Multidisciplinary Synergy: Close, integrated collaboration between engineering, design, and art disciplines to ensure cohesive feature development.

• Agile & Iterative: A process that encourages frequent feedback loops, adaptability, and continuous improvement.

• Knowledge Sharing: A culture where team members are encouraged to share technical insights, best practices, and learnings through code reviews, internal talks, or documentation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Operations Values" and "Collaboration Style" are framed within the context of a creative and technical game development team, emphasizing quality, player focus, and teamwork.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Maintaining Live Game Quality: Balancing the introduction of new features with the need to maintain stability, performance, and polish on an existing, successful game.

• Cross-Platform Optimization: Ensuring consistent and high-quality performance across a wide range of mobile devices with varying hardware capabilities.

• Adapting to Market Trends: Staying ahead of evolving player expectations and market trends in the competitive casual mobile gaming space.

• Balancing Technical & Creative: Effectively bridging the gap between technical implementation constraints and creative design aspirations.

• Remote Team Cohesion: Maintaining strong team communication, collaboration, and culture in a fully remote environment.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Unity Specialization: Opportunities to become an expert in specific Unity modules or advanced scripting techniques.

• Mentorship Programs: Potential for formal or informal mentorship from senior engineers and game designers.

• Industry Conferences & Workshops: Access to resources for attending game development conferences or online workshops to stay current with industry trends.

• Exposure to Live Ops: Understanding the dynamics of live game operations, including player support, community management, and data analysis for ongoing content updates.

📝 Enhancement Note: Challenges are framed around the realities of live game development, while growth opportunities highlight paths for technical deepening and broader industry exposure.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex gameplay system you designed and implemented in Unity. What were the key challenges, and how did you ensure its performance and scalability?" (Focus on technical design, problem-solving, and optimization.)

• "Walk me through a significant UI feature you developed. How did you approach user experience, animation, and integration with gameplay?" (Highlight UI/UX skills, animation implementation, and cross-functional collaboration.)

• "How do you approach balancing creative design ideas with technical limitations and performance targets in a fast-paced development environment?" (Assess adaptability, problem-solving, and understanding of trade-offs.)

• "Tell me about a time you had to optimize a piece of code or a system for performance on mobile. What steps did you take, and what was the outcome?" (Demonstrate practical optimization skills and data-driven approach.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What aspects of our game appeal to you, and how do you see your skills contributing to its continued success?" (Show research and alignment with the product.)

• "How do you prefer to collaborate with designers and artists to bring features to life?" (Assess teamwork and cross-disciplinary communication style.)

• "Describe your approach to receiving and giving constructive feedback within a team setting." (Evaluate openness to feedback and team dynamics.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Project Selection: Choose 2-3 projects that best represent your skills in Unity, C#, UI, animation, and gameplay, with a clear emphasis on mobile development.

• Narrative Structure: For each project, present a clear narrative: the problem/goal, your specific role and contributions, the technical solutions implemented, challenges faced, and the outcome/impact.

• Visual Aids: Use video recordings of gameplay, interactive demos, or annotated screenshots to showcase your work effectively. For code, be prepared to share snippets or discuss architectural patterns.

• Highlight Technical Depth: Be ready to dive into the technical details of your implementations, explaining design choices, optimization strategies, and code structure.

• Connect to the Role: Explicitly draw parallels between your portfolio projects and the requirements of this specific Gameplay & UI Developer role.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation advice is highly specific to game development roles, focusing on technical depth, portfolio demonstration, and understanding of game design principles.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Gameplay & UI Developer position:

• Submit your application through the provided Lever link.

• Portfolio Curation: Prepare a digital portfolio (e.g., personal website, ArtStation, GitHub) showcasing your best Unity and C# projects, with clear emphasis on UI, animation, and gameplay features relevant to mobile games.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight your 5+ years of experience in Unity, C#, mobile game development, and specific achievements in UI, animation, or performance optimization. Use keywords from the job description.

• Prepare for Technical Deep Dive: Be ready to discuss your portfolio projects in detail, including technical architecture, problem-solving approaches, and performance considerations. Practice explaining complex concepts clearly.

• Research the Game: Familiarize yourself with the partner company's existing mobile game. Understand its genre, target audience, and core mechanics to better articulate your value and interest.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

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