Senior UI Programmer (Steel Hunters)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UI Programmer (Steel Hunters)

Company: Wargaming

Location: Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-time

Category: UI Programming / Game Development

Date Posted: 2025-06-12

Experience Level: Senior (2-5 years of experience in games industry UI development)

Remote Status: Hybrid (3 days work from office)

🎨 Role Summary

• Architect, design, and implement core user interface systems for a major free-to-play game title, "Steel Hunters."
• Develop critical in-game UI elements, specifically focusing on the Head-Up Display (HUD) for core gameplay feedback and player interaction.
• Build and maintain the entire game front-end interface system, ensuring a seamless and intuitive user experience from launch screens to in-game menus.
• Collaborate closely with UI Artists and UX Designers to translate design concepts and visual assets into functional, performant, and visually compelling UI implementations within Unreal Engine 5.
• Integrate UI systems with backend services to handle dynamic player data, game state information, and persistent user configurations.

🖼️ Primary Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and optimize the Head-Up Display (HUD) for the "Steel Hunters" game, ensuring critical gameplay information is presented clearly, efficiently, and performantly.
• Build and maintain the comprehensive front-end interface system, including menus, lobbies, progression screens, and settings, using Unreal Engine 5's UI framework (likely UMG).
• Implement UI features that effectively communicate game state, player status, inventory, and other essential information, working closely with gameplay programmers.
• Collaborate daily with UI Artists to integrate visual assets, animations, and styling, ensuring the UI aligns with the game's artistic direction and brand identity.
• Partner with UX Designers to implement user flows, interaction patterns, and usability best practices, translating wireframes and prototypes into functional UI elements.
• Optimize UI performance to ensure smooth frame rates and responsiveness across target hardware, profiling and debugging UI systems as needed.
• Integrate UI with backend services for persistent data storage, retrieval, and display, handling asynchronous operations and data serialization.
• Participate in code reviews, contribute to technical design discussions, and mentor junior members of the programming team on UI best practices.
• Debug and resolve issues related to UI functionality, performance, and visual fidelity in a live game environment.
• Stay up-to-date with the latest advancements in Unreal Engine 5's UI systems and best practices for game UI development.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Game Development, or a related field is often preferred, equivalent professional experience in game UI development is highly valued. Formal education in design or human-computer interaction combined with programming skills can also be beneficial.

Experience: Significant professional experience (listed as 2-5 years, but Senior implies closer to 5+ years) in developing user interfaces specifically within the games industry is essential. A strong portfolio showcasing implemented UI systems and demonstrating proficiency in game engine UI frameworks is expected.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated experience in developing user interfaces within the video game industry, with a portfolio of shipped titles or significant project contributions.
• Expert proficiency in C++, with strong understanding of data structures, algorithms, and object-oriented programming principles applied to game development.
• Extensive development experience with Unreal Engine 5, including deep understanding of its architecture, systems, and performance considerations.
• Proven ability to work effectively in cross-discipline feature teams, collaborating closely with UI Artists, UX Designers, Gameplay Programmers, and Backend Engineers.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English, with the ability to clearly articulate technical concepts and provide constructive feedback.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to debug complex UI issues across different systems.
• Understanding of performance optimization techniques for UI in real-time applications.

Preferred Skills:

• Direct experience working with Unreal Motion Graphics (UMG), including creating widgets, animations, and implementing complex UI logic using Blueprints and C++.
• Experience developing UI for multiple platforms, including PC and various console platforms, understanding platform-specific UI considerations.
• Experience working on networked multiplayer games, understanding the challenges and best practices for synchronizing UI state across clients.
• Experience working with highly distributed development teams, utilizing collaboration tools and version control effectively.
• Experience operating and maintaining a live free-to-play game service, understanding the unique challenges of live service UI development and updates.
• Familiarity with UI/UX design principles and the ability to translate design specifications into technical implementations.
• Knowledge of shader programming for creating custom UI visual effects.

🎨 Portfolio & Creative Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Present a curated portfolio demonstrating your experience in game UI programming. Focus on showcasing implemented UI systems rather than just visual designs.
• Include examples of interactive UI elements, menus, HUDs, and data visualizations you have built.
• Clearly articulate your technical contributions to each project and the specific UI challenges you solved.
• If possible, provide video walkthroughs or playable demos of your UI implementations.

Process Documentation:

• For each portfolio piece, include a brief description of the project, your role, and the technologies used (specifically Unreal Engine 5 and C++).
• Explain your development process, including how you collaborated with UI Artists and UX Designers.
• Detail any performance optimizations you implemented for the UI.
• Discuss how you handled data integration and backend communication for the UI.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: £45,000 - £70,000 per annum (Estimated based on Senior UI Programmer roles in the Guildford, UK area, considering experience level, the company's size and industry, and typical game development compensation benchmarks in the region. This range is an estimate and the actual salary may vary based on qualifications and negotiation.)

Benefits:

• Generous Annual Leave: 5 weeks initially, increasing up to 30 days over time, with an option to buy an additional 5 days. This provides ample time for rest and creative rejuvenation, crucial for sustained productivity in a demanding industry.
• Additional Paid Time Off: Including Birthday Leave, Marriage Leave, and Compassionate Leave, demonstrating support for personal milestones and challenging times.
• Comprehensive Sick Leave Compensation and enhanced Maternity & Paternity Leave Benefits: Providing financial security and support for employees and their families during important life events.
• Dog-friendly Office: Creating a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere for employees and their furry companions, potentially boosting morale and reducing stress.
• Onsite Canteen with Free Snacks and Drinks: Offering convenient access to sustenance and refreshments throughout the workday, promoting employee well-being and saving time.
• Video Games Area: Encouraging breaks and fostering a shared passion for gaming among employees, contributing to a positive and engaging work environment.
• Family Coverage for Private Medical Insurance (including pre-existing conditions): Providing comprehensive healthcare coverage for employees and their families, ensuring access to quality medical care.
• Life Insurance and Pension Scheme: Offering financial security for the future, including a matched 4% tax-free employee contribution to the pension scheme.
• Mental Well-being Program (iFeel) and Wellbeing Perks: Access to mental health support, dedicated well-being spaces, and a team of Mental Health First Aiders, prioritizing employee mental health and offering resources for support.
• Career Development and Education Opportunities: Access to internal and external training, workshops, and conferences to enhance skills and support career progression within the company.
• Employee Discounts via Perkbox: Providing access to various discounts and benefits on retail, entertainment, and services.
• Personal Wargaming Gaming Account: Allowing employees to enjoy the company's products and stay connected with the player base.
• Company Events: Including events for partners and children, fostering a sense of community and work-life integration.
• Seniority Awards: Recognizing and rewarding long-term commitment and contributions to the company.
• Referral Program: Incentivizing employees to recommend talented professionals for open positions.

Working Hours: The standard working week is typically 40 hours, though the dynamic nature of game development, particularly during critical phases, may occasionally require flexibility. The hybrid work model (3 days in the office) allows for focused collaboration and team interaction while offering some flexibility.

🎯Team & Company Context

🏢 Company & Design Culture

Industry: Wargaming is a global leader in the free-to-play gaming industry, specializing in massively multiplayer online (MMO) titles. The company operates in a highly competitive and rapidly evolving market that demands continuous innovation, strong technical execution, and a deep understanding of player engagement and retention in live service games.

Company Size: Wargaming is a large, established company with over 3,800 employees globally. This size suggests a structured environment with established processes, dedicated teams for various disciplines (including UI/UX, art, programming, QA, live operations), and significant resources for game development and publishing.

Founded: Founded in 1998, Wargaming has a long history in the gaming industry. This experience likely translates to a strong foundation in game development practices, a deep understanding of the market, and a culture that values technical expertise and iterative development.

Team Structure:

• The Senior UI Programmer will report to a Senior Programmer, indicating a technical reporting line within a programming discipline.
• The role emphasizes working within cross-discipline feature teams, suggesting a collaborative structure where programmers, artists, and designers work together on specific game features.
• The mention of working with a "multidisciplinary team of developers in a global community" highlights the collaborative nature and potentially distributed team environment.

Methodology:

• The development of a free-to-play live service game like "Steel Hunters" likely follows an agile or iterative development methodology, with regular updates and feature releases based on player feedback and data analysis.
• Collaboration with UI art and UX teams suggests a user-centered design approach, where usability and player experience are key considerations throughout the development process.
• The focus on performance, visual impact, and usability indicates a development process that balances technical constraints with design goals.

Company Website: https://wargaming.com/

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Design Career Level: This is a Senior-level programming role with a specific focus on User Interface development within a game engine. At this level, the individual is expected to have significant technical expertise in UI systems, the ability to lead the implementation of complex UI features, and mentor less experienced programmers. This role is a key contributor to the technical foundation of the game's user experience.

Reporting Structure: Reporting to a Senior Programmer suggests a path within the programming discipline, potentially leading to roles like Lead UI Programmer, Technical Artist (with a programming focus), or other specialized programming leadership positions within the game development studio.

Design Impact: The UI Programmer plays a crucial role in translating design and artistic vision into functional, interactive elements. Their work directly impacts player engagement, usability, and the overall polish of the game. Effective UI implementation is critical for the success of a free-to-play title, influencing player retention and monetization.

Growth Opportunities:

• Advancement within the UI programming track, potentially leading to a Lead UI Programmer role where you would manage a team and oversee the entire UI programming effort.
• Specialization in performance optimization for UI, focusing on pushing the boundaries of visual fidelity and responsiveness within technical constraints.
• Transitioning into a Technical Artist role, leveraging programming skills to bridge the gap between art and engineering, particularly in areas like UI shaders, animations, and tools development.
• Opportunities to contribute to the design system architecture and component library development for future projects.
• Mentorship opportunities to guide and develop junior UI programmers, building leadership and team-building skills.

🌐 Work Environment

Studio Type: The Guildford studio appears to be a significant development hub for Wargaming, with a focus on game development. The mention of an onsite canteen, video games area, and dog-friendly office suggests a vibrant, campus-like atmosphere designed to foster creativity and collaboration among game developers.

Office Location(s): The primary location is Guildford, UK. Guildford is a well-known hub for the UK game development industry, offering access to a pool of talent and a community of game studios. Accessibility via public transport and local amenities would be relevant considerations for candidates.

Design Workspace Context:

• The hybrid work model (3 days in-office) is designed to balance focused individual work with in-person collaboration, which is often crucial for iterative game development, especially when working closely with art and design teams.
• Onsite amenities like the canteen and video games area contribute to a positive work environment, providing spaces for informal interaction, relaxation, and team bonding.
• The dog-friendly policy can contribute to a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere for those who bring their pets to work.

Work Schedule: The hybrid schedule requires being in the Guildford office for three days a week. The specific days may be fixed or flexible depending on team needs. The remaining days can be worked remotely. While a standard work week is typical, the nature of game development can sometimes involve longer hours during crunch periods leading up to major releases or updates.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Design Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Expect a review of your resume and portfolio, focusing on your experience in game UI development, C++ skills, and Unreal Engine 5 proficiency. Ensure your portfolio clearly demonstrates your technical contributions.
• Technical Interview(s): These interviews will likely assess your C++ programming skills, understanding of data structures and algorithms, and your experience with Unreal Engine 5's UI systems (UMG, Blueprints, C++ integration). Be prepared to discuss your approach to solving complex programming problems.
• UI/UX Collaboration Interview: This stage will evaluate your ability to work effectively with UI Artists and UX Designers. Be ready to discuss past experiences collaborating on UI features, handling feedback, and balancing design goals with technical constraints.
• System Design/Architecture Interview: For a senior role, you may be asked to discuss how you would design and architect robust and scalable UI systems, considering performance, maintainability, and integration with other game systems and backend services.
• Team/Cultural Fit Interview: This interview will assess your communication skills, collaboration style, and how well you would fit into the team and company culture. Be prepared to discuss your experience working in cross-discipline teams and your approach to learning and knowledge sharing.
• Potential for a Technical Challenge or Whiteboard Session: Some companies may include a coding exercise or a whiteboard session to evaluate problem-solving skills and technical communication.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus your portfolio on showcasing the technical implementation of UI elements you have built in games, particularly those using Unreal Engine 5.
• For each project, clearly explain the technical challenges you faced and how you solved them. Highlight your contributions to the codebase and system architecture.
• Provide video demos or interactive builds of your UI work whenever possible to allow reviewers to experience the functionality directly.
• Organize your portfolio logically, categorizing projects by type of UI (HUD, menus, inventory, etc.) or by the game engine/technology used.
• If you have experience with UMG, specifically highlight projects where you utilized its features and integrated C++ code.
• Be prepared to walk through your code and explain your design decisions during technical interviews.

Challenge Preparation:

• If a technical challenge is provided, carefully read and understand the requirements. Ask clarifying questions if needed.
• Approach the challenge systematically, breaking it down into smaller, manageable tasks.
• Focus on writing clean, well-structured, and efficient code, particularly considering performance implications for UI.
• Be prepared to explain your thought process and justify your technical decisions.
• If the challenge involves integrating with mock data or APIs, ensure your solution handles potential errors and edge cases gracefully.

ATS Keywords: User Interface Development, UI Programming, Game UI, Unreal Engine 5, UE5, C++, UMG, Blueprints, Game Development, Game Programmer, UI Systems, HUD, Front-end UI, Game Menus, UI Implementation, UI Optimization, Performance, Collaboration, Cross-discipline Team, UI Art, UX Design, Networking, Multiplayer, Live Service, PC Development, Console Development, UI Architecture, Data Integration, Backend Services, UI Logic, Widget Development, Technical Artist, Game Engine, Software Development, Problem Solving, Debugging, Code Review, Git, Perforce, Agile, Scrum.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Design Tools:

• Unreal Engine 5: The core game engine and primary environment for UI development. Proficiency in UE5's architecture, systems, and development workflows is essential.
• C++: The primary programming language for implementing complex UI logic, optimizing performance, and extending Unreal Engine's functionality. A strong command of C++ is required.
• Unreal Motion Graphics (UMG): Unreal Engine's built-in UI editor and framework. Experience with UMG, including creating widgets, animations, and binding data, is highly preferred and likely necessary for this role.
• Blueprints: Unreal Engine's visual scripting language. While the role is C++ focused, understanding and potentially using Blueprints for rapid prototyping or specific UI logic can be beneficial.

Collaboration & Handoff:

• Version Control Systems (e.g., Perforce, Git): Used for managing codebase, collaborating with other programmers, and tracking changes. Perforce is common in game development.
• Project Management Software (e.g., Jira, Confluence): Used for tracking tasks, bugs, and project progress, facilitating communication within the development team.
• Internal Communication Tools (e.g., Slack, Discord): Used for real-time communication and collaboration within the team and across disciplines.

Research & Testing:

• Debugging Tools: Integrated within Unreal Engine and potentially external tools for identifying and resolving UI-related bugs and performance issues.
• Profiling Tools: Used to analyze UI performance, identify bottlenecks, and optimize rendering and logic.
• Analytics Platforms: While not a direct UI tool, understanding how UI usage is tracked and analyzed can inform development decisions and optimization efforts.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Design Values:

• Player-Centric Design: Wargaming's focus on free-to-play titles implies a strong emphasis on understanding and catering to player needs and preferences. This translates to UI design and implementation that prioritizes usability, accessibility, and engaging player experiences.
• Technical Excellence: As a large game developer, Wargaming likely values clean, efficient, and maintainable code. For UI, this means implementing systems that are performant, scalable, and easy for other programmers to work with.
• Collaboration and Communication: Working in cross-discipline teams requires strong communication and collaboration skills. The ability to effectively interact with artists, designers, and other programmers is crucial for successful UI implementation.
• Iterative Development and Adaptability: The nature of live service games requires the ability to rapidly iterate on features, respond to player feedback, and adapt to changing requirements. This applies to UI development, which may undergo significant changes over the game's lifecycle.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Teams: The emphasis on working in cross-discipline feature teams suggests a collaborative approach where programmers, artists, and designers pool their expertise to develop specific game features, including UI.
• Regular Feedback and Critique: A healthy design culture in game development involves regular feedback sessions and critiques to refine designs and implementations. UI Programmers should be comfortable giving and receiving constructive criticism.
• Knowledge Sharing: In a large team, knowledge sharing through code reviews, documentation, and internal presentations is important for maintaining code quality and disseminating best practices.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Design Challenges:

• Balancing Performance and Visual Fidelity: Implementing complex and visually appealing UI elements while maintaining optimal performance in a real-time game environment is a constant challenge that requires strong technical skills and optimization expertise.
• Integrating UI with Complex Game Systems: The UI needs to effectively display and interact with various game systems (inventory, progression, networking, etc.), requiring a deep understanding of how these systems work and how to integrate with them efficiently.
• Adapting to Live Service Requirements: Developing UI for a live game means dealing with ongoing updates, potential feature changes, and the need to maintain backward compatibility, which requires flexibility and robust coding practices.
• Working with a Global and Distributed Team: Collaborating with colleagues in different time zones and locations can present communication and coordination challenges that require effective use of tools and clear communication strategies.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deepening Unreal Engine Expertise: Opportunities to work with and learn from experienced UE5 developers, further enhancing your understanding of the engine's capabilities and best practices.
• Specialization in UI Rendering and Optimization: Possibilities to delve deeper into the technical aspects of UI rendering, shader programming, and performance optimization techniques specific to game UI.
• Exposure to Live Service Operations: Gaining experience in the operational aspects of running a live game, including deploying updates, monitoring performance, and responding to player feedback.
• Mentorship and Leadership Development: Opportunities to mentor less experienced programmers and potentially step into leadership roles within the UI programming team.

💡 Interview Preparation

Design Process Questions:

• Describe your typical process for implementing a new UI feature in Unreal Engine 5, from receiving design specifications to integration and testing. Be prepared to walk through your workflow and collaboration points with artists and designers.
• How do you approach optimizing UI performance in a game? Discuss specific techniques you have used to improve rendering speed or reduce UI-related hitches.
• Explain how you handle data binding and integration between UI elements and underlying game systems or backend services. Provide examples of past projects where you tackled this.

Company Culture Questions:

• Research Wargaming's values and the "Steel Hunters" project. Be prepared to discuss why you are interested in working on this specific game and what aspects of its design or technology appeal to you.
• Describe your experience working in cross-discipline teams. How do you effectively communicate and collaborate with UI Artists, UX Designers, and other programmers?
• Discuss your experience working in an Agile or iterative development environment. How do you adapt to changing requirements and feedback during the development cycle?

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Prepare to present 2-3 key portfolio pieces that best showcase your skills in game UI programming, particularly those in Unreal Engine 5.
• For each piece, clearly articulate your technical role and contributions. Focus on the programming challenges you solved and the systems you implemented.
• If possible, have video demos or be prepared to show a live demo of your UI work during the interview.
• Structure your presentation to highlight your technical expertise, problem-solving abilities, and collaborative skills.
• Be ready to answer detailed questions about your code and technical decisions for each project.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this design position:

• Submit your application through this link
• Customize your resume to highlight your experience in game UI development, C++ programming, and Unreal Engine 5. Use relevant ATS keywords throughout your resume and cover letter.
• Prepare a portfolio that specifically showcases your technical contributions to game UI projects. Include video demos or interactive builds where possible and clearly explain your role and the technologies used.
• Practice discussing your past projects, focusing on the technical challenges you faced and how you solved them. Be ready to explain your code and design decisions.
• Research Wargaming and the "Steel Hunters" project to demonstrate your interest and understanding of the company and the game. Prepare questions about the team, the development process, and the specific challenges of the role.