UI Programmer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UI Programmer

Company: Steel City Interactive Ltd

Location: Sheffield, England, United Kingdom / Royal Leamington Spa, England, United Kingdom

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Game Development / UI Engineering

Date Posted: 2026-05-05T08:11:14

Experience Level: 5-10 Years (Mid to Senior Level)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead the development and refinement of player-facing UI and gameplay systems within Unreal Engine, focusing on core game flows, progression, and player interaction for the boxing game "Undisputed."

• Drive the implementation of responsive and intuitive interfaces using UMG and Common UI, ensuring a high standard of usability, consistency, and scalability across cross-platform deployments.

• Architect and maintain data-driven systems that underpin game state, player progression, and feature scalability, requiring meticulous handling of state management and data flow.

• Collaborate closely with design, art, and engineering teams to deliver cohesive, high-quality, and performant player-facing features, contributing to the overall polish and integrity of the game.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role of UI Programmer at Steel City Interactive is positioned as a mid-to-senior level position, indicated by the 5-10 years of experience inferred. The emphasis on building, refining, and optimizing systems, coupled with ownership of system quality and collaboration with cross-functional teams, points towards a significant contribution to the game's player experience and technical architecture.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Build, refine, and optimize player-facing systems, including the user interface (UI), game modes, progression mechanics, and stat tracking features.

• Develop responsive and intuitive interfaces using Unreal Motion Graphics (UMG) and Common UI, ensuring clarity, consistency, and a high standard of usability across all player interactions.

• Implement and maintain robust, data-driven systems that support seamless game flow, effective player progression, and future feature scalability within the game's architecture.

• Work within established gameplay architectures to extend and enhance core gameplay systems, ensuring high code quality, stability, maintainability, and consistency across the codebase.

• Integrate various gameplay systems with broader game features, ensuring cohesive and synchronized behavior throughout the entire player experience.

• Manage and maintain consistent game state across complex UI flows, diverse game modes, and intricate progression systems, ensuring data integrity and smooth transitions.

• Ensure the correctness, consistency, and reliability of gameplay systems across a wide spectrum of scenarios, including edge cases and varied gameplay conditions.

• Optimize systems for efficient performance and responsiveness, guaranteeing a fluid and engaging player-facing experience on all target platforms.

• Proactively identify, debug, and resolve issues across UI and gameplay systems, maintaining a high level of quality, polish, and player satisfaction.

• Take ownership of system quality, ensuring a robust, reliable, and polished player experience from initial development through to final release.

• Collaborate closely with design, art, and engineering teams to deliver cohesive, high-quality features that align with the game's vision and technical requirements.

• Communicate technical considerations, progress updates, and potential challenges clearly and effectively to support team alignment and successful project delivery.

• Contribute to the continuous improvement of workflows, tools, and technical approaches within the gameplay systems domain, fostering innovation and efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities listed are typical for a mid-to-senior Gameplay Engineer with a specialization in UI and front-end systems. The detailed breakdown emphasizes system ownership, cross-functional collaboration, and a strong focus on technical quality and performance, which are critical for a title like "Undisputed" aiming for a high-fidelity player experience.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong academic foundation in Computer Science, Game Development, or a related technical field is generally beneficial for understanding complex system architectures and programming principles.

Experience: A minimum of 5-10 years of professional experience in game development, with a significant focus on gameplay systems and UI development within Unreal Engine.

Required Skills:

• Unreal Engine Expertise: Deep understanding and extensive practical experience developing gameplay systems in Unreal Engine using C++.

• UMG Proficiency: Proven experience building user interfaces using Unreal Motion Graphics (UMG), with a solid grasp of layout, flow, responsiveness, and best practices.

• Common UI Knowledge: Working knowledge of Common UI, essential for building scalable cross-platform UI flows and managing input handling across different devices.

• Data-Driven Development: Strong understanding of data-driven development principles and how to effectively structure, maintain, and query gameplay data.

• System Architecture: Comprehensive understanding of gameplay systems architecture, particularly how player-facing systems integrate into the broader game engine and framework.

• Code Quality & Stability: Experience working within and extending established architectures while upholding high standards of code quality, maintainability, and stability.

• Clean & Efficient Code: Ability to write clean, maintainable, and efficient C++ code suitable for a shared, collaborative codebase.

• Technical Judgment: Application of sound technical judgment when implementing, refining, and optimizing gameplay systems.

• Performance Optimization: Proven experience in identifying and addressing performance bottlenecks within UI and gameplay systems.

• Complex System Reasoning: Ability to reason about complex interconnected systems, including state management, data flow, and feature interactions.

• Attention to Detail: Meticulous attention to detail in handling edge cases and ensuring consistent behavior across varied gameplay scenarios.

• Communication Skills: Good communication and documentation skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate with designers and artists, clearly explaining technical constraints and trade-offs.

• Problem Solving: Strong problem-solving ability, with a clear focus on enhancing player experience and usability.

• Debugging & Profiling: Familiarity with debugging and profiling tools within Unreal Engine for efficient issue resolution and performance tuning.

• Performance Considerations: Understanding of performance considerations specific to UI and gameplay systems in real-time applications.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with Unreal Engine 5 features and best practices.

• Familiarity with other UI frameworks or scripting languages used in game development.

• Knowledge of animation systems and their integration with UI.

• Experience with version control systems like Git or Perforce in a team environment.

• Understanding of player progression and meta-game systems in live-service or AAA titles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on both UMG and Common UI suggests a need for a candidate who can handle both traditional Unreal Engine UI development and newer, more standardized cross-platform UI solutions. The requirement for data-driven systems and complex system reasoning points to a role that deals with intricate game logic and player state.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Unreal Engine Projects: Showcase at least 2-3 significant projects developed in Unreal Engine using C++, demonstrating UI implementation with UMG and/or Common UI.

• Gameplay System Examples: Include examples of implemented gameplay systems, highlighting data-driven architectures, state management, and player progression mechanics.

• UI/UX Design Integration: Demonstrate how UI elements were integrated with gameplay, focusing on responsiveness, usability, and a polished user experience.

• Performance Optimization Case Studies: Present specific instances where performance bottlenecks were identified and resolved in UI or gameplay systems, with quantifiable results.

• Code Samples: Provide clean, well-commented C++ code samples that exhibit strong architectural patterns, maintainability, and efficiency.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design: Document the design process for a key UI or gameplay system, including initial concepts, iterations, and final implementation strategy.

• System Implementation: Detail the implementation approach for a complex data-driven system, outlining data structures, flow logic, and integration points.

• Performance Analysis & Optimization: Showcase a process for analyzing system performance, identifying issues, and implementing optimization techniques, supported by metrics and before/after comparisons.

• Debugging & Problem Solving: Illustrate a systematic approach to debugging complex issues within UI or gameplay systems, detailing the steps taken to diagnose and resolve problems.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is critical for this role. Candidates should be prepared to walk through their projects, explaining their technical decisions, the challenges they faced, and how they leveraged Unreal Engine's capabilities to achieve specific outcomes, particularly concerning UI/UX and gameplay systems.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on the experience level (5-10 years), location (Sheffield/Leamington Spa, UK), and the specialized nature of Unreal Engine and C++ development in the gaming industry, the estimated salary range for a UI Programmer in the UK would typically fall between £50,000 and £75,000 per annum. This range can vary based on the candidate's specific skill set, proven track record, and the final negotiation.

Benefits:

• Generous Annual Leave: 23 days of annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year of service up to a maximum of 30 days, plus bank holidays.

• Holiday Exchange Programme: Opportunity to exchange leave days.

• Christmas Shutdown: Company-wide closure during the Christmas period.

• Flexible Working: Flexible working hours and patterns, with certain hybrid models available, allowing for a good work-life balance.

• Family Support: Enhanced Maternity and Paternity pay (subject to eligibility).

• Private Healthcare: Comprehensive private healthcare coverage, including optical and dental benefits.

• Wellbeing Support: 2 days of Wellbeing Leave per year, access to 24/7 doctors, and an Employee Assistance Programme.

• Company Sick Pay: Provided for peace of mind.

• Learning & Development: Dedicated Learning Days and a Technology Scheme (salary sacrifice up to £750).

• Financial & Relocation Support: Discretionary Bonus, Relocation Benefits (subject to eligibility), and an Electric Car Vehicle Scheme.

• Office Perks: Free snacks, fruit, and drinks in friendly studio environments, with free parking at the Sheffield site.

• Team & Social: Wrap parties, company-paid outings, and an individual entertainment budget for team events.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours are expected, with a focus on flexible working hours and patterns, indicating an emphasis on results and work-life balance rather than strict hour-by-hour tracking. The role is described as Hybrid, suggesting a balance between in-office and remote work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The comprehensive benefits package suggests Steel City Interactive invests heavily in employee well-being and long-term satisfaction. The salary estimate is based on industry benchmarks for experienced game developers in the UK, with a slight premium for specialized Unreal Engine and UI skills. The hybrid model implies a requirement for some in-office presence for collaboration.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Video Game Development, specifically focused on sports simulation (boxing). Steel City Interactive aims to disrupt the market with "Undisputed," a major boxing game. This industry is characterized by fast-paced development cycles, a passion for gaming, and a strong emphasis on player experience and technical innovation.

Company Size: Steel City Interactive has grown from a passionate prototype into a significant development studio. While not explicitly stated, the number of locations (Sheffield and Leamington Spa) and the comprehensive benefits package suggest a company of moderate to large size, likely employing over 100-200 individuals. This size allows for specialized teams while maintaining a cohesive culture.

Founded: The company was founded out of a passion for video games and boxing, with the ambition to create an authentic boxing game. This origin story highlights a core dedication to the sport and the gaming medium, suggesting a team deeply invested in the project's success.

Team Structure:

• The UI Programmer will be part of the engineering team, likely working within a broader Gameplay Engineering or Core Systems group. This team will be specialized, with engineers focusing on different aspects of game development.

• Reporting will likely be to a Lead Gameplay Engineer or Engineering Director.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: The role explicitly mentions working with data-driven systems, indicating a methodology that relies on quantifiable data to inform design and development decisions.

• Iterative Development: Game development, especially in UE5, typically involves iterative cycles of building, testing, and refining features. Expect a process that encourages continuous feedback and improvement.

• Agile Principles: While not explicitly stated, game development studios often adopt agile methodologies to manage complex projects, emphasizing flexibility, collaboration, and rapid delivery.

• Emphasis on Polish: The focus on "correctness, consistency, and reliability," along with "high level of quality and polish," suggests a strong commitment to delivering a refined and professional product.

Company Website: https://careers.steelcityinteractive.co.uk

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's origin story and focus on a specific niche (boxing games) suggest a team driven by passion and expertise in that domain. The growth from a prototype to having multiple studios indicates strong leadership and a successful product vision.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This UI Programmer role is positioned at a mid-to-senior level. The expectation for 5-10 years of experience, coupled with the responsibility for building, refining, and optimizing complex systems, signifies a role that requires significant autonomy, technical leadership, and problem-solving capabilities. The candidate is expected to contribute not just code but also architectural insights and process improvements.

Reporting Structure: The UI Programmer will likely report to a Lead Gameplay Engineer or a Principal Engineer within the game development team. This structure allows for mentorship from senior technical leaders while providing opportunities to influence technical direction. Collaboration will be extensive across various disciplines, including design, art, and other engineering teams.

Operations Impact: The impact of this role is direct and significant on the player experience. By developing intuitive and high-performing player-facing systems, the UI Programmer directly influences player engagement, satisfaction, and the overall perception of game quality. Their work is fundamental to how players navigate menus, understand game modes, track progress, and interact with the game's core mechanics, ultimately contributing to the commercial success of "Undisputed."

Growth Opportunities:

• Technical Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in Unreal Engine, C++, UMG, Common UI, and advanced UI/gameplay system architecture, potentially becoming a subject matter expert.

• Lead/Principal Role: Progression to a Lead UI Programmer, Lead Gameplay Engineer, or Principal Engineer role, involving greater technical leadership, mentorship, and architectural decision-making.

• Cross-Disciplinary Experience: Gain deeper understanding and experience working with design, art, and production pipelines, broadening skill sets for future roles.

• Project Leadership: Potential to lead specific feature development or system implementations, gaining experience in project management and delivery.

• Mentorship: Opportunity to mentor junior programmers, developing leadership and communication skills.

📝 Enhancement Note: The career path for a successful UI Programmer at Steel City Interactive likely involves deepening technical expertise within the Unreal Engine ecosystem, with clear pathways towards technical leadership and architectural influence. The company's growth suggests potential for advancement as new projects and teams are formed.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Steel City Interactive operates modern, friendly studios in Sheffield and Leamington Spa. These are likely collaborative office spaces designed to foster teamwork and creativity, equipped with amenities like free snacks, fruit, and drinks. The hybrid work model suggests a blend of in-office collaboration and remote flexibility.

Office Location(s):

• Sheffield: Forge House, Sheffield, S9 2EH, United Kingdom. Free parking is available at this site.

• Leamington Spa: Marlborough House, Leamington Spa, CV32 4HY, United Kingdom.

Workspace Context:

• The work environment is described as "welcoming" and a "place for expression and open communication," indicating a culture that values diverse perspectives and collaborative input.

• Expect access to modern development hardware and software, including robust Unreal Engine workstations and relevant development tools.

• Opportunities for direct interaction with colleagues from design, art, and other engineering disciplines will be frequent, facilitating efficient problem-solving and feature development.

Work Schedule: The role offers flexible working hours and patterns, supporting a hybrid work arrangement. This flexibility is designed to promote a healthy work-life balance, allowing employees to manage their schedules effectively while ensuring project demands are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model suggests that while in-office collaboration is valued, the company is progressive in offering flexibility. Candidates should be comfortable with a mix of remote and on-site work, with the specific balance likely determined by team needs and individual arrangements.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your CV and portfolio to assess technical skills, relevant experience, and cultural fit.

• Technical Interview(s): In-depth discussions covering C++, Unreal Engine, UMG, Common UI, data-driven systems, architecture, and problem-solving scenarios. This may include live coding exercises or a deep dive into your portfolio projects.

• Portfolio Review: A dedicated session where you will present and discuss your past work, highlighting your contributions, technical approaches, and the impact of your solutions. Be prepared to explain your design choices and address technical challenges.

• Team/Cultural Fit Interview: Meeting with potential team members and hiring managers to assess collaboration style, communication skills, and alignment with Steel City Interactive's values.

• Final Interview: Potentially with senior leadership, to discuss career aspirations, long-term vision, and final offer details.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Relevant Work: Prioritize projects that demonstrate your UI/UX development, C++ and Unreal Engine skills, and experience with data-driven systems or complex gameplay logic.

• Focus on Your Contributions: Clearly articulate your specific role and contributions within team projects. Use "I" statements for your individual work.

• Explain Technical Decisions: Be ready to justify your architectural choices, programming techniques, and optimization strategies. Explain why you chose a particular approach.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your work (e.g., performance improvements, usability enhancements, reduction in bugs).

• Prepare a Walkthrough: Practice presenting your portfolio pieces concisely and engagingly. Anticipate questions about your code, design challenges, and problem-solving approaches.

• Address Edge Cases: Demonstrate your ability to consider and handle edge cases and complex scenarios in your system designs.

Challenge Preparation:

• Unreal Engine & C++ Scenarios: Prepare for questions or challenges related to common Unreal Engine tasks, C++ programming concepts (e.g., memory management, object-oriented design), and UI implementation patterns.

• System Design: Be ready to discuss how you would design or improve a specific gameplay or UI system, considering scalability, performance, and maintainability.

• Debugging Practice: Think about how you would approach debugging common issues in Unreal Engine, such as performance drops, UI glitches, or data inconsistencies.

• Collaboration Scenarios: Prepare to discuss how you handle disagreements with designers or artists, or how you communicate technical limitations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to thoroughly evaluate both technical proficiency and collaborative capabilities. A well-prepared portfolio that clearly articulates technical achievements and problem-solving skills will be a significant advantage.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Unreal Engine (UE5): The core game development engine. Proficiency with its C++ API, editor, and associated tools is essential.

• C++: The primary programming language for gameplay and systems development within Unreal Engine.

• Unreal Motion Graphics (UMG): The visual UI designer within Unreal Engine for creating interactive menus, HUDs, and other player-facing interfaces.

• Common UI: A framework for building scalable, cross-platform UI flows, particularly important for console and PC development.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Unreal Engine Profiler: Essential for identifying performance bottlenecks in UI and gameplay systems.

• Debugging Tools: Built-in Unreal Engine debuggers and logging mechanisms for issue resolution.

• Version Control Systems: Likely Git or Perforce, for managing codebase changes in a team environment.

CRM & Automation: While not directly customer-facing, project management and task tracking tools like Jira or Trello may be used for workflow management. Automation within the engine itself for build processes or testing could also be a factor.

📝 Enhancement Note: Mastery of Unreal Engine, C++, UMG, and Common UI is paramount. Familiarity with profiling and debugging tools within UE is critical for optimizing performance and ensuring system stability.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Passion for Gaming & Boxing: A deep-seated enthusiasm for video games and the sport of boxing, driving a commitment to creating an authentic and exciting experience.

• Collaboration & Open Communication: A welcoming environment where everyone has a voice, encouraging expression, open dialogue, and mutual learning.

• Ambition & Excellence: Driven by the ambition to deliver a world-class boxing game that sets a new standard in the genre.

• Player-Centricity: A focus on creating intuitive, responsive, and high-quality player experiences, emphasizing usability and polish.

• Continuous Improvement: A culture that values the ongoing refinement of workflows, tools, and technical approaches to enhance efficiency and quality.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Strong emphasis on working closely with design, art, and other engineering teams to ensure seamless integration of UI and gameplay features.

• Constructive Feedback: An open environment for sharing and receiving feedback to improve code, systems, and processes.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouragement to share insights, best practices, and learnings across the team to elevate collective expertise.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture appears to be a blend of passionate creators dedicated to their craft and a collaborative, supportive team environment. The emphasis on "expression and open communication" suggests a desire for proactive team members who are not afraid to share ideas and contribute to shaping the game.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Performance and Polish: Ensuring UI and gameplay systems are both highly performant across various platforms while maintaining a visually appealing and polished aesthetic.

• Complex System Interdependencies: Managing the intricate relationships between UI, game modes, progression, and stat tracking systems to maintain data integrity and a consistent player experience.

• Cross-Platform Consistency: Developing UI and gameplay systems that function seamlessly and look great on multiple platforms (PC, consoles) with varying input methods and screen resolutions.

• Evolving Game Design: Adapting to potential changes in game design and feature scope throughout the development lifecycle, requiring flexibility and robust system design.

• Technical Debt Management: Continuously addressing and mitigating technical debt in a complex, evolving codebase to maintain long-term project health.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Unreal Engine 5 Mastery: Deepen expertise in the latest features and best practices of Unreal Engine 5, including advanced rendering, gameplay frameworks, and tooling.

• Advanced UI/UX Design: Explore cutting-edge UI/UX patterns and techniques for interactive entertainment, potentially including accessibility considerations.

• System Architecture Design: Develop skills in designing and architecting complex, scalable, and maintainable game systems that can support future game titles.

• Cross-Platform Development: Gain hands-on experience optimizing and adapting systems for different hardware and platform requirements.

• Mentorship & Leadership: Opportunities to mentor junior developers and potentially step into lead roles as the team and projects grow.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for AAA game development, particularly in a role focused on player-facing systems. Steel City Interactive seems to offer ample opportunities for growth, encouraging specialization and leadership development within the Unreal Engine ecosystem.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• UI/Gameplay System Design: "Describe how you would design a robust player progression system in Unreal Engine that is data-driven and easily extensible. What C++ and UMG/Common UI patterns would you employ?"

  • Preparation: Focus on modular design, data structure choices (e.g., structs, classes, data tables), state management, and how you'd integrate with existing game loops.

• Performance Optimization: "Imagine a scenario where your game's main menu is causing significant frame rate drops on consoles. How would you approach diagnosing and resolving this performance issue?"

  • Preparation: Detail your debugging and profiling process using Unreal Engine tools. Discuss potential causes like excessive draw calls, complex UI elements, inefficient data loading, or script execution.

• Collaboration & Problem Solving: "You're working on a UI feature with the art team, and they have a design that you believe will negatively impact performance. How do you communicate this and work towards a resolution?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• Passion for Games: "What aspects of 'Undisputed' or boxing games in general excite you the most, and how do you see your role contributing to that excitement?"

  • Preparation: Research the game and the sport. Connect your skills and passion to the unique aspects of the project.

• Team Dynamics: "Describe a time you had to adapt your development style to better collaborate with a designer or artist. What was the outcome?"

  • Preparation: Prepare examples that showcase your adaptability, communication skills, and ability to work effectively in a cross-functional team.

• Impact Measurement: "How do you measure the success of a UI or gameplay system you've developed beyond just it functioning correctly?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Project Deep Dive: Select 1-2 key projects that best showcase your UI and C++ skills in Unreal Engine. Walk through the system's functionality, your technical architecture, and the specific challenges you overcame.

• Code Clarity: Be prepared to show relevant code snippets and explain your coding standards, commenting practices, and design patterns.

• Visual Demonstration: If possible, provide a video or live demo of your UI elements in action, highlighting responsiveness and polish.

• Quantifiable Results: For performance optimizations or system improvements, clearly present the "before" and "after" metrics to demonstrate the impact of your work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily rely on practical demonstrations of skill through portfolio review and technical problem-solving. Candidates should be ready to discuss their thought processes in detail.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UI Programmer position:

• Submit your application through the Steel City Interactive careers portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight your strongest Unreal Engine C++ projects, specifically showcasing UI development with UMG/Common UI, data-driven systems, and performance optimization efforts. Ensure it's easily navigable and presents your best work clearly.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to prominently feature keywords from the job description, such as "Unreal Engine," "C++," "UMG," "Common UI," "Gameplay Systems," "UI Development," and "Performance Optimization." Quantify your achievements and responsibilities with specific examples.

• Interview Preparation: Practice discussing your portfolio projects in detail, preparing answers to common technical and behavioral questions, and researching Steel City Interactive's work and culture.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with "Undisputed," Steel City Interactive's mission, and their approach to game development. Understand their values regarding collaboration and player experience.

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