Principal Research Programmer, Unreal Assistant
About this role
Designing and shipping the full stack of systems that enable large language models to operate inside Unreal Engine forms the core daily focus for this position. The programming team builds tools and cloud services that bridge artificial intelligence capabilities with real-time interactive development environments, supporting content creators across multiple industries.
This role exists to spearhead the integration of artificial intelligence into core engine workflows by architecting end-to-end features spanning C++ engine tooling, cloud backends, and web front ends. Ideal candidates bring a strong background in game engine architecture combined with practical experience deploying language model applications, allowing them to define technical direction while collaborating closely with multidisciplinary peers.
What you will do
- Design and build large language model-driven agents and tools that operate directly inside Unreal Engine.
- Develop engine-side C++ and Python tooling alongside editor scripting integrations.
- Design and extend cloud-hosted agent harnesses, services, and databases that mediate between language models and the engine.
- Ship complete end-to-end features operating across engine tooling, cloud backends, and web user interfaces.
- Evaluate and integrate emerging language model capabilities such as tool use, multi-agent orchestration, and context management.
- Define technical direction regarding the reliability, safety, and evaluation of automated engine workflows.
- Partner with engine, tools, and backend programmers while mentoring team members on engine internals and system design.
What you need
- Possess a strong software programming background featuring hands-on experience in a game engine, with Unreal Engine strongly preferred.
- Demonstrate practical experience building or shipping products powered by language models or a strong conceptual understanding of their inner workings.
- Bring experience with cloud-native services and infrastructure including web APIs, databases, and service deployment.
- Show excellent programming capabilities across C++ for engine-side work alongside Python or a web backend language.
- Demonstrate the ability to reason about architectural tradeoffs across engine code, backend services, and web front ends.
- Communicate effectively with strong written and verbal skills.
Benefits
- 100% employer-paid benefits for employees and dependents covering supplemental medical, dental, vision, and critical illness
- Telemedicine, Life and AD&D, long term disability insurance, and weekly indemnity short term disability coverage
- Retirement savings plan featuring a competitive employer match
- Employee assistance program alongside a mental well-being program through Modern Health providing free therapy and coaching
Skills and tech stack
Questions candidates ask
What will I actually be working on in this role?
You will design and ship the full stack of systems that let large language models act inside Unreal Engine. This includes building engine-side C++ and Python tooling, cloud-hosted agent harnesses, and web interfaces used to drive and monitor agents.
What kind of technical background is required?
Candidates need a strong software programming background with hands-on game engine experience, particularly in Unreal Engine. You must also have practical experience building language model products or a strong conceptual understanding of how they work, alongside cloud-native infrastructure knowledge.
What benefits are included with the position?
Epic pays 100% for benefits for employees and dependents, covering supplemental medical, dental, vision, critical illness, telemedicine, and various insurance policies. Additional offerings include a retirement savings plan with a matching contribution and a mental well-being program providing free therapy and coaching.