Product Engineer (Console Live Ops)

Studio Wildcard, creators of the smash indie hit ARK: Survival Evolved, was founded in 2014. ARK has become one of the most successful cross-platform indie titles ever and continues to break industry records.  We are looking for a hybrid Product Engineer to take ownership of the ongoing technical state and product health of our console platforms (PlayStation and Xbox) for the ARK IP.

Reporting directly to the Live Operations Lead, you will act as the technical product owner for our console live environments. This role requires a blend of hands-on C++ engineering to analyze general console-specific bugs,  experience with the console debugging and performance-analysis tools, alongside the product mindset needed to triage the backlog, assess risk, and raise the alarm on critical live issues.

Responsibilities:

• Monitor, manage, and take product ownership of the daily technical health and live state of the PlayStation and Xbox platforms.
• Debug, review, and implement code fixes for general and mid-complexity console-specific issues within Unreal Engine.
• Partner with the Live Ops Lead to analyze, prioritize, and manage the console issue backlog, balancing technical effort with player impact.
• Act as the primary alarm-raiser for critical console issues, ensuring immediate visibility to the broader engineering team when complex, deep-engine fixes are required.
• Work closely with the QA Manager to verify bug reproduction steps, confirm fixes, and deploy rapid solutions to the live environment.
• Identify and escalate console-specific issues that require non-programming fixes (such as Tech Art, Materials, or Level Tech). Route these issues to the appropriate external departments and follow through to ensure they are effectively and appropriately resolved for console platforms.

Requirements:

• Minimum of 2-3 years overall experience in game development, preferably in a live ops, multiplayer, or post-launch support environment.
• Hands-on Unreal Engine 4/5 programming experience with a solid working knowledge of C/C++.
• Experience developing, debugging, & operating on modern console platforms (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S), including using those consoles’ respective developer-tools.
• Strong ability to weigh the technical cost of a fix against its immediate impact on the player experience.
• Ability to work core hours of 10:00 AM PST to 4:00 PM PST.
• Willingness to be on-call for live issue firefighting and to crunch around critical shipping periods to support major content launches.

Pluses:

• Shipped titles credited as a Product Engineer, Live Ops Engineer, Console Engineer, or similar technical role.
• Experience navigating console certification processes (Sony TRC / Microsoft XR).

• Familiarity with the ARK franchise (Survival Evolved / Survival Ascended).

Required Application Materials:

• Resume
• Cover Letter including:
  • Why you are interested in this role
  • Why are you interested in working for Studio Wildcard
  • What other games are you currently playing

About The Studio 

Studio Wildcard was founded in 2014 by industry veterans Jeremy Stieglitz and Jesse Rapczak, with the mission of bringing AAA quality to ambitious indie productions designed for core gamers. With countless years of combined industry experience across multiple independent and studio-backed titles, Wildcard's core team continues to grow, with offices in Redmond, WA and Gainesville, FL including distributed team members across multiple continents.

Equal Opportunity Employer
Wildcard is an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, or any other characteristics protected by applicable laws, regulations or ordinances. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodations due to disability during the application or the recruiting process, please let us know.  

Pay Transparency Information
The expected annual base pay range(s) for this position vary based on a variety of factors, which include: (but aren't limited to) skills, competencies, qualifications, knowledge, and experience. Each pay range is only relevant to those residing in WA state and can vary based on geographical location. 

Wildcard Benefits
We pay 100% of all premiums for the employee and discounted rates for dependent premiums. Our coverage includes Medical (5 different plans to choose from), Dental, Vision, Short Term and Long Term Disability, Life Insurance, 401(k) option, 100% covered Parental Leave, PTO, Paid Holidays, Unlimited Sick Time, and FSA/ HSA options( pay range is established for WA location and will need to be reviewed for other locations)

Compensation: $130,000 - $160,000