Senior Developer (Unreal Engine)

OverviewJoin us in shaping the future of cinematic storytelling! We are seeking a talented Pipeline Developer to join our visionary team and help build the next generation of virtual production pipelines for the Avatar Sequels. In this role, you will work closely with directors, creative teams, stage artists, and developers across our Los Angeles and New Zealand locations. This is an exciting opportunity to play a pivotal part in creating ground breaking visual experiences and helping filmmakers bring their visions to life.ResponsibilitiesAs a Senior Developer (Unreal Engine), you’ll be part of a small, dynamic team driving our transition to Unreal Engine. You’ll play a crucial role in designing and implementing tools that empower our artists and technical directors, while helping to define standards that will shape our future workflows.Bring strong engineering discipline and real delivery experience to help the team build reliable, scalable Unreal‑based tools and systemsTake ownership across the entire lifecycle of real‑time features and tools—from initial prototypes through production, polish, and deploymentCollaborate closely with artists, filmmakers, and technical partners to solve creative and technical challenges as they ariseWrite clean, maintainable, scalable code—and help establish the standards that keep our toolsets healthy over timeDocument your work clearly and thoroughly so tools, workflows, and systems can be understood and supported across teams and locationsDebug and resolve issues across the Unreal Editor, runtime systems, build processes, or supporting tools—whatever the project needsSupport the wider technology group with practical engineering help, contributing to project‑level systems and long‑term workflow improvementsAbout YouOur ideal candidate has a real enthusiasm for new technologies and a genuine interest in how modern game engines—especially Unreal—can reshape the way we create stories. Alongside this you will also bring:Up to 10 years’ experience as a software developer, with recent hands-on Unreal Engine work—and comfortable developing in a Linux-based environmentA strong foundation in Unreal Engine, backed by real examples of projects you’ve delivered— whether games, real-time experiences, or production workRobust engineering skills, from designing and implementing systems to debugging and optimising them for both performance and memory efficiencyComfort working across multiple languages — Python, C/C++, C#, Blueprint — and choosing the right tool for the problemExperience building and extending Unreal’s ecosystem — plugins, tools, editor tweaks, and the workflows that support delivering themA background working in a real production environment — Games, VFX, or real-time — using standard DCC tools as part of day-to-day developmentExperience working with version control systems like Perforce and Git in a collaborative, multi-discipline environmentStrong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work closely with artists, supervisors, and other developersA natural curiosity for new technology and a willingness to share discoveries, ideas, and better ways of working with the teamSome familiarity with CI/CD systems—Horde, Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD—or a willingness to dive in and learn the tools we useUnderstanding of virtual production workflows and Unreal’s editor-side tools, including modifying or extending the editor. Experience with Epic’s VP toolsets is a welcome bonusThe role will be based in Wellington, NZ. You will be engaged as an independent contractor. Applicants must be NZ residents880 Productions is an equal‑opportunity employer and fosters a culture where ideas from all people help us grow, innovate, and tell incredible stories. We are committed to building an inclusive environment where creative and technical talent can thrive.