Lead Java Engineer, Game Tools

Requirements: We are looking for 5+ years of professional software engineering experience in Java, C#, or a similar object-oriented language. We welcome game industry engineers with C++ or C# backgrounds if they can design robust systems. We need someone who has built systems that others relied on and continued to maintain. We value strong ownership instincts and the ability to take accountability for a system from end to end. We expect genuine fluency with AI-assisted development tools such as Claude Code. We are looking for practical understanding of Minecraft, including its mechanics, systems, and creator/player behavior. We need experience translating non-technical requests into technical plans and working effectively with non-technical stakeholders. We are looking for someone who can thrive in a fast-moving entertainment environment, communicate clearly, and adapt quickly to shifting priorities. We require the ability to work onsite in Austin, TX. We require legal authorization to work in the US without sponsorship. Nice-to-have experience includes Minecraft mod development with NeoForge, Forge, or Fabric. Nice-to-have experience also includes CommandHelper / MethodScript or other Minecraft server scripting. Additional helpful experience includes multiplayer server infrastructure, client-server networking, rendering, or prior work in content production, games, or entertainment.

Responsibilities: We will have you own the technology behind our Aphmau content production Minecraft mod ecosystem. We will have you design and build new tools and mods in Java using NeoForge to support creative production concepts. We will have you architect shared frameworks and conventions instead of one-off production code. We will have you refactor, replace, and retire systems that no longer meet production needs. We will have you test and troubleshoot thoroughly before recording days to ensure reliability. We will have you maintain codebase health through clear standards, structure, and documentation. We will have you keep our AI development practice current, define best practices, and improve team effectiveness with AI tools. We will have you review contributions from our Technical Production Assistants and set the technical bar for work touching your systems. We will have you mentor others and provide technical direction without direct reporting lines. We will have you turn creative requests from production staff into clear technical plans. We will have you explain tradeoffs in plain language and partner with production leadership on scope, milestones, and timelines. We will have you push back with alternatives when a request is more costly than it first appears.

Technologies: AI Architect C# Claude Code Fabric Support Java GameDev