Engineering · Fully remote · Nova Scotia or PEI · Full-timeYou're responsible for the code, the architecture, and the effectiveness of the programmers and AI agents who write it. Seventy percent building and solving hard problems, thirty percent leading and improving a small team.A lead's job is to keep the codebase and the people who work in it healthy at the same time. You will spend most of your week writing code and taking on the problems nobody else can, and the rest making the programmers around you better and keeping production honest about what is possible.You will be the first programming lead at the studio, so you will set the standards you then hold everyone to: how code is reviewed, how systems are designed, how human-first AI tooling is used, and how a small team ships without burning out.You report to the Studio Director and, on client work, to the client's stakeholders.What you'll doYour camera's always on, even if theirs isn'tSplit your time roughly 70/30: writing code and taking on hard problems, then mentoring and managing a small team of programmersWork well with Production team members and settle issues between programmers and stakeholders before they become problemsDesign and build game systems and gameplay, and own the architecture they sit inOversee and coordinate a team of programmers and the project-level processes around themDefine and maintain the team's coding standards, review process, and technical documentationOwn a project's technical direction: engine and package choices, project structure, and the architecture of core systemsBreak features down with production into estimates the team can actually hit, and flag risk earlyRun code reviews and pair with programmers so the standard is taught, not just enforcedOwn performance and stability targets across shipping platformsTake part in hiring: interviews, work-sample review, and onboarding recent programmersSet how the team uses AI coding agents and tooling,



and keep the output to the same standard as hand-written codeWhat you bringFive or more years of Unity experienceAt least three shipped commercial titlesFamiliar with SOLID principles, with a strong leaning toward producing high-quality codeYou're excited about AI tooling and agentic workflows, and you embrace themYou enjoy mentorship and encouraging other developersGood-humoured, optimistic and adaptableA servant-leaderExpert C# and a working knowledge of Unity internals: the player loop, the job system, Burst, addressables, and URPYou've led or mentored programmers before, formally or otherwise, and can describe what you would do differentlyYou can design a system on paper, explain the trade-offs in plain language to a producer, and then build itYou are comfortable in the hot seat, talking to a client about what you're doing and whyYou're unafraid of profiling and fixing frame-time, memory, and GC problems on a real targetFluent with git branching strategies, code review, and CI for game buildsYou've shipped through at least one platform submission: Steam, console certification, or mobile store reviewYou're notable for your excellent communication skills; most of our decisions are made in textResident of Nova Scotia or Prince Edward IslandNice to haveMultiplayer or networking experience: Netcode for Game Objects, Photon, Fish Net, or client-server authority in generalConsole development and certification experience (Xbox XR, Play Station TRC, Switch lotcheck)Experience with Unity editor tooling and designer-facing workflowsSome C++ or another engine, for perspectiveYou've worked in a fully remote team beforeWhat we offerFully remote within Nova Scotia and Prince Edward IslandHealth and dental benefitsThe hardware you need to do the jobThree weeks' vacation plus the Christmas holidaysPunk was never about who you are. It was about what you made.To put it simply, we want you to be proud that you work for Punk Science and eager todo your best work every day.If you need an accommodation at any point in the process, say so in yourfirst email. It will be arranged without fuss.#J-18808-Ljbffr

📌 Lead Programmer (Halifax Regional Municipality)
🏢 Punk Science Studios
📍 Halifax Regional Municipality