Systems Programmer

Job Locations US-MD-Rockville | US-TX-Austin | US-TX-Dallas

Job ID 2026-3455

Category Engineering/Programming

Type Regular Full-Time

Overview

Come join Bethesda Game Studios, the award-winning development team behind Starfield, The Elder Scrolls and Fallout. Bethesda Game Studios strives to offer its employees a well-balanced home and work life by providing competitive salaries, a generous benefits program, and offices located in some of North America’s best cities.

With a goal of creating a culture as fun and diverse as our games and our players, we welcome applicants with unique skillsets, experience levels and backgrounds. If you are passionate about making a meaningful contribution to some of the most significant games in the industry, we’d love to hear from you!

We will consider candidates for any of our four Bethesda Game Studios office locations: Rockville, MD; Montreal, Quebec; Austin, TX; Dallas, TX.

Responsibilities

Your Daily Life at Bethesda Game Studios

As Systems Programmer, you will…

• Write clear, maintainable, highly functional code and portable C code
• Thrive to understand the engine architecture, engine API and foundational systems
• Contribute to the multi-disciplinary development of cutting-edge technologies (including architecture, design, prototype, implementation, tests, debugging, documentation, profiling, maintenance and support)
• Contribute and document clear, maintainable, stable, scalable and highly functional systems targeting multiple platforms, memory and performance constrained environments, data modeling for complex open world simulation, streaming and persistence, middleware integration, and C
• Profile and direct CPU optimization efforts for any engine system and game frame in a highly multithreaded environment.
• Write tech plans, accurately estimate your schedules and help production with related roadmaps and planning
• Work well with other developers (from multiple tech disciplines, artists and designers), including understanding feature requests, cross features dependencies and communicating constraints and risks
• Review code, provide tech guidance and coach team members working directly or indirectly on tech impacting graphics systems
• Continuously learn about new technologies and assess how they could benefit the current technology stack
• Jump into lots of different systems, tackling everything from entire systems to random tasks
• Support and maintain existing systems
  
  

Qualifications

What Makes You S.P.E.C.I.A.L.

• You have at least 4 years of game industry C development programming experience with at least 3 years of engine experience
• You've obtained a bachelor’s degree in computer science, Software Engineering or equivalent experience
• High agency and a goal driven approach to solving problems
• You are an expert in C
• You are an expert at working on large scale and complex engine multithreaded systems
• You are an expert with writing systems that balance performance and maintainability
• You are an expert at CPU profiling and optimizing
• You enjoy jumping into lots of different systems, tackling everything from entire systems to random tasks
• You possess excellent analytical and mathematical skills
• You have strong interpersonal skills and problem-solving ability
• You possess the ability to contribute innovative and original ideas towards all aspects of game production and development
• You can work well under pressure and handle multiple tasks and are able to switch contexts
• You have a passion for making GREAT games
• You have a strong familiarity with Bethesda Game Studios games
• Must be a self-motivated and energetic team player with a very strong work ethic and cooperative attitude
• Strong interpersonal skills and problem-solving ability
  
  

Preferred Skills

Bonus Skills

• You have experience with animation, 3D graphics, audio, AI, or gameplay programming tools
• You have development experience on game consoles (Xbox One/Series/PS4/PS5)
• You have familiarity with Bethesda Game Studios’ CreationKit
  
  

Salary Range

Systems Programmer - The typical base pay range for this position at the start of employment is expected to be between $80,000 - $175,000 per year.

ZeniMax has different base pay ranges for different work locations within the United States, which allows us to pay employees competitively and consistently in different geographic markets. The range above reflects the potential base pay across the U.S. for this role; the applicable base pay range will depend on what ultimately is determined to be the candidate’s primary work location. Individual base pay depends on various factors, in addition to primary work location, such as complexity and responsibility of role, job duties/requirements, and relevant experience and skills. Base pay ranges are reviewed and typically updated each year. Offers are made within the base pay range applicable at the time.

At ZeniMax certain roles are eligible for additional rewards, such as merit increases and discretionary bonuses. These awards are allocated based on individual performance and are not guaranteed. Benefits/perks listed here may vary depending on the nature of employment with ZeniMax and the country work location. U.S.-based employees have access to healthcare benefits, a 401(k) plan and company match, short-term and long-term disability coverage, basic life insurance, wellbeing benefits, paid vacation time, paid sick and mental health time, and several paid holidays, among others.

This position is in a union and represented by the Communication Workers of America.

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