Blackbird Interactive

QA Engineer

• Build and improve processes with publisher QA.
• Build and improve processes with internal QA, lead producers and directors. As well as communicating with the internal QA team as a whole in order to share knowledge and improve the QA group across the board.
• Actively participate in daily hands-on testing of complex features, builds, and gameplay systems to maintain deep project knowledge and ensure test coverage aligns with real-world play scenarios.
• Champion best practices for testing, testing processes and testing tools Facilitate knowledge sharing between scrum groups.
• Assess and provide feedback on milestones and project status and direction.
• Oversee the creation, management and monitoring of tasks communicating status to the relevant stakeholders.
• Partner with the dev team to proactively define and prioritize work to support the project.
• Interface with producers, designers, artists and programmers to understand the game direction and requirements.
• Ensure consistent knowledge-sharing, learning, documentation, as well as improving tools and processes as necessary for your team to excel.
• Troubleshoot and adapt to solve problems in dynamic, high-energy situations.
• Daily leadership and development of an embedded QA team/s for end-to-end QA.
• Partner with QA and Development leadership to both drive and manage project QA needs and deliverables.
• Proactively assess and communicate the needs or progress of development partners, and how they relate to the QA team's priorities and tasks.
• Actively develop and revise QA project and test plans, tracking work, risk management, and QA strategies and processes.
• Oversee the creation and maintenance of training, testing tools, plans, and supporting documentation.
• Effectively collaborate and communicate with other QA leads, multiple interdisciplinary teams, project stakeholders and external partners.

QA Lead, 9-month contract

3D Artist

• Develop and maintain Maya and Unreal-based pipelines and tools to support animation, rigging, and content export workflows
• Collaborate with animators and riggers to define modular rig standards (including facial morphs, attachments, decay systems, and variant support)
• Build, refactor, and modernize existing pipelines and tools
• Partner with engineers and designers to ensure pipeline output integrates cleanly into the game engine, supports gameplay systems, and meets performance targets

Technical Animator, 6-month Contract

• Create and develop character art using Unreal Engine 5 and Metahuman
• Work with the Creative Leads to author immersive content for an FPS game
• Problem-solve and support tools and tech development to achieve visual and performance targets in engine
• Monitor deliverable progress, manage assigned scope and requested changes, and follow through on commitments
• Ensure assets meet technical requirements for Unreal Engine 5
• Work independently with minimal supervision, while collaborating effectively within the team and taking ownership of problems
• Document tools and production pipelines in a clear and understandable way

Character Artist

• Create and develop forestry and convincing environment art using Unreal Engine 5
• Work with the Creative Leads to author immersive content for an FPS game
• Problem-solve and support tools and tech development to achieve visual and performance targets in engine
• Monitor deliverable progress, manage assigned scope and requested changes, and follow through on commitments
• Ensure assets meet technical requirements for Unreal Engine 5
• Work independently with minimal supervision, while collaborating effectively within the team and taking ownership of problems
• Document tools and production pipelines in a clear and understandable way

Environment Artist – 10-month contract

Game Engineer

• own and drive the moment-to-moment fun in Unreal Engine 5 projects
• set technical direction, shepherd features from prototype through ship
• mentor a team of engineers while deepening studio-wide mastery of UE5
• architect, implement, and iterate on movement, interactions, AI behaviours, and progression systems in C++ and Blueprints
• build modular, data-driven gameplay frameworks that perform across PC and console SKUs
• guide a team of gameplay engineers: define coding standards, perform code reviews, and provide career-growth mentorship
• partner with design, art, and audio to translate high-level concepts into shippable, performant features
• establish profiling targets, drive optimisation initiatives, and uphold automated test and performance coverage for the game
• identify workflow bottlenecks, propose engine/tool improvements

Lead Gameplay Software Engineer, Unreal Engine 5

• Model stylized 3D characters and buildings based on concept art and design specifications.
• Ensure efficient topology (~10–15K tris per character) while maintaining strong visual fidelity and performance optimization.
• Texture assets using a stylized PBR pipeline in Substance Painter.
• Collaborate closely with concept artists, technical artists, and animators to deliver assets ready for implementation.
• Maintain clean file management practices and adhere to naming conventions and technical constraints.
• Stay current with industry best practices and tools, especially for stylized workflows.

3D Character Artist – Isometric Strategy

• Animate a broad range of Character and Building Units, matching and improving upon the benchmark of the original title.
• Collaborate with animators and tech animations to define and refine the pipeline.
• Work with the art team and designers to ensure animation integrates cleanly into the game engine, supports gameplay systems and meets performance goals.
• Maintain a productive and collaborative work environment with the development team.
• Proficiency in 3Ds MAX (preferred) or Maya.

Animator – Isometric Strategy Title

Designer

• Prototype, implement, and iterate on gameplay content such as NPC behaviors, interactable objects and player abilities, event hooks for narrative and audio content, scripted sequences, tutorial/help systems, and bug fixing; Collaborate with both artists and designers to improve game content implementation; Collaborate with engineers to improve design workflows; Work with producers and team leadership to assess requirements and provide effort estimates and updates.

Technical Designer

Bookkeeper

• Accounts payable: Receiving, sorting, filing (electronically) and posting into our NetSuite system
• Recording and reconciling multiple credit cards
• Receiving and posting expense reimbursements
• Organizing and maintaining the finance folders

Blackbird Interactive is a creative-fueled, future-driven, independent game studio where the best talent in the industry can find long-term careers to help grow their abilities while working on a wide range of projects.

In 2022, we introduced a four-day work week and now support in-studio, remote (within Canada), and hybrid work arrangements as permanent options for all employees.

We are looking for a Senior Quality Assurance Analyst to join our cross-discipline team testing game software and reporting issues relating to functionality, playability, and fun factor. Depending on experience level, you may be part of creating test plans, guiding specific tests, and assessing issues pre and post launch.

Senior Quality Assurance Analyst

• Gameplay Systems Ownership – Lead the development of player-facing mechanics such as traversal, combat, interaction, and abilities in C++ and Blueprints.
• Technical Architecture – Define modular, scalable gameplay frameworks that empower content creators, support networked play, and scale across PC and console SKUs.
• Cross-functional Leadership – Collaborate deeply with design, animation, audio, and production to ensure features are robust, performant, and aligned with creative goals.
• Performance & Optimization – Profile, analyze, and optimize gameplay systems across platforms to meet performance and memory targets.
• Mentorship & Code Quality – Provide technical mentorship, guide best practices, and elevate the engineering team through thoughtful code reviews and pair programming.
• Innovation & Exploration – Prototype and evaluate new gameplay paradigms, stay current with UE5 tech (e.g. GAS, MassEntity, Chaos), and lead knowledge-sharing initiatives within the studio.
• Deep experience with Gameplay Ability System, MassEntity, or custom gameplay frameworks.
• Experience leading gameplay teams or mentoring mid/junior engineers.
• Familiarity with animation programming, AI behavior systems, or multiplayer gameplay logic.
• Passion for empowering designers through tools, data-driven systems, or scripting APIs.
• Strong advocate for accessibility, player expression, and diverse playstyles.