The Opportunity
CurlyBlue is the VR game studio behind jmancurly (@jmancurly) - the #1 VR YouTube channel in the world with 5M+ subscribers and 2.5B+ views. We're building a portfolio of VR games with multiple titles inactive development and launches stacked through 2026 and beyond.
We're looking for a Lead Developer to be the technical backbone of the studio. You'll lead our development team, write core systems, set the technical standard, and make sure games ship on time and run well. This is a hands-on leadership role - you'll be in the code every day while also guiding and growing the team around you.
When we ship a game, it doesn't launch into the void - it launches to an audience of millions. The bar is high, the pace is fast, and the impact is immediate.
What You'll Own
Technical Leadership & Architecture
- Hands-on development - You're not just managing. You're in the codebase daily, designing and implementing core systems - game architecture, multiplayer infrastructure, physics, combat, networking. You write code that others learn from
- System analysis & optimization - Analyze existing systems to identify bottlenecks, technical debt, and performance issues. VR has zero room for frame drops - you obsess over optimization
- Code quality & standards - Establish and enforce development standards. Conduct code reviews. Build a codebase that's maintainable, scalable, and doesn't fall apart when you add features 6 months from now
- Mentorship - Level up the dev team. Support junior and mid-level developers, promote technical knowledge sharing, and build a culture where everyone gets better
Project Coordination & Delivery
- Sprint coordination - Work closely with the Project Manager to coordinate technical progress across 2-week sprint cycles. Participate in daily stand-ups, sprint planning, and playtest reviews
- Priority management - Make sure every developer is focused on the right thing at the right time. Hit milestones. Hit launch dates. No excuses
- Build delivery - Coordinate the preparation and delivery of builds for testing phases and launches. When it's go time, the build works
Problem Solving & Communication
- Roadblock removal - Identify and resolve daily obstacles - unclear tasks, critical bugs, communication breakdowns, blocked team members. You keep the machine moving
- Risk management - Flag major issues early - technical complexity that could impact scope, timelines, or quality. No surprises at launch
- Bridge between tech & leadership - Translate complex technical challenges into language that non-technical stakeholders can understand and act on. You're the link between the dev team and creative/business leadership
Launch & Live Operations
- Launch support - Manage the technical side of game launches and updates. Coordinate deployments, monitor stability, and respond fast when something breaks
- Community feedback loop - Monitor player feedback from Discord and community channels to identify bugs and prioritize hotfixes. Our community is vocal and we ship fast
Who You Are
- 5+ years in game development with at least 2 years leading a team or operating as a Senior Developer on shipped titles. You've led people, not just written code
- Expert-level Unity / C# - This is our primary engine. You should know it inside and out. Experience with multiplayer architecture and VR development is strongly preferred
- Deep understanding of VR-specific technical challenges - performance optimization, frame rate consistency, locomotion systems, spatial interaction, and platform constraints (Meta Quest)
- Strong leadership and communication skills. You can mentor a junior dev at 10AM and present a technical risk assessment to leadership at 2PM
- Calm under pressure. Game development is chaos - launches are intense, deadlines are real, bugs appear at the worst possible time. You stay steady and solve problems
- English fluency is required (written and verbal). Vietnamese is a strong secondary plus - you'll be leading a Vietnam-based dev team
- Based in (or willing to relocate to) Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. In-office. Morning brief at 9AM daily
Bonus Points
- Experience shipping VR titles on Meta Quest / SteamVR
- Experience with live service games, post-launch updates, and hotfix pipelines
- Familiarity with Gorilla Tag-style locomotion systems or physics-based VR interaction
- Experience building cosmetics systems, in-game economies, or battle pass infrastructure
- You play VR games. You know what feels good and what doesn't
Why This Is Different
Most Lead Devs ship games and hope someone plays them. You'll be building games that launch to millions of players on day one. The feedback is instant, the stakes are real, and the growth trajectory is unlike anything in the VR space right now.
You'll lead a tight, hungry team that's shipping multiple titles across 2026. The team grows, you grow. If you want to build the technical foundation of a VR game studio that's scaling fast - this is the role.
How to Apply
Send your resume, a link to shipped titles you've worked on, and a short note on why you're the right fit to [Confidential Information]. If you've led teams, tell us about it. If you've built systems you're proud of, show us. We move fast.
