A galaxy of stories, built by people who care.

We are a passionate team creating a living world that millions of players lose themselves in, and we are looking for a gameplay programmer who wants to help us make it richer with every expansion.

Your mission

As a Gameplay Programmer on Stellaris you will work across the full breadth of the game: implementing new systems for upcoming expansions, improving and refactoring existing features, fixing bugs, and diving into a codebase with nearly a decade of history. You will work shoulder to shoulder with designers and artists to turn their vision into something that actually runs, and you will be expected to contribute opinions and suggestions about what you and the team are building, not just execute tasks. We work closely with our community, which means your work lands in front of real players fast.

Key responsibilities

• Implement new gameplay systems and features for Stellaris expansions

• Improve, refactor, and maintain existing game systems and keep the codebase healthy

• Build UI and player-facing features across the game

• Investigate and fix bugs, improving the overall player experience

• Collaborate closely with designers, artists and QA contributing your own ideas and feedback throughout the process

• Scope and estimate your own work with a reasonable degree of independence

Who you are

You enjoy learning and are comfortable finding your own way through new challenges. Stellaris has a long development history and the codebase reflects that. There is a lot to discover, and we are looking for someone who finds that engaging.

You know and care about Stellaris. It shapes how you think about the work, and you will have opinions about the game. We want to hear them.

You welcome feedback and stay comfortable when plans shift. Plans change, designs evolve, and sometimes the best decision is to start fresh and you're comfortable with that.

You like working with people: other programmers, designers, artists, the community. You ask questions, you share early, and you are comfortable saying "I think there is a better way to do this."

What we're looking for

• Solid C++ knowledge

• Familiarity with Stellaris and a general interest in grand strategy and 4X games

• Someone who can contribute confidently to a design conversation, not just a technical one

• Able to plan and manage your own work, and flag problems early

• Fluent in English, both written and spoken, to effectively collaborate in our international team

Nice to have

• Comfortable with Git

• Visual Studio experience

• Experience modding Stellaris or other Paradox games

• Experience working on a live game with an active player base

• Comfortable planning and tracking work in Jira or a similar tool

Work culture

We are a passionate team that genuinely cares about the games we make and the players who play them. Player feedback shapes everything we do, and we take pride in building something people love.

The team runs on trust. We have a flat hierarchy and high autonomy. You will not always be told exactly how to do your job, but you will be expected to take real ownership of your work. Everyone here has a voice in how the game evolves, and good ideas are welcome regardless of where they come from.

We work collaboratively. Programmers, designers, and artists work closely together, and the best things we make come from all of us building them as a team. If you want to understand the full picture of what you are building and help shape it, you will fit right in.

We believe in growing together. There will be people to learn from, mentors to lean on, and a team that genuinely wants to see you thrive.

If you think that this description matches you, we highly encourage you to apply as soon as possible as we will interview candidates continuously. If you don't match all the requirements, please demonstrate how your passion, attitude and interest in Paradox might compensate for this.

At Paradox Interactive we celebrate difference and care deeply about diversity and inclusion. We, therefore, encourage you, no matter who you are, to apply for this job if you think you’d be a great addition to our team.

Practical information

• Scope: Full-time and permanent with a 6 -month probation period

• Reports to: Managing Tech Lead

• Location: Stockholm, Sweden. Relocation will not be provided.

• Salary: The salary range for this position starts at SEK 42,000 per month. The final salary will be determined based on the candidate’s relevant experience, qualifications, and overall alignment with the requirements of the role.