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Hi, I’m Shawn M. Hayes. I’m a gameplay programmer and software developer with over seven years of experience building robust code and multiplayer features for studios, startups, and indie teams. I’ve led engineering efforts to fix systemic bugs, ship new features within budget, and mentor junior engineers to maintain high-quality code and healthy team dynamics. I thrive on collaborating across disciplines to create engaging, fun gameplay experiences and to build scalable tech and build pipelines. I enjoy turning ambitious design ideas into solid, repeatable systems that players can enjoy at scale.…Hi, I’m Shawn M. Hayes. I’m a gameplay programmer and software developer with over seven years of experience building robust code and multiplayer features for studios, startups, and indie teams. I’ve led engineering efforts to fix systemic bugs, ship new features within budget, and mentor junior engineers to maintain high-quality code and healthy team dynamics. I thrive on collaborating across disciplines to create engaging, fun gameplay experiences and to build scalable tech and build pipelines. I enjoy turning ambitious design ideas into solid, repeatable systems that players can enjoy at scale.

Shawn M. Hayes

Game Developer, Game Designer, Developer, +5

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Hi, I’m Shawn M. Hayes. I’m a gameplay programmer and software developer with over seven years of experience building robust code and multiplayer features for studios, startups, and indie teams. I’ve led engineering efforts to fix systemic bugs, ship new features within budget, and mentor junior engineers to maintain high-quality code and healthy team dynamics. I thrive on collaborating across disciplines to create engaging, fun gameplay experiences and to build scalable tech and build pipelines. I enjoy turning ambitious design ideas into solid, repeatable systems that players can enjoy at scale.…Hi, I’m Shawn M. Hayes. I’m a gameplay programmer and software developer with over seven years of experience building robust code and multiplayer features for studios, startups, and indie teams. I’ve led engineering efforts to fix systemic bugs, ship new features within budget, and mentor junior engineers to maintain high-quality code and healthy team dynamics. I thrive on collaborating across disciplines to create engaging, fun gameplay experiences and to build scalable tech and build pipelines. I enjoy turning ambitious design ideas into solid, repeatable systems that players can enjoy at scale.

Available to hire

Hi, I’m Shawn M. Hayes. I’m a gameplay programmer and software developer with over seven years of experience building robust code and multiplayer features for studios, startups, and indie teams. I’ve led engineering efforts to fix systemic bugs, ship new features within budget, and mentor junior engineers to maintain high-quality code and healthy team dynamics.

I thrive on collaborating across disciplines to create engaging, fun gameplay experiences and to build scalable tech and build pipelines. I enjoy turning ambitious design ideas into solid, repeatable systems that players can enjoy at scale.

Skills

Experience Level

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Intermediate

Intermediate

Intermediate

Intermediate

Intermediate

Intermediate

Intermediate

Intermediate

Language

English

Fluent

Work Experience

Full Stack Engineer at Presta Sports

December 31, 2024 - July 24, 2025

Developed a multiplayer VR game for use in conjunction with stationary bicycles using Unity and Meta Quest. Designed and programmed UI for new gameplay features in Unity with C#. Led the creation of microservices for user messaging and purchases. Spearheaded development of company wide continuous integration and continuous deployment workflows.

Senior Gameplay Engineer at Dire Wolf Digital

December 31, 2024 - July 24, 2025

Led a team of Junior engineers to improve game functionality and deliver new content. Managed code repositories for both Scala back-end and Unity/C# front-end projects. Developed and deployed new gameplay modes and expansions. Created internal web tools using JavaScript to streamline collaboration between design and development teams.

Gameplay Engineer at Dire Wolf Digital

December 31, 2021 - July 24, 2025

Developed gameplay mechanics and features for mobile strategy games using Scala. Built and maintained mini-services for card trading and matchmaking. Managed user data with PostgreSQL, integrating with Scala to improve data handling and retrieval for gameplay functionalities.

Game Development Teacher at Game-U

December 31, 2019 - July 24, 2025

Designed and delivered an inclusive curriculum, teaching special-needs students to create games in Unity. Conducted one-on-one lessons with students to help them learn technical and artistic skills needed for game development.

Gameplay Engineer at CERN

December 31, 2016 - July 24, 2025

Wrote code to perform statistical analyses on collections of particle physics data. Collaborated with senior physicists to publish a research paper discussing the findings of our analysis.

Prototyping Engineer at Intuit Games

January 1, 2024 - Present

Built a vertical slice of a mobile strategy game CardVeil in Unity3D; single-handedly developed all gameplay features for Android; used Unity URP shader graph to create dynamic visuals while maintaining performance on low-spec devices; established an artist/designer workflow to enable rapid iteration; implemented lightweight CI-like processes to streamline design/art handoffs.

Full Stack Engineer at Presta Sports

December 31, 2024 - October 22, 2025

Led a team of 3 engineers to implement features including social media integration, Bluetooth IO, online multiplayer, and real-money transactions; created a multiplayer bicycle VR game for Meta Quest using Unity and a .NET backend; integrated with the Quest companion app; designed and programmed the Unity client on top of middleware.

Senior Gameplay Engineer at Dire Wolf Digital

December 31, 2024 - October 22, 2025

Led a team of engineers to improve game functionality, fix bugs, and deliver regular content updates to boost engagement; released a new game mode that doubled concurrent players and improved Steam reviews to Very Positive; implemented major architectural changes addressing systemic bugs and improving quality of life; contributed to Pokemon Trading Card Game Online with up to 10,000 concurrent users.

Engineering Team-Lead at Dire Wolf Digital

December 31, 2023 - October 22, 2025

Led engineering team to fix systemic bugs and issues in software architecture; collaborated with design to strategize feature releases within budget; trained and directed junior engineers; programmed new gameplay features on server and client sides; fostered a collaborative and productive development culture.

Game Development Teacher at Game-U

December 31, 2019 - October 22, 2025

Taught classes to students, including those with special needs, on Unity3D, Unreal Engine, Blender, Game Maker, and Visual Studio; developed curricula and delivered engaging lessons; received strong feedback from parents and sponsors.

Research Intern at CERN

December 31, 2016 - October 22, 2025

Built a C++ program to perform dynamic analysis on particle collision data for a linear accelerator project; created graphs from simulated experiments that contributed to a published research paper; gained experience in scientific software development and collaboration with physicists and engineers.

Prototyping Engineer at Intuit Games

January 1, 2024 - Present

Collaborated with designers and artists to build a vertical slice of the mobile strategy game CardVeil and determine the best development strategy for securing funding. Implemented gameplay features in Unity3D, optimized performance for Android, and used URP Shader Graph for visual flair while maintaining performance. Built pipelines enabling rapid iteration for design/art and leveraged GitHub Actions to support lightweight CI for the team.

Full Stack Engineer at Presta Sports

December 31, 2024 - October 22, 2025

Led a team of 3 engineers to implement features requested by the CEO, including social media integration, Bluetooth reading/writing, online multiplayer, and real-money transactions. Created a multiplayer VR game for use with stationary bikes (Unity + Meta Quest) and integrated our stack with the Meta Quest companion app. Designed and programmed the Unity client on top of a .NET middleware/backend, including social features like chat, ride posts, and cross-application integrations.

Senior Gameplay Engineer at Dire Wolf Digital

December 31, 2020 - October 22, 2025

Led a small team to improve game functionality, fix bugs, and deliver content updates for multiplayer card games. Released a new game mode that significantly increased concurrent players and improved player sentiment. Architected major code changes to enable widespread bug fixes and quality-of-life improvements, and contributed gameplay mechanics and content for Pokémon Trading Card Game Online with up to 10,000 concurrent users.

Engineering Team-Lead at Dire Wolf Digital

December 31, 2023 - October 22, 2025

Led engineering teammates to fix systemic bugs, improve architecture, and deliver feature releases within budget. Trained and directed junior engineers, coordinated with design to plan feature releases, and built server/client gameplay features to enhance player engagement and stability.

Game Development Teacher at Game-U

December 31, 2019 - October 22, 2025

Taught Unity3D, Unreal Engine, Blender, Game Maker, and Visual Studio to students with varied skill levels. Created curricula with strong feedback from parents and sponsors and supported students in building foundational game development skills.

Research Intern at CERN

December 31, 2016 - October 22, 2025

Built a C++ program to perform dynamic analysis on particle collision data and generated graphs from simulations that contributed to a published research paper on a proposed linear accelerator project.