The Role
We are hiring a Lead Production Engineer to own the technology behind Aphmau content production. Reporting directly to the Director of Production, you will design and build the Minecraft mod ecosystem our production team uses every day, lead our Technical Production Assistant (TPA) team, and serve as the bridge between production leadership and technical execution.
This is a hands-on engineering leadership role. You will write Java, and you will write it with AI. AI-assisted development is central to how we build at CatFace, and this role is expected to use tools like Claude/Codex as a core part of daily work. Just as important, you will think in systems: our goal is a durable technical platform that serves the Aphmau brand for years.
Above all, the technology exists to serve the creative vision of our lead talent. Your success is measured by how reliably and quickly that vision makes it to screen.
What You'll Do
- Own the architecture of CatFace's internal mod ecosystem, designing reusable systems and frameworks that align with the Aphmau brand and outlast any single video.
- Design and build new tools and mods in Java (NeoForge) to bring production's creative concepts to life, with AI-assisted development as a standard part of your workflow.
- Evaluate and refine existing tools to better fit the evolving needs of production.
- Act as the translation layer between non-technical production staff and technical implementation: turn creative asks into clear technical plans, and explain tradeoffs in plain language.
- Ensure every tool and system reflects the lead talent's creative vision and production leadership's priorities.
- Lead the TPA team: set technical direction, assign and review work, develop skills, and ensure the team delivers against leadership's goals on time.
- Assess team capabilities and recommend changes to tooling, process, and team structure as the studio's technical needs evolve.
- Test and troubleshoot thoroughly before recording days; production runs on a schedule and reliability is non-negotiable.
- Own our AI development practice: keep our tooling current, establish best practices, and raise the team's effectiveness with it.
- Continuously evaluate emerging technology in both the AI and Minecraft modding ecosystems for opportunities to improve how we work.
- Partner cross-functionally with other departments on project scope, milestones, and timelines, and take on additional responsibilities as needed.
What We're Looking For
- Strong professional Java experience, with a track record of architecting maintainable systems rather than one-off scripts.
- Hands-on experience building Minecraft mods (NeoForge, Forge, or Fabric) and deep knowledge of Minecraft gameplay and mechanics.
- Genuine fluency with AI-assisted development (Claude Code or similar). This is a foundational requirement for the role, not a nice-to-have.
- Experience leading a small technical team, ideally including periods of change or transition.
- Proven ability to work with non-technical stakeholders and translate creative requests into technical plans.
- Comfort working both independently and within a small team in a fast-paced entertainment environment where priorities can shift at a moment's notice.
- Great, timely communication and a positive, team-oriented attitude. Everything we do at CatFace depends on treating others with respect and collaborating to achieve shared goals.
- Ability to work onsite in our office located in Austin, TX
- Legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship
Nice to Have
- Familiarity with CommandHelper / MethodScript or other Minecraft server scripting.
- Experience with multiplayer server infrastructure, client-server networking, or rendering.
- Prior work in content production, games, or entertainment.
What We Offer
- Excellent Medical, Dental and Vision health benefits
- 401(k) contribution
- Flexible time off
- Lunch, snacks and drinks provided in the office
- Pets in the office once a month
- Onsite fitness center
- Learning Stipend
- Relocation assistance for those coming from outside Austin.
