Jack Hanley, Unreal Simulation and Networking Engineering Lead
Introduction
Jack Hanley, Unreal Simulation and Networking Engineering Lead
Ships real-time VR and driving simulation systems, from low-latency servers to tooling.
California | Remote, Hybrid
About
Jack Hanley makes real-time worlds feel effortless, even when the systems are anything but.
Some engineers chase novelty, Jack chases reliability, the kind users never notice because everything just works. Across VR concerts, driving simulators, and interaction prototypes, they have repeatedly taken messy real-time constraints, networking, tracking, physics, and performance, and turned them into shippable products. The throughline is simple: build immersive tech that stays stable under pressure and still feels human.
Jack is the person trusted with the parts that cannot drift, desync, or break under load, the multiplayer layer, the tracking stack, the simulation loop, the build pipeline. In a live VR event space, they built a custom low-latency Rust multiplayer server that kept music timing, game state, and full-body IK aligned, so the experience felt coherent instead of chaotic.
In automotive simulation, Jack led cross-functional teams that shipped Unreal-based environments where fidelity and frame time both matter. They are comfortable owning planning and architecture, then getting hands-on in the engine until the last edge case is gone.
That range is not accidental. From eye-tracking interfaces and real-time foveated rendering research to Unreal GAS debugging, automated test suites, and CI/CD improvements, Jack consistently turns advanced tech into repeatable workflows that help engineers and artists ship on time.
- 13+ years in real-time XR
- 3-15 team size led
- 5 engineers mentored
- 2 engines shipped in
Jack connects best with teams that care about craft, performance, and trustworthiness in real-time systems. The right collaborations tend to look like ambitious experiences backed by practical engineering discipline.
Target roles: Unreal Engine lead, gameplay and systems engineering, Real-time simulation and HIL platform engineering, Low-latency networking and infrastructure for live experiences
Get in Touch
Hi, I'm Jack. I build real-time VR and simulation systems that have to feel fast, stable, and precise, from live multiplayer experiences to driving simulation platforms.
Would love to connect if you're working in VR, simulation, or real-time interactive systems.
John "Jack" Hanley linkedin.com/in/...
Jack brings rare depth across Unreal, networking, and real-time systems, with a track record of shipping complex VR and simulation products. He is especially strong at turning latency-sensitive technical challenges into reliable experiences that teams can actually deliver.
- Real-time systems
- Low-latency networking
- Unreal Engine
- Team leadership