[CONTRACT] AI NPC Interaction Engineer for Unreal Engine (Medieval AI World)

Project Title:
Eden.2025 — Living NPCs for a Medieval AI World

Description:
We are building an AI-driven medieval adventure world — where NPCs have memory, emotions, and evolving relationships with the player.

Your mission: make the NPCs come alive in Unreal Engine.
You will connect Large Language Models (LLMs) with Unreal Engine 5, bringing interactive MetaHuman-style characters into a living, responsive world.

Includes:

  • Real-time text/voice dialogue between players and NPCs

  • AI-driven personality, memory, and emotion states

  • Integration between LLM (OpenAI / Inworld / VAPI) and Unreal Engine

  • Expressive facial animation, cinematic lighting, and immersion

This is a paid short-term contract ($1,200) with potential for long-term collaboration.

Team Name:
Workflow Labs / Eden.2025

Team Structure:

  • Project Lead: Postdoctoral Researcher at Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI, collaborating with MIT Media Lab and the Stanford CS Department.
    Focus: next-generation AI narratives and human-AI worldbuilding.

You will be the Unreal Engineer, responsible for connecting AI logic to world simulation.

Previous Work:
Prototype AI workflow and dialogue systems integrating LLMs with real-time user interfaces.
This is our first narrative 3D world, expanding from tool prototyping to interactive storytelling.

Talent Required:
Unreal Engine / AI Systems Engineer (1)

Responsibilities:

  • Design and implement the full AI NPC interaction pipeline in Unreal Engine 5.

  • Integrate LLM / RAG / TTS / ASR models (OpenAI, Inworld, Replica, etc.).

  • Build behavior trees, state machines, and dialogue systems.

  • Collaborate with narrative, design, and art teams to deliver a playable demo.

  • Optimize latency, animation responsiveness, and overall scene performance.

Requirements:

  • Proficient in Unreal Engine 5 (Blueprint, Behavior Tree, MetaHuman, Data Tables).

  • Skilled in C++ or Python, familiar with REST / plugin integration.

  • Understanding of LLM fundamentals, prompt engineering, and memory systems.

  • Experience linking AI dialogue systems with game engines.

  • Strong visual polish and timing sense.

Bonus:

  • Experience in narrative RPGs or interactive story design.

  • Background in AI-driven games or virtual companions.

  • Love for narrative-heavy titles like Disco Elysium, AO3 fanfics, or adventure web novels.

Compensation:
:money_bag: USD $1,200 for the initial prototype (approx. 3–4 weeks).
Potential extension after demo delivery.

Contact:
:e_mail: **axyli@stanford.edu

What to Send (Application Instructions):**
Please send an email with the subject line “UE5 AI NPC Application – [Your Name]” to axyli@stanford.edu.
Include the following in your message:

:one: Your Background (2–3 sentences)
What projects or experience you’ve had in Unreal / AI integration.

:two: Portfolio or Demo Link

  • A short clip, GitHub, or ArtStation link showing your Unreal work.

  • Ideally something involving animation, Blueprint logic, or interaction systems.

:three: Relevant Technical Notes
Mention any prior experience with MetaHuman, LLM APIs, or dialogue systems.

:four: Availability
When you can start and how much time per week you can contribute.

:five: (Optional) One sentence about why this project excites you.