Principal Software Engineer, Gameplay

Job Description

Principal Software Engineer, Gameplay - Unpublished R&D Product

Riot engineers bring deep knowledge of specific technical areas but also value the chance to work in multiple broad domains. As a Principal Software Engineer on Research & Development working on an early stage product, you are armed with a wealth of knowledge in full stack game technologies, curiosity and an open mind for learning and knowledge work, and the flexibility to support rapid explorations during prototype.

As a Principal Software Engineer focused on Gameplay in Research and Development, you'll build creative and fresh solutions that empower artists, engineers, and designers to iterate quickly, discover new play experiences, and then ship them at quality. You'll operate as the technical lead for a dynamic cross-disciplinary team that values velocity, flexibility, and executional excellence. You will report to the Engineering Manager of the project.

Responsibilities:
• You have strong player empathy, and you will find solutions that make players excited to experience our game.
• You will work to motivate and grow other engineers in the team
• You will work elbow-to-elbow with members of other disciplines (Game Design, Art, Audio, QA) to build a whole experience.
• You will help make hard tradeoffs to meet multiple goals and resist siloing yourself, seek input & feedback, and ask a lot of questions.
• You will work to create efficiencies wherever possible
• You understand and are comfortable with switching gears between optimization, break/fix, and development and understand the need for rapid re-prioritization.

Required Qualifications
• 8+ collective years professional experience across the following areas (or equivalent), including work with interdisciplinary teams at scale:
• Unreal Development
• Gameplay Systems Development
• Full Stack Game Development
• Operating Games as a Service
• 5+ years experience with scripting languages (python, bash, ruby, Node.js, etc.)
• 5+ years experience with compiled object oriented languages (C++, Java, C#, etc.)
• Ability to collaborate with leadership to break down problems and lead delivery of solutions to complex multi-month technical challenges. This includes collaboration with other disciplines or teams of engineers.
• Experience working with internal or external customers to identify, document, analyze, implement, and test software requirements.
• Experience providing technical leadership and mentorship to a team of engineers. This includes building, adopting, and implementing processes within a team.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or equivalent experience
• Proficiency with Agile/Scrum and understanding of its value to work processes
• Strong understanding of Git or similar source control systems
• Experience working with non-engineering disciplines (Art, Design, Audio, UI/UX, etc.)

Desired Qualifications:
• 10+ collective years professional experience as a software engineer
• 3+ years of experience providing technical leadership for major projects

For this role, you'll find success through craft expertise, a collaborative spirit, and decision-making that prioritizes the delight of players. We will be looking at your past studies, experience, and your personal relationship with games. If you embody player empathy and care about the experiences of players, this could be the role for you!
Our Perks:

Riot has a focus on work/life balance, shown by our open paid time off policy, in addition to other perks such as flexible work schedules. We offer medical, dental, and life insurance, parental leave for you, your spouse/domestic partner and children, and a 401k with company match. Check out our benefits pages for more information.

Riot Games fosters a player and workplace experience that values teamwork embodied by the Summoner's Code and Community Code. Our culture embraces differences as a strength, and our values are the guiding principles for how we approach work. We are committed to putting diversity and inclusion (D&I) at the center of everything we do, and promoting a fair and collaborative culture where Rioters treat one another with dignity and respect. We encourage you to read more about our value of thriving together and our ongoing work to build the most inclusive company in Gaming. It's our policy to provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and members of Riot Games, Inc. Riot Games makes reasonable accommodations for handicapped and disabled Rioters and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, handicap, veteran status, marital status, criminal history, or any other category protected by applicable federal and state law, including the City of Los Angeles' Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance relating to an applicant's criminal history.

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-rzj5pn-18-222-67-251-42 in your application.