Riot Engineers bring deep knowledge of specific technical areas but also value the chance to work in many broader domains. As a Software Engineer, youll also dive into projects that focus on team cohesiveness & cross-team goals. Youll lead without authority & provide other engineers with a clear illustration of extraordinary engineering.

As a Principal Software Engineer on an unpublished R&D Product focused on backend services, you will be responsible for the entire back-end servicing the core gameplay of a new game. This includes defining interactions between client & server that are fundamental to every players experience (think: high load, high availability) & varying infrastructure & compliance requirements. Additional responsibilities include ensuring we have robust monitoring & diagnostic capabilities, delivery of tools & processes supporting cadenced updates & live operations, & broad oversight over how these technologies connect to the rest of the player & developer experience. Finally, you are responsible for ensuring that all of this rests on a solid technical foundation so when we get to launch at scale, everything goes smoothly.

Responsibilities:

• Design, build, & deliver internet scale backend services & technology for a genre-defining game we will deliver globally to millions of people
• Collaborate with leadership on planning & long term vision for gameplay related services
• Own building features from in-game all the way down to the backend service implementation
• Build features to improve server reliability & performance
• Implement server infrastructure in support of new gameplay features
• Build & support live services & operational tools
• Work with cloud technologies & services such as AWS
• Mentor more junior engineers on the team
• Collaborate effectively with art, design, & other disciplines within game development
• Review & identify risks & requirements for usage of shared technologies owned by other teams

Required Qualifications:

• 8+ years of experience building large scale backend systems or game services
• 3+ years of experience as a technical lead
• Experience developing large systems from scratch, including gathering requirements & designing scalable, production-ready architecture
• BS degree or equivalent experience
• Expertise with C++, Java, Golang, or any other modern language
• Experience with cloud computing & cloud technologies

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience working on a global scale online game
• Experience with Unreal Engine
• Experience working on both sides of client/service architecture
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines such as Jenkins
• Experience with containerization & orchestration technologies such as Docker & Kubernetes

For this role, you'll find success through craft expertise & a collaborative spirit that prioritizes the delight of players. We will look at your past studies & experience, but for this role, we also look for dedicated people with a personal relationship with games. If you embody player empathy & care about players' experiences, this is the role for you!

Our Perks:

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

At Riot Games, we put players first. That mission drives every decision in our quest to create games & experiences that make it better to be a player. Whether youre working directly on a new player-facing experience or youre supporting the company as a whole, everyone at Riot is part of our mission. And just like in our games, were better when we work together. Our goal is to create collaborative teams where you are empowered to bring your unique perspective everyday. If that sounds like the kind of place you want to work, were looking forward to your application.

Its our policy to provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants & members of Riot Games Riot Games makes reasonable accommodations for handicapped & disabled Rioters & 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 & state law. We consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state & local law, including the California Fair Chance Act, the City of Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, & the Washington Fair Chance Act.

Per the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, the following core duties may create a basis for disqualifying candidates with relevant criminal histories:

• Safeguarding confidential & sensitive Company data
• Communication with others, including Rioters & third parties such as vendors, and/or players, including minors
• Accessing Company assets, secure digital systems, & networks
• Ensuring a safe interactive environment for players & other Rioters

These duties are directly related to essential operations, safety, trust, & compliance obligations within our organization. Please note that job duties may evolve based on business needs & additional responsibilities may be assigned as necessary to maintain operational efficiency & security.