Staff Software Engineer, Tools - Unpublished R&D Product

As a Staff Software Engineer, Tools on an unpublished R&D product, you will architect the foundational elements of the tools ecosystem for one of Riot’s most exciting new games.  You will work closely with designers, artists, producers, and other engineers to gather requirements and set the long-term vision for the team’s developer tooling.  In this role you will be hands-on in conceptualizing, planning, implementing, and maintaining the tools that power content creation workflows and make developers more efficient. You will work with state-of-the-art technology, and explore new solutions to surprise and delight our players as we bring this new game to life.

Riot engineers bring deep knowledge of specific technical areas but also value the opportunity to work in a variety of broader domains. As a Staff Software Engineer, you’ll drive important features and provide other engineers with a clear illustration of extraordinary engineering.  We work with both new and current technology, creating innovative solutions to overcome high-volume obstacles and to deliver player value. You will report to a Senior Engineering Manager supporting the Tech Foundations team within an R&D game project.

• Collaborate with leadership on planning and long-term vision for developer tooling and workflows
• Architect and help implement the foundational elements of the game’s tools ecosystem
• Champion the technical vision, architecture, and execution for the tools engineering team with production and management
• Establish the team’s technical direction and best practices for tools architecture and implementation
• Mentor engineers across multiple levels as the team scales, and provide feedback that supports their technical growth
• Collaborate effectively with production, design, art, and other engineering teams to deliver tools that are purpose-driven, robust, and scalable
• Champion tooling best practices across multiple teams including design, tech art, UX, and gameplay engineering
• Review and identify new and shared developer tooling technologies, both internal and external, as possible opportunities for the team
• Provide documentation and trainings on new tools and workflows to internal customers

• 8+ years of professional experience in software engineering, including experience delivering live or shipped products at scale
• 3+ years working on game development tools
• Experience in Unreal Engine and awareness of upcoming tools in game development
• B.S. in computer science or equivalent experience
• Proven ability to navigate ambiguity and influence cross-functional stakeholders
• Strong communication skills across technical and non-technical audiences
• Proficiency in C++

• Experience developing tools that integrate with both client and backend systems
• Experience developing tools that integrate with art pipelines (e.g. Maya, Blender, etc.)
• Deep knowledge of tooling solutions utilized in AAA games around the industry
• Experience developing AI- or ML-driven content tools
• Experience mentoring technical leaders and contributing to engineering culture
• Experience working on distributed teams
• Experience in C#

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

Riot focuses on work/life balance, shown by our open paid time off policy and 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.

At Riot Games, we put players first. That mission drives every decision in our quest to create games and experiences that make it better to be a player. Whether you’re working directly on a new player-facing experience or you’re supporting the company as a whole, everyone at Riot is part of our mission. And just like in our games, we’re 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, we’re looking forward to your application.

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. We consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state and 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, and 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 and sensitive Company data
• Communication with others, including Rioters and third parties such as vendors, and/or players, including minors
• Accessing Company assets, secure digital systems, and networks
• Ensuring a safe interactive environment for players and other Rioters

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