Staff Software Engineer, PlayStation
Innovation
$192.5-288.7k
Gaming and digital entertainment provider
Job no longer available
Gaming and digital entertainment provider
1001+ employees
Job no longer available
$192.5-288.7k
1001+ employees
Company mission
To create a gaming experience without barriers that fits the needs of players of all abilities.
Role
Who you are
- Demonstrable previous experience at scale: Deep understanding of architecture, tools, and workflows, for delivering software that is just-in-time and right-sized to exactly what the team needs to move forward
- Advanced Programming Skills: Proficiency in C++, JavaScript, Python, or Java is required for this role, and experience with programming within Unreal Engine is desired, though not required for this role
- Performance Optimization: Strong familiarity with optimization techniques for both CPU and GPU performance
- Networking Systems: Knowledge of multiplayer networking systems within Unreal Engine
- Shader Development: Experience in creating and optimizing shaders using HLSL or similar languages
- AI Systems: Experience with AI systems and behavior development in Unreal Engine
- Problem-Solving: Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to troubleshoot complex technical issues
- Cross-functional Experience: Demonstrated experience working on cross-functional teams, collaborating with project managers, engineers, designers, and researchers
- Leadership Potential: A demonstrated ability to lead projects, mentor team members, and contribute to strategic decision-making
- Trend Spotter: Someone who constantly scans the market and technology landscape for emerging trends and opportunities, and who can apply this knowledge to innovate
- Curious Innovator: A professional who asks the right questions and challenges the status quo to find better ways to engage users
- Fearless Explorer: An engineer who thrives on exploring uncharted territory and defining possibilities, understanding problems, and coming up with opportunities to solve them, all while sharing insights and discoveries with the team
- Resilient Problem-Solver: A person who embraces failure as a learning opportunity and who is driven by the pursuit of excellence. No sacred cows. If it doesn’t work, it’s okay
- Happy Recalibrator: We may need to contribute to multiple projects at once, or jump from one project to another, or put a project on hold or compost entirely due to things we learn on the way
- Smart Worker: An individual who knows when to build, what to build, and when to pivot, ensuring efficiency and effectiveness in every project
What the job involves
- As a Staff Software Engineer, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of PlayStation’s innovation initiatives
- This role requires a leader who is both a visionary and a hands-on technologist.
- You will work closely with a diverse team of engineers, designers, researchers, producers, and project managers to rapidly prototype and learn about new ideas, testing market feasibility, desirability, and viability.
- You will be a key player in our journey to discover and define new ideas. We will look to this role to help define possibility spaces, to be a strong collaborator in written word and in brainstorming and concepting.
- We will be leaning on this person to be comfortable seeding many good ideas that may end up not growing than someone who wants to build and ship AAA video games.
- This role is perfect for someone who thrives in an environment where creativity and technical excellence intersect to ask the right questions, collect the right data, and present the right solution design to answer those questions in a rapid, fun, and exciting team dynamic that is unlike anything in the industry.
- Lead Innovation Projects: Take the lead on complex software development projects, from ideation to execution, using knowledge of the tools of their peers to create and prototype innovative experiences that push the boundaries of play
- Cross-functional Collaboration: Work closely with engineers, designers, researchers, producers, and project managers to integrate tools and individual projects with other technologies and platforms, ensuring seamless execution of projects
- Rapid Prototyping: Quickly develop and iterate on prototypes based on user feedback and testing, focusing on delivering high-quality, impactful solutions
- Technical Leadership: Provide technical guidance and mentorship to other team members, helping to elevate the team’s overall capability and fostering a culture of continuous learning
- Strategic Input: Offer insights during strategic brainstorming sessions, helping to shape the direction of the innovation pipeline by identifying key opportunities and challenges
- Thought Leadership: Represent the Innovation team within the broader PlayStation organization, sharing knowledge and advocating for best practices in software development and innovation
- Effective Communication: Clearly articulate ideas and technical concepts in briefs and presentations, using tools like Notion, Figma, PowerPoint, and other collaborative software
Our take
Since the release of the PS1 in 1994, PlayStation has been a consistent leader in the video gaming market. Its consoles are iconic in the gaming community - Playstation has produced both the top-selling and fastest-selling console of all time - and the company is still pushing boundaries. Its current flagship - the PS5 - promises to revolutionize gaming, featuring new technology that will create improvements across the board.
As well as its consoles, PlayStation has also developed online services, connecting its users and giving them access to diversified media. A PlayStation can be used for a huge range of activities - from Netflix to guided workouts - which has led to the expansion of the company's audience over time and across generations.
PlayStation faces competition in its field from the likes of Microsoft, with its Xbox range, and PC gaming, which has been becoming more popular in recent years. Regardless, PlayStation shows no signs of slowing down. The upcoming implementation of in-game ads in free games looks to significantly increase revenue, and the wider PlayStation gaming experience also appears to be evolving from plans to launch live service games in upcoming years.
Steph
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
Few candidates hear
back within 2 weeks
8% employee growth in 12 months
Company
Company benefits
- Private medical insurance
- Private dental insurance
- Flexible working policy (remote working, flexible hours)
- Free fruit every day in our offices
- On-site free gym (London & Liverpool)
- On-site subsidised cafés
- On-site bar (Thursdays & Fridays, London & Liverpool)
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Eye care assistance
- x2 volunteering days each year
- Group pension plan
- Discretionary bonus scheme
- Season ticket loans
- Life assurance
- Income protection
- 25 days holiday, plus Bank Holidays
- Discretionary days off over Christmas and summer
- Free giveaways of select first party products and services
- Discounts on PlayStation products
- Discounts on Sony products
- Access to other corporate discounts
Company HQ
East San Mateo, San Mateo, CA
Articles
Leadership
Jim Ryan
(CEO, not founder)Ryan joined Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe (SIEE) in 1994. Taking over as SIEE president in 2011, he later moved on to head of global sales and marketing at SIE in April 2016. Ryan has served as deputy president of SIE since January 2018, before being appointed CEO in February 2019.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at PlayStation
- We're proud to celebrate diversity at PlayStation
- Our Employee Resource groups, including Women@PlayStation, REPRESENT@PlayStation, Wellbeing@PlayStation, and our award-winning LGBTQ+ group, Pride@PlayStation, actively promote inclusion in the workplace and beyond
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