Staff Research Scientist, Riot Games
AI Foundations, ML Bots
$209.9-293.4k
+ Incentive compensation + Equity
Player-focused game development platform
Open for applications
Player-focused game development platform
1001+ employees
Open for applications
$209.9-293.4k
+ Incentive compensation + Equity
1001+ employees
Company mission
To be the most player-focused game company in the world.
Role
Who you are
- Extensive experience (5+ years) delivering ML systems in production, including reinforcement learning, imitation learning, or simulation-based training in rich, interactive environments such as game worlds or multi-agent simulations; Or if from academia, Ph.D. in a related field, with 3+ years experience
- Experience developing predictive features and signals from gameplay telemetry, simulation data, or other complex interactive environments
- Strong track record building and optimizing agent-based systems or world models for dynamic, player-facing environments
- Experience with relevant ML methods, including reinforcement learning and imitation learning (such as behavior cloning and inverse reinforcement learning), on-/off-policy algorithms, policy gradient methods, behavior shaping, and hybrid systems that combine learned policies with rule-based or scripted components
- Experience with experiment design, model evaluation, and optimization for autonomous agents
- Track record of incorporating human considerations into AI applications, such as responsible AI practices and human-computer interaction or UX best practices
- Experience mentoring engineers and collaborating with cross-disciplinary teams
- Familiarity with integrating ML-driven agents into live game environments with game and platform engineers
- Familiarity with MOBA game mechanics and their implications for agent design and evaluation
- Proficiency in Python and experience working with modern ML/data science libraries and frameworks (e.g. PyTorch/TensorFlow, pandas)
What the job involves
- As a Staff Data Scientist specializing in applied machine learning, you will lead the design and development of Game Understanding Agents
- This includes deployment of in-game Game AI capabilities that enhance both the player and developer experience
- You will advance methods in reinforcement learning, imitation learning, and simulation-based training for game AI, guiding engineers on the ML Bots team in building and scaling production-ready systems
- In addition to delivering high-quality systems, you will shape technical direction within the team by setting standards for experimentation, reviewing designs, and mentoring peers across disciplines
- By combining modern ML approaches with deep knowledge of game mechanics, you will lead the creation of autonomous agents that can play, understand, and adapt like real players. In doing so, you will help establish Riot’s applied ML practices in game AI and accelerate their impact across multiple projects
- Lead the design and implementation of ML systems using methods including reinforcement learning and imitation learning (e.g., behavior cloning, inverse reinforcement learning), on-/off-policy algorithms, policy gradient methods, behavior shaping, and hybrid systems that combine learned policies with rule-based or scripted components
- Lead the development, and deployment of in-game Game AI capabilities, focusing on training agents that can understand game state, make decisions, and act in ways that create compelling player experiences
- You will create reusable training and evaluation pipelines that can be applied across multiple game genres while adapting to the unique constraints of each title
- Develop predictive features and signals from gameplay telemetry, unstructured game data, and simulation outputs, ensuring quality, interpretability, and reliability
- Collaborate with game and platform engineers, along with UX teams, to ensure the operational reliability of autonomous agents operating in live player environments
- Mentor junior and senior-level ML engineers, elevating expertise in advanced ML methods for game AI and guiding architectural and system-level decisions
- Contribute to and shape shared frameworks for autonomous agent development, accelerating adoption of best practices across Riot
Our take
Riot Games has grown into one of the world’s most prominent online and mobile game developers, due in large part to the success of its 2009 flagship title League of Legends which hosts over 120M users every month.
Riot is riding the wave of online gaming growth, having made a well timed switch from PC-only into mobile-based gaming, as capitalizing on the rising popularity of esports, with the League of Legends World Championships one of the most watched events in the space.
While expanding its portfolio with new titles has played a role in Riot's evolution, the company's continued success is more firmly rooted in the enduring strength of League of Legends itself. Riot has built a vast ecosystem around the game, from its global eSports tournaments tand regional leagues to its numerous brand partnerships and sponsorships. The League of Legends World Championship in particular remains a cultural and commercial powerhouse, drawing massive viewership and sustaining global engagement. And since its acquisition by Tencent in 2011, Riot has also expanded its presence in Asia, opening new studios in Shanghai and beyond, to further strengthen its site to markets where competitive gaming and eSports are deeply embedded.
Freddie
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
24% employee growth in 12 months
Company
Funding (2 rounds)
Sep 2009
$8m
SERIES C
Jul 2008
$7m
EARLY VC
Total funding: $15m
Company benefits
- Healthcare: Medical, dental, and vision plans that cover you as well as your spouse/domestic partner and children.
- Family Care: Life insurance, parental leave, plus short and long-term disability.
- Open Paid Time Off: In addition to holidays, a 2-week end of year break, and a 1-week mid-year break, Rioters are trusted to take the time they need throughout the year.
- Retirement: Riot matches retirement contributions so you can continue to play games long after you retire.
- Play Fund: Riot’s annual play fund allows Rioters to broaden their knowledge of the games that matter to players and the community.
- Donation Matching: Riot matches donations of time and money to nonprofits to double down on support.
Company HQ
Sawtelle, Los Angeles, CA
Leadership
Brandon Beck
(Co-Founder & Co-Chairman)Prior to co-founding Riot Games in 2006, Brandon was a Management Consultant at Bain & Company.
Marc Merrill
(Co-Founder, CPO & Co-Chairman)After a degree at the University of Southern California, they worked as a U.S. Bank Analyst and a Manager of Advanstar Communications. They co-founded Riot Games with Brandon in September 2006, alongside being a Principal of NaHCo3 since 2016.
A. Dylan Jadeja
(CEO)Dylan joined the Riot team in 2011 as CFO and COO, becoming CEO in 2023. Prior to this, he spent 7 years at Goldman Sachs as a VP and nearly 4 years at A.T. Kearney as a Senior Associate.
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