Principal Software Engineer, Riot Games
VALORANT Experience Team
$218.3-304.3k
+ Incentive compensation + Equity
Player-focused game development platform
Open for applications
Player-focused game development platform
1001+ employees
Open for applications
$218.3-304.3k
+ Incentive compensation + Equity
1001+ employees
Company mission
To be the most player-focused game company in the world.
Role
Who you are
- 10+ years of experience as a hands-on software engineer
- 8+ years of experience with C++
- 3+ years experience developing in a commercial game engine (e.g. Unreal, Unity)
- Experience driving design and delivery of complex, 12+month project, including talking to customers, planning, design, delivery, testing, and operation
- Experience mentoring other engineers
Desirable
- 2+ years experience in one or more of the following areas: game engine development, game client features, artificial intelligence for games, automated testing, performance
- Experience with Unreal Engine
- Experience developing games for Xbox and PlayStation console platforms
- Experience in Agile processes and continuous delivery
What the job involves
- Want to lead technical development of the VALORANT client
- As Principal Engineer on the Cross-VALORANT Experience team, you’ll be responsible for directing work done to ensure a high-quality experience for over 30 million players per month, setting up VALORANT to continue its success for new and existing players alike
- You’ll work with engineers responsible for the entire stack of VALORANT, from the front end UI down to low-level performance of the game and everything in between
- You will bring broad technical experience and mentorship skill, leveling up the work of the engineers around you
- At Riot, principal software engineers gain organizational alignment by building a strong engineering vision and offering creative solutions to technical problems
- They also serve as mentors for engineers, guiding their performance and finding growth opportunities delivering compelling player experiences
- Be hands-on in development, writing excellent code that sets a high standard for other engineers
- Define and drive the technical direction in an area spanning multiple teams
- Champion the technical vision for your team with production and game management
- Advocate for players, your area, and internal development customers when deciding what to build and why. Build alignment and coordinate with other teams across VALORANT when working on cross-game features
- Serve as a technical leader on projects, designing technical solutions and reviewing others’ to anticipate disruptions or complexities. Resolve ambiguity and ensure high quality engineering across your area. Write critical portions of code and shepherd solutions to successful deployment
- Plan and sequence the parallel rollout of major system changes using technical designs and instruction
- Be a standard-bearer and role model of Riot values for your team and others
- Be a force multiplier for your team. Mentor senior engineers on your team and enable them to deliver complex projects
- Other reasonable activities required by management
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 just under seventy million 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 capitalising on the rising popularity of esports, with the League of Legends World Championships one of the most watched events in the space.
However, adding further titles to its resume will be key to building on its success, as League of Legends was its only offering for the best part of a decade. Since being acquired by Chinese tech giant Tencent in 2011, the company has grown significantly in Asian markets, opening its Shanghai Game Studio in 2021 and expanding its China Game Studio Group in 2022. These two hubs will help Riot Games make further inroads in a country where PC gaming is already huge and continues to grow.
Regardless of League of Legends' success both online and in live arenas, the company nevertheless experienced a round of layoffs internationally that amounted to 11% of its workforce. Pair that with legal troubles in 2024 concerning the company’s partnership with now bankrupt crypto exchange FTX, and Riot Games appears to be in a period of transition. Thanks to the strength of its gaming products, however, Riot will no doubt maintain a comfortable position within the gaming world.
Freddie
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
Some candidates hear
back within 2 weeks
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
- We offer medical, dental, and vision plans that cover you, your spouse/domestic partner, and children
- Life insurance, parental leave, plus short-term and long-term disability coverage are also available
- Riot will support your retirement benefits with a company match, and double down on your donations of time and money to non-profit charitable organizations
- Balance between work and personal life is encouraged with open paid time off, and a play fund so you can broaden and deepen your personal relationship with games
Company values
- Player experience first
- Dare to dream
- Thrive together
- Execute with excellence
- Stay hungry, stay humble
Company HQ
Sawtelle, Los Angeles, CA
Articles
Leadership
Brandon Beck
(Co-Chairman)Having studied at the University of Southern California, they worked as a Management Consultant at Bain & Company. they left this role in September 2006 to co-found Riot Games, where they served initially as co-CEO.
Marc Merrill
(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.
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