Principal Research Scientist, Riot Games
Gameplay AI - Tech Research
$251.7-351.9k
+ Incentive compensation + Equity
Player-focused game development platform
Open for applications
Player-focused game development platform
1001+ employees
Open for applications
$251.7-351.9k
+ Incentive compensation + Equity
1001+ employees
Company mission
To be the most player-focused game company in the world.
Role
Who you are
- MS in Computer Science or equivalent with 6+ years research experience or BS in Computer Science or equivalent with 8+ years research experience
- Strong background in applied or foundational research, with experience leading projects through hypothesis-driven experimentation
- 2+ years of experience in machine learning for sequential decision-making, agents, or complex systems (e.g., RL, imitation learning, planning, or hybrid approaches)
- Proficiency in C, C++, or Python
- Demonstrated contributions to public research (e.g., publications, talks, open-source projects)
- Experience designing and implementing complex systems that integrate ML with real-time or interactive environments
- Expertise with PyTorch or TensorFlow
- Experience working in commercial game engines for prototyping or production
- Strong understanding of gameplay systems, game loops, and real-time constraints
- Experience collaborating closely with designers and engineers in a game development context
What the job involves
- Research Scientists at Riot combine deep technical expertise across machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI), experimental design, and systems engineering to invent new ways players experience games
- As a Principal Research Scientist, you operate at the frontier of what’s possible and set the standard for how research is conducted and how it translates into extraordinary gameplay
- As a Principal Research Scientist in Tech Research, you will lead a small, cross-functional team focused on building AI-powered gameplay prototypes
- These prototypes are not paper exercises, instead they are playable, opinionated explorations of new game mechanics, agent behaviors, and player experiences enabled by modern AI
- You will be responsible for identifying promising research directions, translating them into concrete gameplay experiments, and driving them from early concept through working prototypes that influence game teams
- You will be the technical and creative lead on complex, ambiguous problems where success requires strong judgment, rapid iteration, and an ability to balance research rigor with hands-on building
- You will set the vision and quality bar, leading by example in various capacities, including writing code, shaping robust systems, and mentoring team members
- You will lead AI-driven gameplay exploration who is tasked with rapidly testing new ideas through playable prototypes, rigorous evaluation, and real player insight
- Your team will identify emerging research with the potential to meaningfully change gameplay, turn it into concrete gameplay experiments, and work with game teams to transform validated breakthroughs into options Riot can confidently commit to
- Define and lead AI-powered gameplay research directions, translating emerging ML/AI capabilities into concrete, playable game prototypes
- Build, lead, and mentor a small cross-functional team, setting technical direction while remaining deeply hands-on
- Own research and prototyping roadmaps, milestones, and risk management for multi-quarter initiatives
- Work closely with game teams to understand player goals and design constraints, ensuring prototypes are grounded in real gameplay needs
- Rapidly iterate on prototypes, balancing research rigor with playability, performance, and developer usability
- Stay current with academic and industry advances in AI for games, reinforcement learning, generative models, and agent systems
- Communicate vision, progress, and learnings clearly to stakeholders, helping teams understand both what works and what doesn’t
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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