Staff Software Engineer, Riot Games
League of Legends, Seasons, Maps & Modes
$192.5-269.4k
Plus incentive compensation + equity
Player-focused game development platform
Be an early applicant
Player-focused game development platform
1001+ employees
Be an early applicant
$192.5-269.4k
Plus incentive compensation + equity
1001+ employees
Company mission
To be the most player-focused game company in the world.
Role
Who you are
- You have 6+ years of professional experience in software development
- You have extensive experience translating product and design goals into technical implementation plans that deliver the expected player value
- You have experience with C++ gameplay code
- You have experience with backend services in Java/C#
- A Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, or equivalent experience
- For this role, you'll find success through craft expertise, a collaborative spirit, and decision-making that prioritizes the delight of players
- We will be looking at your past studies, experience, and your personal relationship with games. If you embody player empathy and care about players' experiences, this could be your role!
What the job involves
- Riot Games is a center of creativity where cutting-edge technology meets vibrant gaming culture. We’re dedicated to crafting world-class experiences, as evidenced by our flagship title, League of Legends. Join us in shaping the landscape of gaming
- Riot Engineers bring deep knowledge of specific technical areas but also value the chance to work in many broader domains
- As a Staff Software Engineer, you’ll also dive into projects that focus on team cohesiveness and cross-team objectives
- You’ll lead without authority and provide other engineers with a clear illustration of extraordinary engineering
- As a Staff Software Engineer on the League of Legends Modes & Maps team, you will bring services and tools knowledge to help bridge the gap between League’s services and game code in an effort to grow our League of Legends Modes catalogue
- You will influence and collaborate with gameplay and backend teams across League of Legends using your expertise to ensure consistent quality experiences
- You will report into the team Senior Engineering Manager who will support you by providing connection, alignment, and mentoring to achieve player, Riot, and personal growth goals
- Bridge the gap between the backend Java services and the C++ game code to facilitate data in and data out to power our in game experiences
- Understand and interface with the backend Java services and tools powering League of Legends and make technical decisions to best use them
- Support a diverse team, including Game Designers, Artists, and Animators, to accelerate the development and iteration of immersive player experiences
- Contribute to the technical vision and standards of the team, finding the balance between technical excellence and player value
- Provide critical input on how we can deliver on product and design goals through technology, balancing creativity with practicality
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
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 HQ
Sawtelle, Los Angeles, CA
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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