Staff Software Engineer

About the role

Join the Sydney team to build the infrastructure for an unannounced MMO project. You will lead the development of automation, build systems, and release pipelines to support a global engineering organization. In this capacity, you will own the end-to-end lifecycle of critical tooling that underpins the efficiency of distributed teams. You will define the technical direction for automation platforms that enable rapid iteration and high-quality delivery. The position requires deep collaboration with engineering leadership to translate strategic goals into robust technical implementations. You will act as a key technical advisor, shaping standards and practices that influence how software is built and deployed. This role demands ownership of complex problems across server infrastructure and development workflows. Your contributions will directly impact the velocity and reliability of game development pipelines.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Architect and build large-scale automation and tooling across distributed server networks, ensuring systems are resilient and scalable.
• Define technical standards and drive the architecture for build and release systems, establishing clear guidelines for implementation.
• Coordinate with technical leadership in Sydney and Los Angeles to align on project requirements, translating business needs into technical solutions.
• Mentor engineering staff and advocate for best practices in system design, fostering a culture of quality and maintainability.
• Manage technical initiatives across multiple time zones, balancing priorities to meet aggressive development schedules.
• Participate in on-call rotations to resolve live service issues, providing critical support and rapid incident response.
• Implement monitoring and observability frameworks to provide insights into system performance and reliability.
• Optimize build and test processes to reduce cycle times and improve resource utilization across engineering teams.
• Collaborate with QA and operations to streamline deployment workflows and enhance the stability of production environments.
• Contribute to the evolution of tooling around Unreal Engine pipelines, focusing on automation and developer experience.
• Design and maintain infrastructure that supports continuous integration and continuous delivery for complex game projects.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and tools, recommending integrations that enhance the capabilities of existing systems.
• Document architectural decisions and processes to ensure knowledge sharing and long-term maintainability.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to identify automation opportunities and drive improvements across the development lifecycle.

Requirements

• 6+ years of professional software engineering experience, including work on shipped or live games, demonstrating a track record of delivering complex software.
• Expert knowledge of C and C++ with strong debugging and design pattern skills, allowing for efficient resolution of intricate technical challenges.
• Experience building real-time online multiplayer games using Unreal Engine, with a clear understanding of networking and synchronization concepts.
• Proven expertise in automation, performance tooling, build pipelines, or telemetry, showing the ability to create impactful technical solutions.
• Ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams across different time zones, communicating clearly and collaborating productively.
• Demonstrated experience in software development within a games industry environment, understanding the unique constraints and workflows of game teams.
• Strong problem-solving skills and a methodical approach to diagnosing and resolving technical issues in production systems.
• Commitment to maintaining high standards of code quality, testing, and documentation in all deliverables.
• Willingness to engage in hands-on technical work, including coding, debugging, and system optimization across the development stack.
• Adaptability to evolving project requirements and the ability to pivot priorities in response to business and technical needs.

Nice to have

• Bachelor degree in Computer Science or equivalent practical experience, providing a foundational understanding of software engineering principles.
• Background in MMO or large-scale online game development, with insights into the challenges of live services and player experience.
• Experience optimizing game development pipelines for scale and efficiency, identifying bottlenecks and implementing improvements.
• Familiarity with Unreal Engine 5, Blueprint, and Iris, enabling effective collaboration with engineering teams using these technologies.
• Experience in agile environments working with QA, production, and technical design, contributing to iterative and incremental development practices.

Practical notes

Riot Games provides full relocation assistance and visa sponsorship for eligible candidates moving to Sydney. Benefits include open paid time off, paid parental leave, medical insurance for employees and dependents, a wellness fund, and donation matching. The role requires being based in Sydney, Australia.