Staff Software Engineer, Engine & Tools

About the role

This position focuses on building AI and machine learning tools for an unreleased R&D project. You will lead the design and implementation of systems that improve developer efficiency while collaborating with cross-functional teams to shape the future of the product.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Partner with designers, artists, and engineers to identify and build AI-driven workflow improvements.
• Define the long-term vision for AI-based developer tools and infrastructure.
• Architect and deploy foundational elements of the game tool ecosystem.
• Lead the integration of AI/ML systems to address both developer and player-facing challenges.
• Research industry trends to apply practical AI/ML solutions to current development hurdles.
• Coordinate with central teams to distribute AI solutions across the broader Riot portfolio.
• Establish and maintain high standards for tool architecture and implementation.
• Mentor engineers of various levels and provide technical guidance to support team growth.
• Create documentation and training materials to facilitate the adoption of new workflows.

Requirements

• 8+ years of professional software engineering experience, including shipping products at scale.
• 3+ years of experience in game development tools and C++.
• Proficiency with Unreal Engine and familiarity with emerging game development tools.
• Proven track record of deploying AI/ML systems in production environments.
• Bachelor of Science in Computer Science or equivalent professional experience.
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts to diverse audiences and influence stakeholders.

Nice to have

• Applied expertise in reinforcement learning, imitation learning, LLMs, AI planning, multi-agent systems, or decision-making under uncertainty.
• Experience with ML and data science frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, or pandas.
• Knowledge of AAA game tooling and client-backend system integration.
• Experience building AI/ML content tools for pipelines like Maya or Blender.
• History of mentoring technical leaders and fostering engineering culture within distributed teams.

Skills & tools

• C++
• Unreal Engine
• AI/ML systems
• PyTorch / TensorFlow / pandas (preferred)
• Maya / Blender (preferred)

Practical notes

Benefits include an open paid time off policy, paid parental leave for primary and secondary carers, and flexible work schedules. Riot provides medical insurance for employees and dependents, an employee assistance program, a wellness fund, donation matching, and learning and development resources. The office features co-op gaming areas and a play fund to support engagement with player communities.