Senior Software Engineer, Ads Experience

About the role

Roblox is seeking a Senior Software Engineer to join the Ads User Experience team, where you will help pioneer an innovative advertising system embedded directly within the Roblox Game Engine. This position offers a rare opportunity to join at the foundational stage of what is projected to become a multi-billion dollar advertising business. You will be instrumental in designing and implementing various ad formats and integrations, with an initial emphasis on video-based advertising solutions. The role demands someone who combines deep technical expertise in C++ with a genuine commitment to preserving the exceptional user experience that millions of Roblox players enjoy daily. As the platform evolves toward supporting cooperative experiences with virtually unlimited participants in expansively scalable virtual worlds, your contributions will directly shape how advertising coexists harmoniously with user engagement and platform integrity.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Architect and develop a groundbreaking advertising system that operates natively within the Roblox Game Engine, creating something that has never been built before in the gaming industry
• Design, implement, and iterate on multiple advertising formats and integration methods, beginning with video advertisements and expanding to additional formats over time
• Engineer systems that must perform flawlessly at massive scale, operating seamlessly across the entire spectrum of experiences available on the Roblox platform
• Contribute foundational code and architectural decisions that will underpin a rapidly growing advertising business with multi-billion dollar revenue potential
• Prioritize user experience in every technical decision, ensuring that advertising implementations enhance rather than detract from the enjoyment of Roblox players
• Optimize system performance to maintain the smooth, responsive experience that users expect, even as advertising functionality is integrated throughout the platform
• Collaborate extensively with cross-functional teams including product managers, designers, data scientists, and other engineering groups to deliver advertising solutions that respect and protect the Roblox community
• Participate in code reviews, architectural discussions, and technical planning sessions to maintain high engineering standards across the team
• Monitor and analyze system performance metrics to identify optimization opportunities and ensure advertising systems meet strict performance requirements
• Help establish best practices and coding standards for the Ads User Experience team as it grows and matures
• Contribute to the technical roadmap by identifying opportunities for innovation and improvement in advertising technology
• Mentor and support other engineers on the team, sharing knowledge and helping to build a strong engineering culture

Requirements

• Minimum of six years of professional experience working within deep, complex C++ codebases, tackling challenging technical problems that require sophisticated solutions
• Demonstrated analytical capabilities with a strong background in application metrics, analytics platforms, or data science, including the ability to interpret complex data and translate insights into actionable engineering decisions
• Genuine enthusiasm for working with data, maintaining exceptionally high standards for accuracy, and possessing a thorough understanding of what makes data systems reliable and trustworthy
• Proven track record of building and maintaining robust, production-quality systems that operate reliably at scale in real-world environments
• Intellectual curiosity and a commitment to continuous learning, staying current with emerging technologies and industry best practices
• Strong communication skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across teams and clearly articulate technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Experience with performance optimization and the ability to identify and resolve bottlenecks in complex systems
• Understanding of software development best practices including version control, testing methodologies, and continuous integration and deployment pipelines

Nice to have

• Previous experience working on advertising technology, ad serving systems, or related platforms in the digital advertising ecosystem
• Background in game engine development, real-time graphics programming, or interactive media applications
• Familiarity with video streaming technologies, codecs, and media playback systems
• Experience building systems that must balance business objectives with user experience considerations
• Knowledge of privacy regulations and best practices for handling user data in advertising contexts
• Prior work at a company operating at significant scale with millions of daily active users

Skills & tools

• C++ (advanced proficiency required)
• Game engine architecture and development
• Performance optimization and profiling
• Analytics and metrics platforms
• Video streaming and media technologies
• Large-scale distributed systems
• Data analysis and interpretation
• Cross-functional collaboration

Practical notes

• This position is based at Roblox headquarters in San Mateo, California, and follows a hybrid work schedule requiring in-office presence on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday each week, with Monday and Friday being optional for office attendance
• Compensation includes a competitive base salary ranging from $243,290 to $295,250 USD annually, with actual compensation determined by factors including professional background, training, work experience, location, business needs, and market demand
• All full-time employees receive equity compensation in addition to base salary, providing an opportunity to share in the company's growth and success
• Comprehensive benefits are provided to all full-time employees as part of the total compensation package
• Roblox maintains a commitment to equal employment opportunity, prohibiting discrimination and harassment based on race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other legally protected characteristic
• Reasonable accommodations are available for candidates with qualifying disabilities or religious beliefs throughout the recruiting process
• Please note that candidates requiring certain U.S. visa categories for work authorization may not be eligible for this position, and the company is not currently able to provide H-1B sponsorship for this role
• The salary range disclosed is subject to modification based on changing market conditions and business requirements

About the company

An online space lets people build and play games. Founded long ago by two creators, it grew into a shared world opened to everyone in the mid 2000s. Now reaching millions each day, it hosts games made by its users. A large share of young American children under sixteen are monthly players here. High daily activity shows a lasting community where creativity and shared play remain central.