Lead Server Developer

About the role

Rovio is seeking a Lead Server Developer to join the Angry Birds 2 team in Stockholm, where you will directly influence the technical evolution of our flagship game. In this role, you will own the server-side technical direction and act as a key driver in scaling our backend infrastructure for both new players and major feature expansions. You will be responsible for designing and implementing long-term architectural solutions while actively writing and refining code on a daily basis. This position requires a balance of hands-on development and strategic leadership to ensure the backend remains robust, performant, and future-proof. You will serve as the primary liaison between the game development team and central technology departments, aligning backend progress with broader company goals. The role offers the opportunity to mentor junior developers and elevate the overall engineering standard through guidance and best practices. If you are passionate about building scalable systems and shaping the backend of a world-class game, this is your chance to make a significant impact. Our team is based in a modern office at the heart of Stockholm, and we welcome remote candidates with relocation support available.

Key facts

What you'll do

Architect and evolve the server-side logic of Angry Birds 2 using C# and ASP.NET to ensure high performance and scalability.

Lead the design and implementation of backend services that integrate with AWS infrastructure, including EKS and RDS for reliable cloud operations.

Collaborate closely with the Technical Director to define the long-term technical vision and translate it into actionable backend roadmaps.

Implement and manage data storage solutions in PostgreSQL and optimize database interactions to support growing player engagement.

Utilize Redis to build efficient caching layers and real-time data handling systems that improve response times and user experience.

Integrate AI capabilities into backend workflows using AWS Bedrock and Claude Code to automate tasks and enhance development velocity.

Coordinate with central tech departments to align server-side development with company-wide standards and infrastructure policies.

Serve as a technical mentor for the team, providing code reviews, guidance, and knowledge sharing to elevate overall engineering quality.

Monitor system health and performance, identifying bottlenecks and implementing proactive improvements using Kubernetes and related monitoring tools.

Lead the adoption of modern development practices and tools to ensure clean, maintainable, and scalable backend code.

Work directly on the game backend to troubleshoot complex issues and deploy fixes rapidly without disrupting live player experiences.

Act as the primary point of contact between the game team and technology departments to streamline communication and reduce friction in development.

Evaluate and prototype new technologies to determine their suitability for integration into the existing backend stack.

Champion best practices in security, scalability, and reliability to ensure the backend can handle peak loads and future growth.

Requirements

You must have a strong background in server-side development with C# and a deep understanding of ASP.NET and related frameworks.

You should be experienced in architecting and maintaining backend systems that support live-service games at scale.

You must be proficient in database management with PostgreSQL and able to write optimized queries and schema designs.

You should have hands-on experience with containerization and orchestration tools, particularly Kubernetes, to manage deployment and scaling.

You must be familiar with caching solutions and have practical work with Redis to improve data access performance.

You should have a solid understanding of cloud infrastructure on AWS, including EKS and RDS, and experience managing services in a production environment.

You must be comfortable integrating third-party AI services and tools, such as AWS Bedrock and Claude Code, into backend workflows.

You should have strong problem-solving skills and the ability to debug complex issues in distributed systems.

Nice to have

Experience with game server architecture and live-service operations is highly valued for this role.

Familiarity with modern DevOps practices and CI/CD pipelines is a significant advantage.

Knowledge of real-time communication protocols and systems is preferred.

Experience leading and mentoring engineering teams in a professional environment.

Practical notes

This role is based in Stockholm and requires relocation support for candidates outside Sweden.

The position is a permanent engagement with full-time hours.

Relocation assistance is available for qualified candidates not currently based in Sweden.