Senior Software Engineer, AI/ML Tools - Unpublished R&D Product

Riot engineers bring deep knowledge of specific technical areas but also value the opportunity to work in a variety of broader domains. We work with both new and current technology, creating innovative solutions to solve complex, large-scale challenges and deliver player value. As a Senior Software Engineer, you’ll own and deliver important features and model best practices within the team.

As a Senior Software Engineer on an unpublished R&D product, you will be responsible for designing and implementing AI/ML driven tools for one of Riot’s most exciting new games. You will work closely with designers, producers, and other engineers to understand their needs, and will be hands-on in conceptualizing, planning, implementing, and maintaining AI-powered solutions to increase developer efficiency.  We’re looking for someone who is passionate about empowering their team to deliver great player experiences, works well in cross-disciplinary teams, is aware of the latest trends, and finds practical applications of AI/ML technologies.

Responsibilities:

• Work closely with developers to discover and conceptualize opportunities for AI-powered workflow enhancements
• Partner with engineering leaders to help define the team’s future vision for AI-based developer tooling and workflows
• Lead the application of AI/ML systems to solve developer and player facing problems
• Keep up with technical developments in the industry relating to AI/ML and find practical applications that help solve the team challenges
• Partner with central teams to share AI-based solutions across Riot’s portfolio
• Model the team’s best practices for tools architecture and implementation
• Support and advance the team’s adoption of AI/ML tools through mentorship, documentation, and advocacy
• Provide documentation and trainings on new tools and workflows to internal customers

Required Qualifications: 

• 5+ years (or equivalent depth) of professional experience in software engineering, including experience delivering innovative workflow solutions
• Experience working with AI/ML systems in a production-ready environment
• Applied knowledge in one or more of the following: reinforcement learning, imitation learning, decision-making under uncertainty, LLM, AI planning, or multi-agent systems
• 2+ years experience working in a AAA game engine (i.e. Unity, Unreal, etc.)
• Proven ability to navigate ambiguous problems with cross-disciplinary stakeholders
• Strong communication skills across technical and non-technical audiences
• B.S. in computer science or equivalent experience
• Proficiency in C++

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience working with modern ML/data science libraries and frameworks such as PyTorch/TensorFlow, pandas, etc.
• Experience developing tools that integrate with art pipelines (e.g. Maya, Blender, etc.)
• Working knowledge of tooling solutions utilized in AAA games around the industry
• Experience developing tools that integrate with both client and backend systems
• History of contributing to engineering culture and best practices
• Experience working on distributed teams

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!

Our Perks:

Riot focuses on work/life balance, shown by our open paid time off policy and other perks such as flexible work schedules. We offer medical, dental, and life insurance, parental leave for you, your spouse/domestic partner, and children, and a 401k with company match. Check out our benefits pages for more information.

At Riot Games, we put players first. That mission drives every decision in our quest to create games and experiences that make it better to be a player. Whether you’re working directly on a new player-facing experience or you’re supporting the company as a whole, everyone at Riot is part of our mission. And just like in our games, we’re better when we work together. Our goal is to create collaborative teams where you are empowered to bring your unique perspective everyday. If that sounds like the kind of place you want to work, we’re looking forward to your application.

It’s our policy to provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and members of Riot Games, Inc. Riot Games makes reasonable accommodations for handicapped and disabled Rioters and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, handicap, veteran status, marital status, criminal history, or any other category protected by applicable federal and state law. We consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state and local law, including the California Fair Chance Act, the City of Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the Washington Fair Chance Act.

Per the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, the following core duties may create a basis for disqualifying candidates with relevant criminal histories:

• Safeguarding confidential and sensitive Company data
• Communication with others, including Rioters and third parties such as vendors, and/or players, including minors
• Accessing Company assets, secure digital systems, and networks
• Ensuring a safe interactive environment for players and other Rioters

These duties are directly related to essential operations, safety, trust, and compliance obligations within our organization. Please note that job duties may evolve based on business needs and additional responsibilities may be assigned as necessary to maintain operational efficiency and security.