Manager, Software Engineering (Services Lead) - Unpublished R&D Product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. As Engineering Managers, we gain organizational alignment by building a strong engineering vision and offering creative solutions to organizational design. We also serve as mentors for a team of engineers, overseeing their performance and trying to find stretch opportunities for their growth while maintaining a focus on results.

As a Manager, Software Engineering within Riot Discovery Studio, you will report to the Tech Director on an unpublished R&D product, leading a team of internal and external engineers to support product exploration, integrate and extend critical backend technologies, and scale our technology to meet the needs of a live Riot title. You will be accountable for all technical decisions of your team’s focus areas and help shape the product. You will own the technical health of the product's backend services from prototype through live operation, including architecture, scalability, reliability, observability, deployment, incident response, and infrastructure cost. You will be hands-on in implementation, at least initially.

Responsibilities:

• Support defining the engineering strategy and technical roadmap to develop our global backend infrastructure with an understanding of our audience and product goals
• Manage and scale an engineering team to support product needs through various development stages (i.e. pre-production, production, and post-launch)
• Partner with product and delivery as they define product features and product roadmap
• Collaborate and coordinate with Riot Central technology teams to efficiently deliver world-class solutions
• Direct development and manage performance of external engineers in other geographies
• Collaborate in technical/architectural discussions, provide direction and drive decision-making
• Drive the planning and execution of engineering work including requirements gathering, technical discovery, technical design, and work breakdown and estimation.
• Own the technical success of the services team, including operational excellence and cost in live environments
• Identify, interview, and hire software engineers to support team and Riot hiring goals
• Support engineers with performance management and career development, including stretch opportunities for them to grow
• Create a culture of leadership across engineering by seeking different perspectives at all levels to solve problems and contribute ideas

Required Qualifications:

• 6+ years of experience as a software engineer
• 4+ years of game development experience working in various platforms (i.e. mobile, console, PC, etc.)
• 2+ years experience in a leadership position, working directly on the production of a game as an Engineering Manager
• Experience leading teams through feature development (planning, execution, delivery, post-release support)
• Experience building reliable, scalable, and maintainable backend distributed systems
• Experience with the full software development lifecycle, including shipping one or more products on large code bases that span a range of platforms and tools
• Experience collaborating across non-engineering departments to create solutions
• Experience with modern backend technologies such as Go, Java, C#, or similar

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience developing online games integrating Unreal Engine and backend services
• Experience managing co-development or outsourcing relationships
• Experience leading a backend transition from prototype to production
• Experience improving live service uptime, reliability, and operational readiness
• Familiarity with modern game platforms and practices

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 the experiences of players, this could be the role for you!

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.

t’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.