Senior Software Engineer, Gameplay (Bots) - League of Legends (Mandarin-Proficiency Required)

Riot engineers bring deep knowledge of specific technical areas but also value the chance to work in many broader domains. As a Senior Software Engineer at Riot, you'll combine deep technical expertise with product ownership and player empathy to build experiences that delight millions of players around the world.

As a Senior Software Engineer on the League of Legends Bots team, you’ll build and integrate bot systems, develop the services and tools that power them, and collaborate with global partners to bring new gameplay capabilities into League. You'll report to the team's Engineering Manager and work in a hybrid environment based at our Los Angeles office, with an expectation of being onsite 1–2 days per week.

Responsibilities:

• Design, implement, and maintain gameplay systems using traditional game AI, machine learning tech, and proprietary engine technologies
• Collaborate with game designers, engineers, and product partners to translate player needs into compelling bot experiences
• Improve team workflows by identifying and implementing engineering best practices
• Own complex technical initiatives from design through delivery, contribute to architectural decisions, and elevate engineering quality through mentorship, thoughtful code reviews, and technical collaboration.
• Work closely with global teams, including but not limited to Sydney and China

Required Qualifications:

• 5+ years of professional experience in the game industry
• 3+ years of C++ development experience in a production environment
• Interest in building and operating ML-powered applications, with a willingness to learn model inference, deployment, and integration into game systems.
• Hands-on experience in either Gameplay engineering, or AI/Bots engineering
• Strong communication and collaboration skills across disciplines
• Professional working proficiency in Mandarin for technical collaboration with international partners
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related field

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience or interest in building machine learning applications, backend services for games, or data-driven decision making
• Interest in full-stack engineering within the game development space
• Experience with Unreal, Unity, or other commercial game engines
• Has a history, is actively playing, or has a deep desire to play League of Legends

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.