This job might no longer be available.
Lead Backend Services Engineer
1 year ago
Wildlight Entertainment is a brand-new, fully-funded entertainment studio comprised of talented creators from some of the biggest IPs in gaming, including Apex Legends, Call of Duty, and Titanfall. We are driven by our deep passion for making AAA games that leave a lasting impact on the world and we match that drive with a commitment to quality in every aspect of our work. We foster a positive, supportive work environment built on mutual trust and open communication, where everyone has a voice and everyone is treated with respect. With a bias for action and a belief in each other, we’re betting on ourselves to deliver truly unforgettable gaming experiences.
We're a remote-first company, but we believe people should be able to work wherever they can be most productive. We currently have offices in Los Angeles and Seattle for those interested in hybrid or full-time office work.
We are looking for a Lead Backend Services Engineer with experience building services for modern games. If you are passionate about delivering rock-solid technology at scale and are excited to drive the development of our backend technology stack alongside a motivated, collaborative team, this role could be for you. As Lead Backend Services Engineer, you’ll research and evaluate existing game service platforms and paradigms to make informed decisions about our technical direction. You will collaborate with client engineers and other departments to develop the project and workflow requirements that intersect with backend services and build elegant solutions to meet these needs. You understand and plan for the problems of scale and operating cost inherent in all modern multiplayer games. You will hire, manage, and mentor a small team of engineers focused on backend service development, integration, and operation. As a part of our engineering team, you will contribute to a culture of collaborative problem-solving, technical excellence, and continuous education and improvement.
Responsibilities
- Evaluate third-party backend platforms for licensing.
- Establish the architecture for our backend technology stack.
- Collaborate with the design team to identify and implement game-specific backend features.
- Provide tools for managing and deploying content hosted on the backend, monitoring the health of backend services, and collecting and analyzing telemetry data.
- Ensure that backend services scale gracefully and are cost-effective.
- Collaborate with client-side engineers to design and implement APIs for client-side integration with backend services. Educate client-side engineers on the correct use of backend APIs.
- Hire and manage the backend engineering team.
- Develop our technical pre-launch testing, launch, and live operations plans.
Requirements
- 7+ years of experience as a software engineer, with 5+ spent working on backend services for multiplayer games.
- Strong programming and debugging skills in at least one managed language commonly used for backend service development (C#, Go, Java, Kotlin, etc.).
- Strong knowledge of industry standards in backend technologies.
- Excellent understanding of how to design backend services to scale gracefully.
- Experience integrating with Xbox Live, PSN, and Steam platform services.
- Experience analyzing backend service costs.
- Experience working with at least one major cloud provider.
Nice to Haves
- Management experience.
- Experience integrating services with C/C++ game client code, is a plus!
- Bonus points for Unreal Engine experience.
- Experience integrating with Nintendo and/or Epic Games Store platform services.
Compensation: We believe that a team that builds together wins together. Because of that, our compensation packages consist of competitive industry standard base salaries and an annual bonus. For this specific role, the base salary range is $190,000 to $250,000, with the final salary offered dependent on job-related skills, knowledge, experience, and internal equity.
Benefits: We are committed to creating a positive and inclusive work environment with a no-crunch culture and an unlimited PTO policy so people can take the time when they need and want it! Additionally, we offer comprehensive healthcare options and dental & vision coverage for you and your family.
Create Your Profile — Game companies can contact you with their relevant job openings.