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Network Programmer

Network Programmer

Position Overview

Our shared technology team are looking for people with an experience in and passion for network and multiplayer programming

You will join our dynamic technology team, reporting into the Technical Director, where you will be implementing new network and multiplayer technologies as well as improving existing ones. You will help connect the next generation of players in all our products across all platforms that we work on, including enabling cross-platform connectivity.

You will be important in driving the direction and technologies in this area, as well as being an important part of, and have full input into, the shared technology team whose responsibilities include our full game engine that is shared across our products and is used across a number of platforms.

We are looking for self-motivated people with excellent communication skills who are able to complete work independently as well as part of a team.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive the network server/client area of our engine code.
• Take ownership of network code in our engine; support, maintain and improve across all supported platforms, including using new technologies where appropriate.
• Work with other development teams within the studio to integrate network code and educate and ensure their code is network friendly.
• Work with teams across the studio to plan, steer and review networking features.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Excellent knowledge of C++, design patterns and software engineering.
• Minimum three years of professional experience using C++ as the main language.
• Understanding of common network protocols, such as UDP, TCP and UPnP.
• Understanding of NAT and NAT punch-through.
• Understanding of common network topologies used in games.
• Experience writing and maintaining network systems for games and profiling and optimising such systems, using tools such as Wireshark.
• Experience working with network sockets, ideally across different platforms.
• An understanding of the Steam service or a major competitor would be beneficial.
• Ability to write clean, maintainable, portable and well documented code.
• A good understanding of performance and optimisation.
• Some experience with developing for mobile platforms such as iOS and Android, or handheld consoles such as Nintendo Switch, would be beneficial.
• Very good analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work in a team as well as independently.

Studio Overview

Sports Interactive (SI) is the world’s leading developer of football management simulations through its Football Manager series of games. Founded in 1994 and now based in East London's booming technology hub at Here East in Stratford, SI, as a continually successful and profitable company, is now looking to expand its full-time staff as it pushes out across both existing and emerging gaming platforms.

SI’s games have enjoyed an unparalleled history of commercial and critical success, with 12 of its creations among the UK's Top 20 fastest-selling PC games of all time and five in the UK’s top 20 best-selling PC games of all time. Sports Interactive became a wholly owned subsidiary of SEGA in 2006.The studio is a vibrant environment, full of talented and dedicated people with drive, passion and creativity, who enjoy working within a close-knit team as part of a lively, self-motivated and forward thinking company.

Sports Interactive looks after its staff’s well-being with a flexible working schedule that makes the studio a relaxed and friendly place to work (there are six staff lunchtime football teams and a wide range of regular social events). We’re also very proud of being parent-friendly and having high staff tenure (40% have worked here for over 10 years). Further information on Sports Interactive and its games is available on the SI website, www.sigames.com.