Director, Software Engineering

Job Description

Avalanche is a Warner Bros. Games studio located in downtown Salt Lake City nestled against the backdrop of the beautiful Wasatch Mountains. We've been in the video game business since 1995, creating interactive experiences for fans of the world's largest franchises. Join the team behind the blockbuster open world, action RPG Hogwarts Legacy as we create what's next!

The Job

The Director, Software Engineering for an online multiplayer RPG game will lead the technical vision and overall technical strategy for the game's development, ensuring that the game infrastructure, systems, and codebase can support a high-quality, scalable, and secure multiplayer experience. This position will work directly with the game leadership team and Game Director. The Director, Software Engineering will collaborate closely with other department directors and leads, such as game design, art, engineering, product management, and QA, to deliver a cohesive and polished product. The role requires a blend of hands-on technical leadership, strategic thinking, and team management skills.

Your Role Accountabilities...

Technical Leadership:
• Collaborate with other leaders such as the Game Director to define the technical strategy and roadmap for the game's multiplayer architecture, networking, and infrastructure.
• Oversee the design and implementation of core systems, including server architecture, backend services, matchmaking, and in-game features.
• Ensure the scalability, stability, and security of the multiplayer framework, especially under high user concurrency.

Collaboration & Communication:
• Work closely with game designers, product managers, engineers, and artists to ensure technical feasibility of various features while achieving creative and gameplay goals.
• Collaborate with DevOps, QA, and IT teams to implement continuous integration and deployment pipelines that ensure smooth, regular updates.
• Work in conjunction with established studio technology leadership to share engine and technology code and best practices

Team Management & Mentorship:
• Lead, mentor, and grow an organization of engineers, fostering a culture of innovation and accountability.
• Conduct code reviews, provide technical guidance, and set engineering best practices to ensure high-quality code and efficient workflows.
• Identify talent gaps and hire engineers to embed on feature teams as needed to support the project's growth.

Problem-Solving & Innovation:
• Drive innovation in multiplayer features, networking, matchmaking, and game optimization.
• Anticipate and resolve complex technical challenges, ensuring seamless gameplay experience and minimizing latency, bugs, and crashes.
• Research and evaluate emerging technologies to keep the game competitive in the rapidly evolving multiplayer gaming landscape.

Project Management:
• Manage technical timelines to ensure project milestones are met.
• Manage technical risk and debt, collaborating with other leaders on making key decisions about when to refactor vs. innovate.
• Coordinate with external technology partners, middleware providers, or platforms as necessary.

Qualifications & Essentials...
• Proven experience (10+ years) in a technical leadership role, ideally within multiplayer game development.
• Strong knowledge of Unreal, networking protocols, and multiplayer systems (matchmaking, lobbies, synchronization).
• Deep understanding of server architecture, cloud computing (AWS, Google Cloud), and backend services.
• Strong programming skills (C++, C#, or other relevant languages).
• Experience with DevOps, CI/CD pipelines, and deployment strategies for live games.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and team-building skills.
• Previous experience shipping a large-scale multiplayer title.
• Familiarity with anti-cheat solutions, peer-to-peer networking, and cross-platform development.
• Knowledge of database systems, performance optimization, and live-service infrastructure.

Nice to Haves...
• Passion for online multiplayer games and deep understanding of multiplayer game dynamics, including player communities, matchmaking strategies, playable topography, etc.

Championing Inclusion at WBD
Warner Bros. Discovery embraces the opportunity to build a workforce that reflects a wide array of perspectives, backgrounds and experiences. Being an equal opportunity employer means that we take seriously our responsibility to consider qualified candidates on the basis of merit, without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, mental or physical disability, and genetic information, marital status, citizenship status, military status, protected veteran status or any other category protected by law.

If you're a qualified candidate with a disability and you require adjustments or accommodations during the job application and/or recruitment process, please visit our accessibility page for instructions to submit your request.

In compliance with local law, we are disclosing the compensation, or a range thereof, for roles in locations where legally required. Actual salaries will vary based on several factors, including but not limited to external market data, internal equity, location, skill set, experience, and/or performance. Base pay is just one component of Warner Bros. Discovery's total compensation package for employees. Pay Range: $191,162.00 - $355,016.00 salary per year. Other rewards may include annual bonuses, short- and long-term incentives, and program-specific awards. In addition, Warner Bros. Discovery provides a variety of benefits to employees, including health insurance coverage, an employee wellness program, life and disability insurance, a retirement savings plan, paid holidays and sick time and vacation.

If you're a qualified candidate with an arrest or conviction record, please know that your application will be considered in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-12vv7y-3-143-236-11-42 in your application.