Director, Software Engineering - WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT : Job Details

Welcome to Warner Bros. Discovery… the stuff dreams are made of.

Who We Are…

When we say, “the stuff dreams are made of,” we're not just referring to the world of wizards, dragons and superheroes, or even to the wonders of Planet Earth. Behind WBD's vast portfolio of iconic content and beloved brands, are the storytellers bringing our characters to life, the creators bringing them to your living rooms and the dreamers creating what's next…

From brilliant creatives, to technology trailblazers, across the globe, WBD offers career defining opportunities, thoughtfully curated benefits, and the tools to explore and grow into your best selves. Here you are supported, here you are celebrated, here you can thrive.

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.