Principal Software Engineer, Services/DevOps - Wild Rift
Riot Games· Video Games· Aug 6, 2026 · 3mo agoPosted 82 days ago
Los Angeles, USA
In office
Full-time
Principal
$141K–$216K est.
8+ years exp
Before you apply
Ghost Signal:
Open 82 days.
Job description
Riot engineers bring deep knowledge of specific technical areas but also value the chance to work in many broader domains. Riot engineers bring deep knowledge of specific technical areas but also value the opportunity to work in a variety of broader domains. We work with both new and current technology, creating innovative solutions to solve complex, large-scale challenges and deliver player value.
As a Principal Software Engineer on Wild Rift , you’ll lead the development of key features and model high standards of engineering excellence. You will leverage your deep technical expertise, technical vision to enhance the player experience across the game. You'll work closely with the leadership team to set technical vision, align stakeholders across Riot to deliver high-impact results and memorable moments that last a lifetime. You’ll support and grow a cross-disciplinary engineering team. Joining a passionate and driven team, you'll help shape the premier mobile League of Legends experience enjoyed by millions of players worldwide. For this role business fluency in Mandarin is a requirement. This position is based out of our Los Angeles Headquarters.
Responsibilities:
Define the engineering strategy and technical roadmap to develop our global service and infrastructure with an understanding of our audience and product goals
Manage and scale multiple engineering disciplines to support product needs across the product lifecycle and ongoing live operations
Lead the long-term evolution of game services and infrastructure ownership, including transitioning capabilities into the team and building the organization and operating model to run them sustainably over time.
Collaborate in technical/architectural discussions, provide direction and drive decision-making
Partner with product and delivery as they define product features and product roadmap, and collaborate to develop strategies for improving team health and effectiveness
Collaborate and coordinate with Riot Central technology teams to efficiently deliver world-class solutions
Drive the planning and execution of engineering work including requirements gathering, technical discovery, technical design, and work breakdown and estimation.
Directly accountable for the technical success of the team including ownership of our systems, services, AI adoption, infrastructure, and devops operating well and in a cost-effective manner in live environments
Identify, interview, and hire software engineers to support Wild Rift team and goals
Support engineers with performance management, and career management and development including stretch opportunities for them to grow
Create a culture of leadership across engineering by seeking different perspectives at all levels to solve problems and contribute ideas
Required Qualifications:
BS in Computer Science, computer engineering or related field (or equivalent experience).
8+ years professional experience as a software engineer working in a game development team, Infra/SRE, or Software engineering teams
4+ years as a tech lead guiding the direction and implementation of game services, infrastructure, devops, and live operations
Experience translating a long-term technical vision into a roadmap that your teams successfully executed against, with evidence of course-correcting when priorities shifted.
Experience leading technical discussions such as technical design reviews and code reviews across organizations
Mandarin fluency required
Desired Qualifications:
Experience working in co-dev environments
Experience working on Game Client, Around game systems, Infrastructure, privacy/security, Trust and Safety and operating live services games
For this role, you'll find success through craft expertise, a collaborative spirit, and decision-making that prioritizes the delight of players and fans. We will be looking at your past studies, experience, and your personal relationship with games. If you embody player empathy and care about the experiences of players, this could be the role for you!
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.
Application prep
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Keywords to mirror
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Benefits
Benefits detected in the listing.
Dental
Vision
401k
Paid Time Off
Parental Leave