Senior Software Engineer, Client - Demonware - Vancouver, BC

Activision; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 91,770 - 194,120; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Extended health plan

RRSP with Company match

Paid holidays and vacation

Mental health & wellbeing programs

Job summary

Activision is seeking a Senior Software Engineer in Vancouver, BC, to enhance client-side online services SDK for its renowned games. You will contribute to vital network communication libraries and integrate closely with game studios.

The ideal candidate has over 8 years in software engineering, particularly with C++, and is familiar with CI/CD processes. Enjoy a range of benefits, including healthcare, mental health programs, and a competitive salary.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in software engineering with C++.
• Experience building backwards compatible APIs or libraries.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Own the build pipelines for the Client Code SDK.
• Design and implement new features in C++ client libraries.
• Debug complex production issues spanning client and backend services.

Skills

C++ expertise

Networking fundamentals

Build systems (CMake)

CI/CD familiarity

Communication skills

Tools

Wireshark

Jenkins

Job description

Senior Software Engineer, Client – Demonware – Vancouver, BC

Requisition ID: R027559

The Client Code team builds and maintains the client‑side online services SDK used by Call of Duty and other Activision titles. We own the C++ libraries and tooling that provide core network communication for games as well as connect game clients to Demonware’s wide range of online services. As a Senior Software Engineer (Client Code), you will design, implement, and evolve C++ client libraries and tools that power some of the biggest game launches in the world. You will partner closely with game studios and service teams to deliver robust APIs, efficient networking solutions, and reliable build pipelines across console and PC platforms, and contribute to improving the reliability and observability of client‑to‑backend communications at massive scale.

This role is based in our Vancouver, BC office and follows an onsite work schedule of four days per week.

Responsibilities

• Own the build pipelines for the Client Code SDK:
  • Maintain and improve Windows and console builds to accelerate developer feedback loops.
  • Keep CI fast, reliable, observable, and well‑instrumented for all our C++ products.
• Design and implement new features in our C++ client libraries.
• Debug complex production issues that span client, network, and backend services, using logs, packet captures, and reproduction harnesses.
• Collaborate with game teams to integrate SDK features, review usage patterns, and promote best practices.
• Write and review technical designs, perform code reviews, and help define coding standards for the team.
• Contribute to internal tooling (build systems, test harnesses, diagnostics tools) that make online features easier to test, validate, and ship.

Minimum Requirements

• 8+ years of professional software engineering experience with C++ within games, engines, SDKs, or other performance‑sensitive systems.
• Strong expertise in modern C++.
• Experience with C++ build systems such as CMake.
• Experience building effective backwards compatible APIs or libraries.
• Strong understanding of networking fundamentals such as TCP/UDP, HTTP/HTTPS, and REST APIs.
• Proficiency with network debugging and observability tools such as Wireshark.
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines (e.g., Jenkins or TeamCity).
• Proven ability to analyze and resolve complex cross‑functional problems spanning client applications, backend systems, and infrastructure.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills with experience working directly with stakeholders, customers, and distributed engineering teams.
• Comfortable operating in live‑service or service‑oriented environments with shared ownership, operational responsibilities, and on‑call/support rotations where appropriate.

Extra Points

• Experience integrating online services SDKs into games or other client applications.
• Familiarity with console development environments (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, etc.).
• Experience building headless clients, bots, or load‑test clients for multiplayer or online features.
• Prior work with:
  • Game or engine‑level networking layers.
  • Telemetry / logging / metrics systems for a game or local client application.
  • Crash reporting, exception handling, or stability tooling.
• Contributions to developer experience: internal tools, documentation, sample projects, or code‑generation pipelines.
• Interest in game development and online play – e.g., understanding of matchmaking, parties, lobbies, progression systems, or anti‑cheat integration.

Benefits

• Extended health plan, including medical, dental, vision, life, and AD&D insurance for employees and their dependents, and disability insurance.
• RRSP with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching.
• Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave.
• Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other benefit programs such as supplemental life & critical illness, legal service, and others.

The standard base pay range for this role is $91,770.00 – $194,120.00 CAD. Actual amounts will vary depending on experience, performance, and location. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation, which is not guaranteed.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status, among other characteristics.