Technical Director of Gameplay

2K Games; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

2K Games is seeking an experienced Gameplay Technical Director for its Vancouver studio. This pivotal role involves leading the Gameplay Engineering team, driving innovations, and ensuring code quality to develop the next massive sports franchise. Candidates should have a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or equivalent experience, with 7+ years in the gaming industry, strong C++ skills, and a passion for video games.

An inclusive work environment awaits, encouraging individuals from all backgrounds to apply. 2K Games values creativity, collaboration, and innovation.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of industry experience in gameplay engineering.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience developing multi-platform projects.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for the Gameplay Engineering team.
• Drive priorities for the Gameplay Systems team.
• Ensure code architecture supports design requirements.

Skills

Leadership in Gameplay Engineering

Problem-solving

C++ programming

Project management

Code quality assurance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related discipline

Tools

Unreal Engine

Job description

Who We Are

2K Games is headquartered in Novato, California and is a wholly owned label of Take‑Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO). Founded in 2005, 2K Games is a global video game company, publishing titles developed by some of the most influential game development studios in the world. Our studios responsible for developing 2K’s portfolio of world‑class games across multiple platforms, include Visual Concepts, Firaxis, Hangar 13, CatDaddy, Cloud Chamber, 31st Union, and HB Studios. Our portfolio of titles is expanding due to our global strategic plan, building and acquiring exciting studios whose content continues to inspire all of us! 2K publishes titles in today’s most popular gaming genres, including sports, shooters, action, role‑playing, strategy, casual, and family entertainment.

Located in Vancouver, BC, 2K Sports Lab is a small collective being formed within 2K Games that is driving the research and development of future sports interactive entertainment programs. Within this group, speculative work will be done on future sports games with an eye towards taking the magic of 2K’s publishing and development expertise and applying them to future opportunities.

Our team of engineers, marketers, artists, writers, data scientists, producers, thinkers and doers, are the professional publishing stewards of our growing library of critically‑acclaimed franchises such as NBA 2K, 2K PGA, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, Lego Drive, BioShock, Borderlands, The Quarry, Mafia, Sid Meier’s Civilization, Marvel’s Midnight Suns, WWE 2K, and XCOM.

At 2K, we pride ourselves on creating an inclusive work environment, which means encouraging our teams to Come as You Are and do your best work! We encourage ALL applicants to explore our global positions, even if they don’t meet every requirement for the role. If you're interested in the job and think you have what it takes to work at 2K, we encourage you to apply.

What We Need

Our studio is looking for an experienced Gameplay Technical Director to provide direction and leadership for the Gameplay Team at our new studio. We’re seeking someone who has a high quality bar, a passion for solving complex problems, a broad understanding of Animation, AI, Systems and Tools engineering, and the drive to improve workflows, champion code quality, and engineer solutions to achieve the vision for the game. In this role, you will be both leading others and also working hands on. You will work closely with Design, Production, Artists and the Engineering team to help lay the foundation, then build and innovate upon it and polish world class gameplay for what will be the next massive sports franchise in our industry.

What You’ll Do

• Provide leadership for the Gameplay Engineering team.
• Act as the lead to drive priorities for the Gameplay Systems team.
• Work with existing technology and build new technology in order to fulfill the project’s technical requirements and design goals.
• Devise Code Quality Best Practices and check‑in Policies. Maintain and improve overall code quality.
• Be accountable for code architecture, ensuring that the architecture supports the design requirements of the project.
• Advise on feasibility of design vision and propose solutions to technical challenges to achieve the design vision.
• Have and share opinions on the design of the game and game quality.
• Help define testing requirements for the game, and partner with Production to drive testing initiatives.
• Manage internal and external technology dependencies and risks, and create contingency plans for all critical path technologies.
• Work with the production team to revise and validate engineering estimates and production plans.
• Conduct regular code reviews to ensure quality and consistency.

What Will Make You A Great Fit

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related discipline, or relevant work experience.
• 7+ years industry or related experience
• Previous experience leading (preferably), or being a strong contributor to a gameplay engineering team.
• Experience developing multi‑platform projects.
• Excellent project management and time management skills.
• Expertise with the C++ programming language along with strong coding architectural design principles.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

Beneficial Qualifications

• Passionate about playing and/or watching sports.
• Experience in Unreal Engine is a plus.
• Passion for video games (not just ours)

Equal Opportunity Statement

As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to ensuring that qualified individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform their essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us if you need reasonable accommodation.