Senior AI Gameplay Programmer

Starbreeze Entertainment; Stockholms kommun; On-site; SEK 900,000 - 1,100,000; Full time

Job summary

Starbreeze Entertainment in Stockholm seeks a Senior AI Programmer to lead the technical development of AI systems that make game worlds feel alive, reactive and challenging. You will architect enemy behaviours, perception, and decision-making across multiplayer environments, with considerable autonomy from concept to live release.

You will mentor peers, shape AI architecture and collaborate with designers to deliver believable gameplay experiences, while optimizing performance and staying

Qualifications

• Extensive experience as an AI or Gameplay Programmer in the games industry with multiple shipped titles, including at least one in a senior or lead capacity with a strong AI focus.
• Expert-level proficiency in C++ with deep hands-on experience developing complex AI systems in Unreal Engine, including behaviour trees, EQS and navigation systems
• Strong understanding of AI programming concepts including finite state machines, goal-oriented action planning, perception systems and group AI behaviours
• Solid grounding in gameplay architecture, physics, animation integration and real-time performance optimisation in the context of AI
• Proven ability to drive AI features end-to-end with minimal guidance, from technical design through to final tuning and polish
• Excellent collaborator with the ability to communicate complex AI topics clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Experience with live service games, AI balancing and post-launch AI iteration is a strong plus
• Familiarity with performance profiling, optimisation tools and engine-level debugging is expected

Responsibilities

• Architect, implement and iterate on complex AI systems including enemy behaviours, perception, decision-making, navigation and group coordination, ensuring they are robust, scalable and performant in a multiplayer environment
• Act as the primary technical authority for AI programming, contributing to high-level design discussions and shaping the direction of AI systems from early concept through to live
• Collaborate closely with game directors, designers and other disciplines to ensure AI features are technically sound, creatively aligned and deliver compelling, believable gameplay experiences
• Identify and resolve complex and systemic AI issues across both development and live environments, ensuring robust, performant and maintainable solutions
• Define and evolve AI programming standards, architecture patterns and best practices, improving the quality and consistency of AI systems across the team
• Evaluate new AI techniques, tools, engine features and third-party solutions, making informed recommendations that advance both AI quality and production efficiency
• Mentor and support less experienced programmers, providing technical guidance on AI architecture, debugging practices and gameplay systems development

Skills

C++

Unreal Engine

AI systems

Gameplay programming

Leadership

Job description

Role Overview

The Senior AI Programmer at Starbreeze leads the technical development of AI systems that make our game worlds feel alive, reactive and challenging. Combining deep AI programming expertise with strong gameplay sensibility, you work with considerable autonomy across the full development cycle - architecting enemy behaviours, decision-making frameworks and perception systems that define the quality and depth of the player experience in our multiplayer environment. The role is based in Stockholm.

Key Responsibilities

• Architect, implement and iterate on complex AI systems including enemy behaviours, perception, decision-making, navigation and group coordination, ensuring they are robust, scalable and performant in a multiplayer environment
• Act as the primary technical authority for AI programming, contributing to high-level design discussions and shaping the direction of AI systems from early concept through to live
• Collaborate closely with game directors, designers and other disciplines to ensure AI features are technically sound, creatively aligned and deliver compelling, believable gameplay experiences
• Identify and resolve complex and systemic AI issues across both development and live environments, ensuring robust, performant and maintainable solutions
• Define and evolve AI programming standards, architecture patterns and best practices, improving the quality and consistency of AI systems across the team
• Evaluate new AI techniques, tools, engine features and third-party solutions, making informed recommendations that advance both AI quality and production efficiency
• Mentor and support less experienced programmers, providing technical guidance on AI architecture, debugging practices and gameplay systems development

Qualifications

• Extensive experience as an AI or Gameplay Programmer in the games industry with multiple shipped titles, including at least one in a senior or lead capacity with a strong AI focus
• Expert-level proficiency in C++ with deep hands-on experience developing complex AI systems in Unreal Engine, including behaviour trees, EQS and navigation systems
• Strong understanding of AI programming concepts including finite state machines, goal-oriented action planning, perception systems and group AI behaviours
• Solid grounding in gameplay architecture, physics, animation integration and real-time performance optimisation in the context of AI
• Proven ability to drive AI features end-to-end with minimal guidance, from technical design through to final tuning and polish
• Excellent collaborator with the ability to communicate complex AI topics clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Experience with live service games, AI balancing and post-launch AI iteration is a strong plus
• Familiarity with performance profiling, optimisation tools and engine-level debugging is expected