NPC Gameplay Engineer – StarCraft

BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT, INC; Irvine (CA); Hybrid; USD 52,000 - 96,000; Full time

Job summary

Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. in Irvine, CA, is seeking a Gameplay NPC Software Engineer to build next-generation StarCraft NPC systems.

You will craft high-quality gameplay code, collaborate across disciplines, and iterate through playtests in a hybrid work model based at the Irvine studio. Ideal candidates have a minimum of five years in gameplay programming, strong C++ skills, and experience with Unreal Engine, NPC architectures, and scalable gameplay features.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of professional gameplay programming experience in the game industry.
• Experience developing gameplay systems using C++.
• Experience shipping or contributing to a commercial game title.
• Experience working closely with cross-functional development teams.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively within teams and foster productive partnerships across all departments.
• Demonstrated ability to inspire colleagues through an enthusiastic approach to game development and a commitment to continuous improvement of core skills.
• Ability to take initiative and manage responsibilities independently, demonstrating strong ownership and accountability.
• Experienced and knowledgeable player of a wide range of games and able to use this expertise to enhance creative decisions in game development.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain gameplay systems that power NPC behaviors and interactions.
• Implement scalable NPC gameplay features that support a wide variety of gameplay scenarios.
• Collaborate with designers, animators, artists, and engineers to create engaging NPC experiences.
• Develop tools, workflows, and debugging solutions that enable efficient content creation and iteration.
• Optimize and improve gameplay performance, stability, and maintainability of NPC systems.
• Partner with AI, animation, and gameplay teams to deliver polished character interactions and behaviors.
• Prototype new gameplay features and rapidly evaluate their effectiveness through iteration and playtesting.
• Investigate, diagnose, and resolve gameplay and NPC-related issues throughout development.
• Contribute to technical design discussions and help establish engineering best practices.
• Support a culture of collaboration, craftsmanship, and continuous improvement across disciplines.

Skills

C++ development

Unreal Engine

NPC architecture

Gameplay features

Cross-functional collaboration

Job description

Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. in Irvine, CA, is seeking a Gameplay NPC Software Engineer to build next-generation StarCraft NPC systems.

You will craft high-quality gameplay code, collaborate across disciplines, and iterate through playtests in a hybrid work model based at the Irvine studio. Ideal candidates have a minimum of five years in gameplay programming, strong C++ skills, and experience with Unreal Engine, NPC architectures, and scalable gameplay features.