Senior Expert ARM Kernel Developer - RICOCHET - Central Technology

DEMONWARE (CANADA) , INC.; Sherman Oaks (AL); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Activision Central Tech is seeking a Senior Expert ARM Kernel Developer for the RICOCHET anti-cheat platform. You will design, port, and optimize kernel-mode drivers for Windows on x64 and Windows on Arm, enabling robust platform protections across diverse hardware.

You will analyze threats, reverse engineer techniques, and work with security engineers to ship secure driver technologies across PC and Arm devices.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of professional software development experience with deep expertise in C/C++.
• 5+ years developing, debugging, and maintaining Windows kernel-mode drivers.
• Experience with Windows on ARM, ARM64, or ARM64EC.
• Strong debugging and OS internals knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Build and evolve platform protections: design, develop, and maintain kernel-mode driver capabilities for anti-cheat protections across x64 and Windows on Arm.
• Strengthen core driver systems: port, debug, and enhance production driver functionality across hardware and Windows configurations.
• Investigate and counter advanced threats: research cheat techniques and evasion methods using Windows internals, reverse engineering, and kernel architecture.
• Collaborate across studios and platforms: partner with security engineers, platform teams, and external partners to validate hardware compatibility and ship driver technology.

Skills

C/C++

Kernel drivers

Windows kernel

Windows on ARM

ARM64

WinDbg

Tools

WinDbg

Assembler

Job description

Job Title: Senior Expert ARM Kernel Developer - RICOCHET - Central Technology

Requisition ID: R028287

Job Description

Your Mission Your contributions will help millions of players experience Call of Duty as it's meant to be played: competitive, fair, and thrilling. You'll solve complex challenges involving Windows kernel development, driver security, platform architecture, and low-level system behavior while helping shape the future of anti-cheat technology on both traditional PC and Windows on Arm devices. Your work will directly influence the security, reliability, and effectiveness of the RICOCHET platform and help protect one of the world's largest gaming communities.

What you bring to the table

The Game Security team's priorities can change quickly based on the threat landscape. The following areas of ownership will act as a baseline. Therefore, this role includes, but is not limited to, the following responsibilities:

• Build and Evolve Platform Protections: Design, develop, and maintain kernel-mode driver capabilities that provide a strong foundation for anti-cheat protections across x64 and Windows on Arm platforms.
• Strengthen Core Driver Systems: Analyze, port, debug, and enhance production driver functionality while ensuring stability, performance, and compatibility across a wide range of hardware and Windows configurations.
• Investigate and Counter Advanced Threats: Research cheat techniques and evasion methods, leveraging expertise in Windows internals, reverse engineering, and kernel architecture to develop resilient detection and protection mechanisms.
• Collaborate Across Studios and Platforms: Partner with security engineers, platform teams, and external partners to validate hardware compatibility, improve development and testing infrastructure, and successfully ship and operate driver technology in live products.

Why This Role Matters

Your Mission Your contributions will help millions of players experience Call of Duty as it's meant to be played: competitive, fair, and thrilling. You'll solve complex challenges involving Windows kernel development, driver security, platform architecture, and low-level system behavior while helping shape the future of anti-cheat technology on both traditional PC and Windows on Arm devices. Your work will directly influence the security, reliability, and effectiveness of the RICOCHET platform and help protect one of the world's largest gaming communities.

Player Profile

Minimum Requirements

Experience

• 10+ years of professional software development experience with deep expertise in C/C++
• 5+ years developing, debugging, and maintaining Windows kernel-mode drivers
• Proven experience building and supporting production-quality system software
• Windows on Arm, ARM64, or ARM64EC development experience
• Experience diagnosing and resolving complex driver, platform, and OS compatibility issues
• Experience with automated build, test, and validation environments

Knowledge & Skills

• Deep understanding of the Windows on Arm, Windows kernel, driver model, and operating system internals
• Strong proficiency in C/C++ and Arm, x86/x64 assembly
• Expert-level debugging skills using WinDbg and related tooling
• Strong understanding of Windows Internals, process, memory, and executable image internals
• Solid understanding of algorithms and data structures

Key Attributes

• Passion for building reliable, high-quality low-level software
• Curiosity to understand how systems work internally and solve complex technical problems
• Comfortable analyzing and debugging code at the assembly level
• Strong troubleshooting and root-cause analysis skills
• Clear and effective communication skills

Extra Points

Experience

• Windows security or security software development experience
• Reverse engineering experience
• Experience developing anti-cheat, endpoint security, anti-malware, or EDR solutions
• Experience working with multiplayer game technology

Knowledge & Skills

• Understanding of advanced cheat-evasion techniques, rootkits, bootkits, including hypervisors, DKOM, EPT manipulation, and vulnerable-driver abuse
• Deep understanding of C++ build systems, compilation, linking, and toolchains

Your Platform

Activision Central Tech works to support our development studios and their titles. Comprised of seven main teams, we have many specialties including big data, privacy and security, motion capture and animation pipeline technologies, graphics, build and infrastructure for studio development and data centers, optimization, systems programming and online services including matchmaking and networking. Central Tech is distributed globally with offices across the U.S., and in Canada, England, Ireland and Japan. Most of our teams are comprised of both engineering and research talent, allowing us to always have an eye on the future. Our talented engineers help with title development and provide valuable knowledge sharing between studios while our researchers are action-oriented and keep a strong connection with the needs of the game stu