Senior Software Engineer, Data Activation & Products

Activision; Santa Monica (CA); On-site; USD 103,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) matching

Paid holidays & vacation

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Activision seeks a Senior Software Engineer for the Data Activation & Products team in Santa Monica. You will help set engineering standards and build scalable internal tools and data platforms interfacing with telemetry, cloud infrastructure, and internal services.

The role emphasizes production-grade engineering across data pipelines, microservices, and toolchains, requiring strong Python backend skills, API design, and cloud experience. Onsite, Mon–Thu in Santa Monica office.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in CS, software engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
• 5+ years of engineering and product work.
• Strong backend programming proficiency with Python as the primary language.
• Proven experience in API design, integration, and performance tuning.
• Strong SQL skills and hands-on experience with relational and NoSQL databases.
• Practical experience integrating with streaming architectures (Kafka, Pub/Sub).
• Cloud platforms (GCP or Azure) and container workflows (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Solid foundation in software engineering practices: automated testing, CI/CD, monitoring.
• Experience with AI-assisted development tools and strong technical judgment.
• Self-starter with analytical problem-solving and collaboration across teams.

Responsibilities

• Set Engineering Standards: lead through hands-on development and code reviews, enforce automated testing, CI/CD, and clear docs.
• Application Development: design and build production-grade internal applications and backend services.
• Service & Data Integrations: build robust integration layers with diverse services (Kafka streams, databases, cloud storage).
• Data Layer Architecture: manage state and data access across PostgreSQL, Redis, Bigtable for low latency.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: translate needs across product, design, engineers, analysts, and marketing.
• Production Ownership: own production systems, troubleshoot issues, and improve reliability.
• Evolve Architecture: use modern tools to accelerate prototyping, testing, and debugging while ensuring quality.

Skills

Python

API design & performance

SQL & NoSQL

Kafka / Pub/Sub

Cloud platforms (GCP/Azure)

CI/CD & testing

Distributed systems

AI-assisted development tools

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Django/FastAPI/Spring Boot

Docker/Kubernetes

Job description

Your Mission

We are looking for a talented Senior Software Engineer to join the Data Activation & Products team! You will help set the software engineering standards for our team, build internal applications, and bring production-grade engineering rigor to our data platforms and pipelines.

This role emphasizes application engineering: building dependable internal tools, backend platforms, and service layers that interface directly with a wide web of upstream game telemetry, cloud infrastructure, event streams, and internal microservices. You will design and operate functional, scalable, and high-availability systems that streamline data access, power decisioning, and support player messaging initiatives across Activision’s industry-leading titles.

This role is based in our Santa Monica (Pen Factory) office and follows an onsite work schedule of Monday through Thursday. Work arrangements may change at the company’s discretion to meet business needs.

What You’ll Do

• Set Engineering Standards: Lead through hands-on development, thoughtful code reviews, and discipline leading work - making robust design, automated testing, CI/CD, and clear documentation part of everyday work.
• Application Development: Design and build production-grade internal applications, web tools, and backend services that make people's lives better.
• Service & Data Integrations: Build robust integration layers and consumers connecting diverse services (Kafka streams, relational databases, NoSQL stores, cloud storage, and internal platform APIs).
• Data Layer Architecture: Manage application state and data access efficiently across mixed storage technologies (e.g., PostgreSQL, Redis, Bigtable), ensuring low latency and data integrity.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with product, design, engineers, analysts, and marketing to translate loosely defined needs into useful software, delivering iteratively as priorities shift.
• Production Ownership:Own what you build in production, troubleshoot issues, and continuously improve system performance, availability, and reliability over time.
• Evolve Architecture:Use modern tooling to accelerate prototyping, implementation, testing, and debugging, while maintaining accountability for the quality of production software.

Player Profile

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
• 5+ years of engineering and product work.
• Strong backend programming proficiency, with Python as the primary language.
• Proven experience in API design, integration, and performance tuning.
• Strong SQL skills and hands‑on experience with both relational and NoSQL databases.
• Practical experience integrating with streaming architecture (Kafka, Pub/Sub).
• Working knowledge of cloud platforms (GCP or Azure) and container workflows (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Solid foundation in standard software engineering practices, including automated testing, CI/CD, and system monitoring.
• Practical experience using AI-assisted development tools effectively, with technical judgment to evaluate, test, and challenge outputs.
• A curious self‑starter with strong analytical problem‑solving skills, ability to work independently, learn quickly, and collaborate across teams.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience building full‑stack internal tooling using modern frontend frameworks (e.g., React, TypeScript).
• Hands‑on experience with Django, FastAPI, or Spring Boot.
• Knowledge of Databricks.
• A genuine curiosity and desire to stay abreast of modern technology changes.

Your Platform

We’re headquartered in Santa Monica, California, housing multiple teams across many subject areas of Marketing, PR, Sales, Supply Chain, and corporate functions such as HR, IT, Legal, Facilities, and Finance. Santa Monica is the nerve center of our company, where the best ideas combine with unrivaled rigor to create the biggest and best entertainment experiences in the world.

Our World

At Activision, we strive to create the most iconic brands in gaming and entertainment. We're driven by our mission to deliver unrivaled gaming experiences for the world to enjoy, together!

We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty, Crash Bandicoot, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, and Guitar Hero. As a leading worldwide developer, publisher, and distributor of interactive entertainment and products, our “press start” is simple: delight hundreds of millions of players around the world with innovative, fun, thrilling, and engaging entertainment experience.

We’re not just looking back at our decades-long legacy; we’re forging ahead to keep advancing gameplay with some of the most popular titles and sophisticated technology in the world. We have bold ambitions to create the most inclusive company as we know our success comes from the passionate, creative, and diverse teams within our organization

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.

Rewards

We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well‑being for ‘Every World’ - we’ve got our employees covered! Subject to eligibility requirements, the Company offers comprehensive benefits including:

• Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance;
• 401(k) with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching;
• Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave;
• Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other voluntary benefit programs like supplemental life & disability, legal service, ID protection, rental insurance, and others;
• If the Company requires that you move geographic locations for the job, then you may also be eligible for relocation assistance.

Eligibility to participate in these benefits may vary for part time and temporary full‑time employees and interns with the Company. You can learn more by visiting https://www.benefitsforeveryworld.com/.

In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $102,800.00 - $190,204.00 Annual. These values reflect the expected base pay range of new hires across all U.S. locations. Ultimately, your specific range and offer will be based on several factors, including relevant experience, performance, and work location. Your Talent Professional can share this role’s range details for your local geometry during the hiring process. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not guaranteed. While we strive to provide competitive offers to successful candidates, new hire compensation is negotiable.