Staff Software Engineer - Esports Platforms

Riot Games; California (MO); On-site; USD 193,000 - 269,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Life insurance

Parental leave

401k with company match

Open PTO

Job summary

Riot Games is seeking a Staff Software Engineer for the Esports Platforms team in Los Angeles. You will prototype, build, and own web‑based Esports experiences from tournament creation to match previews, collaborating with producers, designers, and engineers.

You’ll mentor engineers, contribute to architecture decisions, and help shape product strategy while writing clear docs and supporting on‑call incident response.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of industry experience in software engineering with demonstrated technical leadership.
• Experience driving large‑scale web initiatives (6+ months scope) and end‑to‑end delivery.

Responsibilities

• Drive Esports applications using web technologies and integrate with Esports and Game Services.
• Provide technical leadership to deliver scalable, reliable solutions.
• Contribute to architecture decisions balancing long‑term sustainability with delivery needs.
• Partner with product, QA, design, and data teams to deliver Esports experiences.
• Mentor engineers on technical and interpersonal skills.
• Write clear documentation and communicate across disciplines.
• Participate in on‑call rotation and analyze incidents.

Skills

Typescript

React

NextJS

Technical leadership

Cross‑functional collaboration

Mentoring engineers

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS or related

Master’s degree in CS or related

Tools

Web technologies

Job description

Riot engineers bring deep knowledge of specific technical areas but also value the opportunity to work in a variety of broader domains. We work with both new and current technology, creating innovative solutions to overcome high-volume obstacles and to deliver player value.

Riot Games Esports is setting the standard for the industry. We're looking for passionate individuals with a desire to build products that serve as a gateway to sports fandom. As a Staff Software Engineer in the Esports Platforms team, you will work with a team of producers, designers, and engineers to prototype, build, and own products to foster the Esports ecosystem. The web application this role owns, develops, and maintains sits at the heart of Riot Esports. You’ll shape the experience of professional and amateur competitive players, from tournament creation to the most exciting moments, such as getting into a match.

Responsibilities

• Drive the development of Esports applications primarily using web technologies, while integrating with Esports and Game Services, providing technical guidance and hands‑on code contributions
• Provide technical leadership within the team and adjacent teams to deliver high‑quality, scalable, and reliable engineering solutions
• Contribute to technical planning and architecture decisions, balancing long‑term sustainability with near‑term delivery needs
• Partner closely with cross‑functional partners (product, production, QA, design, data) to deliver great Esports experiences
• Mentor other engineers on technical and interpersonal skills
• Write clear documentation and communicate technical details across disciplines
• Participate in the on‑call rotation, triage & resolve live incidents and propose solutions through RCAs

Required Qualifications

• 6+ years of industry experience in software engineering, with demonstrated technical leadership on complex projects
• Bachelor's, Master’s degree in Computer Science or a related field, or comparable experience in software development.
• Strong proficiency with web technologies, with working experience in Typescript, React & NextJS
• Have been responsible for driving the design and leading of development of large‑sized efforts (6‑month+ scope), including requirements gathering, planning, development, testing, and release
• Solid communication and collaboration skills, with experience working across disciplines and teams
• Demonstrated examples of setting engineering policy and standards across teams or initiative

Desired Qualifications

• Experience with PaaS Vendors like Netlify or Vercel
• Experience with GraphQL
• Experience with test automation frameworks like Playwright or Cypress
• Familiarity with Riot’s Esports titles
• Familiarity with tournaments and tournament formats

For this role, you'll find success through craft expertise, a collaborative spirit, and decision‑making that prioritizes your fellow Rioters, who are the customers of your work. Being a dedicated fan of games is not necessary for this position!

Our Perks

Riot focuses on work/life balance, shown by our open paid time off policy and other perks such as flexible work schedules. We offer medical, dental, and life insurance, parental leave for you, your spouse/domestic partner, and children, and a 401k with company match. Check out our benefits pages for more information.

At Riot Games, we put players first. That mission drives every decision in our quest to create games and experiences that make it better to be a player. Whether you’re working directly on a new player‑facing experience or you’re supporting the company as a whole, everyone at Riot is part of our mission. And just like in our games, we’re better when we work together. Our goal is to create collaborative teams where you are empowered to bring your unique perspective everyday. If that sounds like the kind of place you want to work, we’re looking forward to your application.

It’s our policy to provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and members of Riot Games, Inc. Riot Games makes reasonable accommodations for handicapped and disabled Rioters and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, handicap, veteran status, marital status, criminal history, or any other category protected by applicable federal and state law. We consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state and local law, including the California Fair Chance Act, the City of Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the Washington Fair Chance Act.

Per the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, the following core duties may create a basis for disqualifying candidates with relevant criminal histories:

• Safeguarding confidential and sensitive Company data
• Communication with others, including Rioters and third parties such as vendors, and/or players, including minors
• Accessing Company assets, secure digital systems, and networks
• Ensuring a safe interactive environment for players and other Rioters

(Los Angeles Only) Base salary range between $192,500.00 - $269,400.00 USD + incentive compensation + equity + 401K with company match + medical, dental, vision, and life insurance + short and long‑term disability + open PTO.