Lead Software Engineer, Server Reliability - World of Warcraft | Irvine, CA

3 Weeks ago • 5 Years + • Game Production

About the job

Job Description

Lead a team of software engineers focused on server reliability for World of Warcraft. Investigate and prevent service issues to ensure uninterrupted gameplay. Collaborate with other teams, manage project schedules, and enhance WoW deployment pipelines. Mentor and evaluate engineers, champion work-life balance, and contribute to a culture of diversity and inclusion. Work with EU-based reliability engineers for global coverage. Requires strong communication, problem-solving skills, and experience with server/client architecture.
Must have:
  • 5+ years experience
  • Strong communication & collaboration
  • Reliability-focused mindset
  • Networking & Server Design knowledge
  • Server/client interaction understanding
  • Mentoring & leadership skills
Good to have:
  • Linux and/or Database experience
  • MMO or Client/Server architecture experience
  • Cloud-based solution experience
  • Improving service reliability experience
Perks:
  • Comprehensive benefits (medical, dental, vision)
  • 401k with company match
  • Tuition reimbursement
  • Paid time off
  • Mental health & wellbeing programs
  • Relocation assistance (if applicable)
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Team Name:

World of Warcraft

Job Title:

Lead Software Engineer, Server Reliability - World of Warcraft | Irvine, CA

Requisition ID:

R022792

Job Description:

The World of Warcraft team is seeking an engineer to lead our Server Reliability efforts and team in the US. You will work closely with our other server leads, server engineers, and live operations producers to help improve reliability for World of Warcraft.

In this role, you’ll lead a team of engineers that investigate any service issues that occur and work to prevent them in the future so players can enjoy games without interruption. Your team will be digging into source code looking for hidden complexities, tracking evidence in logs and server telemetry, and using your eye for reliability to help the team make great decisions for ongoing improvement. If you are someone who loves solving technical service issues and supporting engineers that solve them, we’d love to see your application.

This role is anticipated to be a hybrid work position, with some work on-site and some work-from-home. The home studio for this role is Irvine, CA.

What you will do…

• Manage, mentor, and evaluate a team of software engineers

• Team up with EU-based Reliability Engineers to ensure global concerns are represented day to day

• Work with production and the team to manage project schedules and backlog • Champion work / life balance for the team

• Evolve and enhance WoW deployment pipelines, technologies, and approaches • Collaborate with other disciplines and engineering teams to iterate on and modernize our development process

• Work with the technical directors and producers to create product roadmaps • Promote and contribute to a culture of diversity and inclusion

Minimum Requirements:

• 5+ years experience

• Strong communication and cross discipline collaboration skills

• A reliability geared mindset, to be able to look at the architecture of a system and help predict how changes might impact customers and infrastructure

• Familiarity with Networking and Server Design concepts

• An understanding of server/client interactions

• Desire to mentor and lead a team of engineers, and push for reliability practices across the engineering team

We’re also interested in hearing stories you may have about…

• Working with Linux and/or Databases

• Understanding of how Massively Multiplayer Games, or other Client/Server architectures

• Experience working with cloud-based solutions

• Improving the reliability of a service used by others

• Needing to solve problems that were tricky and technical

Your Platform

Best known for iconic video game universes including Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, and StarCraft®, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard, which was acquired by Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment experiences. Blizzard Entertainment has created some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed and genre-defining games over the last 30 years, with a track record that includes multiple Game of the Year awards. Blizzard Entertainment engages tens of millions of players around the world with titles available on PC via Battle.net®, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android.

Our World

Activision Blizzard, Inc., is one of the world's largest and most successful interactive entertainment companies and is at the intersection of media, technology and entertainment. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty®, World of Warcraft®Overwatch®, Diablo®, Candy Crush™ and Bubble Witch™. Our combined entertainment network delights hundreds of millions of monthly active users in 196 countries, making us the largest gaming network on the planet!

Our ability to build immersive and innovate worlds is only enhanced by diverse teams working in an inclusive environment.  We aspire to have a culture where everyone can thrive in order to connect and engage the world through epic entertainment. We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for ‘Every World’ - we’ve got our employees covered!

The videogame industry and therefore our business is fast-paced and will continue to evolve. As such, the duties and responsibilities of this role may be changed as directed by the Company at any time to promote and support our business and relationships with industry partners.

We love hearing from anyone who is enthusiastic about changing the games industry. Not sure you meet all qualifications? Let us decide! Research shows that women and members of other under-represented groups tend to not apply to jobs when they think they may not meet every qualification, when, in fact, they often do! We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and strongly encourage you to apply.

We are committed to working with and providing reasonable assistance to individuals with physical and mental disabilities. If you are a disabled individual requiring an accommodation to apply for an open position, please email your request to accommodationrequests@activisionblizzard.com. General employment questions cannot be accepted or processed here. Thank you for your interest.

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 .

In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $146,000.00 - $270,004.00 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 geography 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.
View Full Job Description
$146.0K - $270.0K/yr (Outscal est.)
$208.0K/yr avg.
Irvine, California, United States

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