Senior AI Programmer

Creative Assembly is looking for a Senior Game AI Programmer to join our Total War Campaign AI Team based at our studio in Horsham, in the heart of West Sussex.  
  
This is an excellent opportunity to work collaboratively with a diverse group of programmers, designers, and QA technicians. You will create efficient and effective game AI solutions to tackle the complex strategic and tactical challenges presented by Total War’s blend of real-time and turn-based gameplay, helping us to deliver a challenging, immersive, and fun experience for our players! This position will focus on AI development for the turn-based Total War Campaign.  
  
Please be aware that although the AI Team, and CA more widely, have a keen interest in machine learning and related techniques, this developer position is focused on more traditional search and optimisation processes. Candidates with a primarily machine learning (or similar) background would need to be comfortable using or adapting to these approaches, and we would recommend the inclusion of a cover letter with your application to acknowledge this.  
  
This role is Hybrid and has an expectation of at least three days per week in-office in our Horsham studio, however Creative Assembly supports flexible working and we are open to discussion of working patterns as part of the recruitment process.    Key Responsibilities   
  
As a Senior Game AI Programmer, you will be working with colleagues within and beyond the Campaign AI Team to help design and develop behavioral systems for the Campaign AI of Total War.   
On a day-to-day basis, you will:  

• Support existing AI systems through incremental improvement, feature updates and debugging. 
• Create new AI systems in response to ongoing or upcoming project requirements. 
• Familiarize yourself with the existing codebase and related tooling and processes. 
• Contribute to the planning and execution of future AI systems' evolution, the setting of team objectives and priorities and the improvements of policies and processes. 
• Aid in mentoring more junior members of the team in their technical and professional development and set a good example of these and good team working practices. 
• Collaborate with developers within and beyond the AI Team to facilitate our work. 
• Pro-actively consider potential issues and possible opportunities, and either act upon or raise these to other stakeholders as appropriate by exercising good judgement. 
• Communicate information (such as about team objectives or technology) in a tailored and appropriate way within and beyond the AI Team. 
• Work and act independently taking into account current and future team objectives and priorities. 

  Knowledge, Skill and Experience  Essential 

• Excellent C++ programming skills and knowledge of more recent language features/ 
• Previous game development experience that includes systems design. 
• Significant experience developing AI or related systems in games, research, or other settings. 
• Interest in AI and games. 
• Comfortable working in a collaborative, diverse and multi-disciplinary environment. 
• An ability to focus on working independently when needed. 
• Creative problem solving. 
• BSc equivalent or higher qualification in a relevant numerical discipline. 

Desirable  

• Knowledge or use of the MCTS algorithm 
• Broad gaming experience and a sense for good game design 
• An appreciation of Creative Assembly titles and Total War in particular.  

About Creative Assembly
Creative Assembly crafts deep and detailed games that last, entertaining millions of players across the globe for decades.
  
We are all game makers and we care deeply about the experiences we create. We empower our teams to make significant contributions to our games, supported by skills development and growth opportunities.
  
We are located in Horsham, UK and Sofia, Bulgaria.
We offer many benefits to support you and your family including:

• Work from Anywhere for a temporary period each year (restrictions apply such as VISAs)
• Enhanced holiday allowance, maternity and paternity breaks, flexibility with our core hours, and no-notice holidays
• Bespoke relocation package for you and your dependents
• Private medical and dental insurance, life insurance, permanent health insurance, critical illness cover and free health care screening
• Generous holiday allowance plus full studio closure over the Christmas and New Year period, and all Bank holidays
• Join our Diversity and Inclusion Network – an employee-led group
• Season ticket travel loans and cycle to work scheme with free bike servicing and discounted car valet service on site
• Wellbeing support and virtual confidential counselling
• Community activities including parties, football and more.
• Our studio sites have disabled access.

We are an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief.
  
Note to Recruitment Agencies: SEGA Europe Limited and our studios do not accept unsolicited candidate introductions from unauthorised third parties. For the avoidance of doubt, SEGA Europe is not liable for any fees, compensation or any other costs associated with the introduction of a candidate or recruitment services unless and until an agreement has been duly executed. Further details can be found here.