Lead NPC Gameplay Engineer | Unannounced Project

At Blizzard, we craft genre-defining games and legendary worlds for all to share. Through unparalleled creativity and storytelling, we create immersive universes and iconic characters that are beloved across platforms, borders, backgrounds, and generations - only made possible by building a work environment that nurtures the artistry of game development and unleashes the aspirations of our people.

As our  Lead NPC Gameplay Engineer , you will manage the development of NPC behaviors and combat mechanics as part of our project’s larger gameplay team. You will lead a small team of engineers, provide technical guidance and direction, collaborate with design and project leadership teams, and help define strategic initiatives and break down clear and achievable goals for your team. When particularly hard problems arise, you'll draw upon the team's collective creativity and experience to define and execute upon a technical vision that meets the project's needs. 

This role offers a flexible hybrid work week from our Irvine, CA studio location, with a mix of remote and on-site days. While hybrid is the standard arrangement, you're also welcome to work on-site full-time if you prefer. 

Responsibilities 

Priorities can often change in a fast-paced environment like ours, so this role includes, but is not limited to, the following responsibilities:

• Define and champion the long-term technical vision for NPC and combat AI architecture, balancing flexibility, performance, and maintainability.
• Lead, manage, and mentor the engineers on the NPC gameplay team.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for NPC mechanics development, partnering with gameplay teams, design, project leadership, and engine teams to define requirements and drive execution.
• Partner with the production staff and the broader leadership team on milestone planning, prioritization, and development tracking progress.
• Author and maintain technical design documentation that outlines key project architectural decisions, features, milestones, and technical risks.
• Enable designers, artists, and other engineers to deliver the vision of the game and deliver compelling player experiences.
• Optimize team productivity by supporting content-creation pipelines, tool development, and workflow improvements.
• Champion Blizzard’s core values.
  
  

Minimum Requirements

• 8+ years of experience in gameplay engineering, or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
• Experience leading team efforts to deliver real-time NPC gameplay and combat features, including work with ability systems, animation, navigation, and traversal mechanics.
• Experience shipping AAA game features on PC and modern consoles, including optimization, polish, and post-launch support.
• Strong C++ programming skills, with the ability to write, debug, and optimize production-quality code.
• Ability to make frequent, well-structured, and well-tested code commits.
• Strong understanding of NPC authoring workflows and designer-friendly tooling.
• Strong knowledge of modern game combat AI paradigms.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate vision, ideas, and learnings, and provide meaningful feedback.
• Excellent problem-solving and debugging skills.
• Proven ability to mentor others, share expertise, and support the growth of engineers.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams and people with diverse perspectives. 

Bonus Points 

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, mathematics, physics, or a related field.
• Experience using Unreal Engine, including both C++ and Blueprint.
• Prior experience leading a team of engineers in a collaborative environment.
• Experience optimizing performance for a high number of active NPCs.
• Experience building tools or workflows that empower designers and other disciplines.
• Passion for games and game development, with a particular appreciation for high-quality, immersive NPC behavior and implementation. 

Your Platform

Best known for iconic video game universes including Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, and StarCraft®, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. ( 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 innovative 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 video game 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 the 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 View email address on click.appcast.io.

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 $121,500.00 - $224,880.00 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.