Through creativity, collaboration, and trust, we empower our teams to push boundaries and turn bold ideas into experiences that resonate with fans around the world.
Do you want to craft games that challenge expectations and inspire players? Come build something extraordinary with us.
Skydance is looking for a Senior Gameplay AI Engineer skilled in working with creative teams to build key NPC gameplay features and frameworks.
Currently for this role, we can hire remote candidates with legal residence in Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Texas, and Washington.
Responsibilities
- Lead the design, architecture, and implementation of core gameplay AI systems
- Drive technical direction for NPC gameplay systems and AI frameworks
- Own large-scale AI features from concept through ship
- Identify and resolve performance, scalability, and technical design challenges across gameplay systems.
- Partner closely with Design, Animation, Audio, and Production to define and drive AI feature goals
- Provide technical leadership and guidance across cross-functional gameplay initiative
- Help establish engineering standards and improve team-wide AI development workflows
Requirements/Qualifications
- 7+ years of professional gameplay/AI engineering experience
- Proven experience owning large gameplay or AI systems in a production environment.
- Experience architecting and implementing AI simulation systems and features from scratch using a combination of C++, Blueprints, and other tools.
- In-depth knowledge of industry standard gameplay AI simulation systems, techniques and frameworks (e.g, Behavior Trees, FSMs, Utility AI)
- Demonstrated collaboration with designers, artists, and audio developers to iterate on and refine key AI behaviors and system tunings.
- Ability to take ownership of major systems, maintain development schedules, and drive major implementation tasks.
- Extensive experience with Unreal Engine, using and understanding the different gameplay AI authoring tools, modifying and creating custom tech to extend the base engine feature sets.
- Experience with animation techniques driving AI characters (e.g, Animation Blueprints, Montages, Control Rig, MotionMatching)
- Self-motivated and self-directing, willing to pitch in areas of development beyond direct responsibilities.
- A passionate eye towards delivering quality and highly-tuned game feel.
- Experience mentoring and supporting other engineers through code reviews, technical guidance, and best practices – helping them stay on track and true to the overall vision of the game.
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
- Strong problem-solving skills.
We realize that skills and expertise can come from many different experiences and paths, and we encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet all of the requirements as written in the job description.
Skills Required
- 7+ years of professional gameplay/AI engineering experience
- Proven experience owning large gameplay or AI systems in a production environment
- Experience architecting and implementing AI simulation systems and features from scratch using a combination of C++, Blueprints, and other tools
- In-depth knowledge of industry standard gameplay AI simulation systems, techniques and frameworks (e.g, Behavior Trees, FSMs, Utility AI)
- Demonstrated collaboration with designers, artists, and audio developers to iterate on and refine key AI behaviors and system tunings
- Ability to take ownership of major systems, maintain development schedules, and drive major implementation tasks
- Extensive experience with Unreal Engine, using and understanding the different gameplay AI authoring tools, modifying and creating custom tech to extend the base engine feature sets
- Experience with animation techniques driving AI characters (e.g, Animation Blueprints, Montages, Control Rig, MotionMatching)
- Self-motivated and self-directing, willing to pitch in areas of development beyond direct responsibilities
- A passionate eye towards delivering quality and highly-tuned game feel
- Experience mentoring and supporting other engineers through code reviews, technical guidance, and best practices
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
- Strong problem-solving skills
What We Do
About Skydance Media Skydance is a diversified media company founded by David Ellison in 2010 to create high quality, event-level entertainment for global audiences. The Company brings to life stories of immersive worlds across its feature film, television, and interactive platforms. Its feature films include Mission: Impossible - Fallout, Annihilation, LIFE, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, Star Trek Beyond, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, Terminator Genisys, World War Z, Star Trek Into Darkness, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Jack Reacher, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, and True Grit. Skydance’s upcoming film releases include Top Gun: Maverick, Gemini Man, The Old Guard, 6 Underground and the nwe untitled Terminator film. In 2017, Skydance formed an animation division to develop and produce a slate of high-end feature films and television series in partnership with Spain’s Ilion Animation Studios. Skydance Television launched in 2013. Its current slate includes Emmy-nominated Grace and Frankie on Netflix, Altered Carbon on Netflix, Jack Ryan on Amazon, and Condor on AT&T Audience Network. Skydance Interactive launched in 2016 to create and publish original and IP-based virtual reality experiences and video games. Skydance Interactive recently debuted its first original title – Archangel, a story-driven VR shooter. About Skydance Interactive Skydance Interactive creates and publishes original and IP-based virtual reality games. The division of Skydance Media was launched in 2016 through the acquisition of The Workshop Entertainment. Skydance Interactive’s first VR offering is Archangel, launched on July 18th 2017. Skydance Interactive in 2017 partnered with Skybound Entertainment to develop a number of original virtual reality video games based on the expansive world of The Walking Dead universe. The Walking Dead VR game will be the inaugural co-developed title from both companies. The studio is located in Marina del Rey, CA. About Animation In 2017, Skydance formed an animation division to develop and produce a slate of high-end feature films and television series in partnership with Spain’s Ilion Animation Studios. Skydance’s first three animated features are Luck, Split (working title), and Powerless (working title). Luck, directed by Alessandro Carloni (Kung Fu Panda 3) and written by Jonathan Aibel & Glenn Berger, is a comedy that pulls back the curtain on the millennia-old battle between the organizations of good luck and bad luck that secretly
