Expert Gameplay AI Software Engineer

2K • Burnaby, BC

12d • CA$114,300 - CA$169,140 • Onsite

About The Position

Small Axe is seeking an Expert Gameplay AI Software Engineer to help build the intelligence behind their next AAA sports title. The role involves designing and implementing AI systems that drive team-based decision-making, play selection, positional awareness, and realistic athletic behavior in Unreal Engine 5. The ideal candidate will combine deep algorithm expertise with a passion for team sports and a collaborative approach to working with designers, animators, and gameplay engineers.

Requirements

• 8+ years of software engineering experience in game development
• Expertise in C++ and Unreal Engine 5
• Strong algorithm and data structure design skills
• Experience with multi-threaded programming in performance-critical environments
• Deep understanding of team-based sports and competitive game dynamics
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills across disciplines
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or equivalent experience
• Passion for playing or watching sports

Nice To Haves

• Track record of shipping AAA sports or simulation titles
• Familiarity with modern console hardware and optimization techniques

Responsibilities

• Architect and build AI systems for team-based sports gameplay in UE5
• Design decision-making frameworks for play selection, formations, and tactics
• Develop positional awareness and spatial reasoning for AI-controlled players
• Optimize AI performance for multi-threaded, performance-critical environments
• Partner with designers, animators, and gameplay engineers to deliver features
• Mentor engineers and contribute to team-wide technical growth
• Write clean, performant, and well-tested C++ code
• Conduct code reviews to uphold quality and consistency

Benefits

• bonus
• equity awards
• full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior