Principal Engineer

2K

1d • $163,400 - $240,000

About The Position

A visionary technical authority to lead the core technology group. You will define a scalable technical strategy, drive engineering excellence across multiple senior teams, and serve as the chief mentor and architect for R&D efforts. At 2K, we pride ourselves on creating an inclusive work environment, which means encouraging our teams to Come as You Are and do your best work! We encourage ALL applicants to explore our global positions, even if they don’t meet every requirement for the role. If you're interested in the job and think you have what it takes to work at 2K, we encourage you to apply!

Requirements

• Industry Veteran: 10+ years in software engineering, with 5+ years in a Principal or Architect role (AAA gaming or high-scale systems preferred).
• Deep Expertise: Expert-level C++, Unreal Engine architecture, and high-performance computing.
• Proven Track Record: Success in shipping multiple complex products with stable, maintainable architectures.
• Strategic Communicator: Ability to translate complex technical concepts for both engineers and executive leadership.
• Pragmatic Problem Solver: Balanced approach to solving immediate production needs while maintaining long-term architectural health.
• Innovation Focused: A passion for replacing legacy workflows with scalable, R&D-driven solutions.

Responsibilities

• Define Architectural Strategy: Set the long-term technical roadmap, engineering standards, and core technology adoption (engine, backend, rendering).
• Drive Technical Governance: Act as the final authority on critical design decisions, establish quality gates, and manage performance budgets.
• Lead Hands-On Innovation: Prototype foundational systems, perform high-level code reviews, and solve high-risk architectural challenges.
• Mentor Senior Talent: Coach Principal Engineers and Tech Leads to foster a culture of technical rigor and continuous improvement.
• Risk Management: Identify and mitigate technical debt, performance bottlenecks, and architectural risks across the development lifecycle.
• Cross-Disciplinary Partnership: Align technical architecture with creative, production, and business objectives.

Benefits

• medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance coverage
• 14 paid holidays per calendar year
• paid vacation time per calendar year (ranging from 15 to 25 days) or eligibility to participate in the Company’s discretionary time off program
• up to 10 paid sick days per calendar year
• paid parental and compassionate leave
• wellbeing programs for mental health and other wellness support
• family planning support through Maven
• commuter benefits
• reimbursements for fitness-related expenses

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees