Principal Backend Engineer
SKILLS
FULL DESCRIPTION
Requirements
- Experience in game development and having shipped multiple live games (or similar products) with a high concurrent user count - Proven experience architecting distributed applications with a high concurrent user base (hundreds of thousands), ideally proven with a released title or robust load tests - Production experience with at least one of Java, Golang, C#, C++, Kotlin; experience with Python, Node.js and React is desirable - Solid database experience, with the ability to work effectively with both SQL and NoSQL databases - Proven experience with cloud platforms: Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure; having an AWS Certification (Professional level) would be advantageous - Proven experience building backend infrastructure using infrastructure as code tools, e.g. Terraform - Proven experience using Kubernetes and Docker to build products at scale - Ability to autonomously architect and design online services based on a specification - Ability to navigate changes calmly and manage multiple pieces of potentially confidential information - Excellent time management and ability to work autonomously - Clear and effective communicator with the ability to discuss technical strategy with non-technical stakeholders and adapt to client needs - Experience building CI/CD pipelines from scratch or improving existing client solutions - Awareness of security/cheating implications of technology choices - Experience using Gen AI for code generation
Beneficial
- Deep expertise in at least one relevant area of backend technology, e.g. DevOps, Microservices, Cloud Architecture - Understanding of how a backend service integrates with the game - experience with Unreal or Unity would be useful but not required - An understanding of how to use LLMs to process and query structured and unstructured data
Responsibilities
- Individual contribution: architect systems, write code, deployments, etc. - Act as the engineering contact point between MPG and the client, working alongside the Project Manager and Engineering Leadership - Translate client requirements into tasks for yourself and team members - Make the right trade-offs to design systems based on performance, time, and budget - Mentor and delegate pieces of work to other team members to help develop them as engineers - Create estimated cost spreadsheets for online services based on projected concurrent users - Cultivate engineering best practices across teams: modular design, code quality, testing - Work with the Lead and Production to communicate risks, benefits, and future roadmaps - Active mentorship of the engineering team towards professional accreditation (e.g., AWS Certification) and technical leadership.
Benefits
Our Benefits Flexible working: Remote-friendly long before it was the norm, with core hours that support both great work and real life. Support & wellbeing: Mental health first-aiders, therapy and coaching via Myndup, plus private medical insurance to help you stay healthy and supported. Pension & life cover: A strong pension plan and life insurance to support your future and protect your family. Time for you: Minimum 25 days’ holiday, a paid winter break, and 3 volunteering days each year to give back to causes you care about. Parental leave: Family-first policies that support parents and caregivers with flexibility and balance. Levelling up: Annual L&D budget, expert talks, game jams, and mentoring opportunities to help you grow your skills and career.