Senior Software Engineer - Publishing Platform, Social: Behavior Evaluation and Moderation

Riot engineers bring deep knowledge of specific technical areas but also value the opportunity to work in a variety of broader domains. As Software Engineers, we work with both new and current technology, creating innovative solutions to overcome high-volume obstacles and to deliver player value. Riot builds genre-defining games and people love to play them, but for some players, their experience can be diminished by disruptive social interactions. The Behavior Evaluation and Moderation (BEAM) team, part of the Social Initiative on Player Platform, works to foster positive player-to-player experiences and reduce negative behavior, empowering players to have the experience they want. We also enhance pro-social spaces to create more engaging and welcoming environments. As a Senior Software Engineer on the Behavior Evaluation and Moderation (BEAM) team, you’ll collaborate with engineers, game designers, product managers, and data scientists to develop backend services and solutions that support Riot’s current and future games in a scalable way. You’ll contribute to the implementation of features, following established designs, and work closely with teammates to ensure quality and maintainability. You’ll also participate in on-call rotations to support live services and help maintain high availability for our systems. You’ll embrace the team’s values by focusing on high-impact work, using data to inform decisions, and collaborating across disciplines to create the best possible experiences for players. You’ll help improve team processes, write reliable code, and continue to grow your skills with guidance from senior engineers. Responsibilities: Implement backend service features for evaluating social inputs (text, voice), determining behavioral progression and outcomes, and integrating moderation workflows with game teams. Create technical designs and collaborate with senior engineers to ensure features are scalable, maintainable, and resilient. Write unit, functional, and integration tests to validate code quality and adhere to engineering best practices. Partner with product managers, designers, and data scientists to understand requirements and deliver features aligned with player experience goals. Participate in code reviews, incorporating feedback and learning from others. Contribute to process improvements within the team’s technical and workflow systems. Participate in the team’s on-call rotation to help troubleshoot and resolve live incidents, with backup support from senior engineers. Required Qualifications: Basic knowledge of cloud services (AWS, GCP, etc.). 3-5 years of industry experience (or advanced degree with equivalent skills). Proficiency in Java and familiarity with relational and/or NoSQL databases. Experience developing backend services and integrating with APIs or distributed systems. Understanding of the software development lifecycle, including testing and deployment. Collaborative mindset and willingness to seek guidance when facing unfamiliar challenges. Desired Qualifications: Familiarity with data processing or streaming technologies (Kafka, Kinesis, etc.). Familiarity with machine learning concepts and deploying AI models. Proficiency in Python and common ML libraries such as: scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch, XGBoost For this role, you'll find success through craft expertise, a collaborative spirit, and decision-making that prioritizes your fellow Rioters, who are the customers of your work. Being a dedicated fan of games is not necessary for this position! Our Perks: Riot focuses on work/life balance, shown by our open paid time off policy and other perks such as flexible work schedules. We offer medical, dental, and life insurance, parental leave for you, your spouse/domestic partner, and children, and a 401k with company match. Check out our benefits pages for more information. At Riot Games, we put players first. That mission drives every decision in our quest to create games and experiences that make it better to be a player. Whether you’re working directly on a new player-facing experience or you’re supporting the company as a whole, everyone at Riot is part of our mission. And just like in our games, we’re better when we work together. Our goal is to create collaborative teams where you are empowered to bring your unique perspective everyday. If that sounds like the kind of place you want to work, we’re looking forward to your application. It’s our policy to provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and members of Riot Games, Inc. Riot Games makes reasonable accommodations for handicapped and disabled Rioters and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, handicap, veteran status, marital status, criminal history, or any other category protected by applicable federal and state law. We consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state and local law, including the California Fair Chance Act, the City of Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the Washington Fair Chance Act. Per the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, the following core duties may create a basis for disqualifying candidates with relevant criminal histories: Safeguarding confidential and sensitive Company data Communication with others, including Rioters and third parties such as vendors, and/or players, including minors Accessing Company assets, secure digital systems, and networks Ensuring a safe interactive environment for players and other Rioters These duties are directly related to essential operations, safety, trust, and compliance obligations within our organization. Please note that job duties may evolve based on business needs and additional responsibilities may be assigned as necessary to maintain operational efficiency and security.