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Turtle Rock StudiosTS

Senior AI Engineer - Contract

Turtle Rock Studios is an American video game developer known for creating AAA co-op shooters like Left 4 Dead, Evolve, and Back 4 Blood. Founded in 2002, the studio is based in Lake Forest, California, and is currently a subsidiary of Tencent.

Turtle Rock Studios

Employee count: 51-200

Salary: 136k-172k USD

United States only

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At Turtle Rock, we make the games we want to play. We're dedicated to providing a collaborative environment where our team members feel empowered with the creative freedom to contribute and grow. While we are based in Orange County, CA, we support flexible work arrangements ranging from in-studio, hybrid, to fully remote throughout North America. Join our award-winning game development team and help create our next hit title.

We're seeking an experienced contract Sr. AI Engineer to maintain and extend the AI systems at the heart of our game. In this role, you'll author character behaviors, collaborate closely with designers to shape AI-friendly playspaces, and tune characters through playtesting. All while keeping performance within tight CPU and memory budgets.

Responsibilities

  • Maintain and extend core AI and character systems
  • Author AI behaviors for in-game characters
  • Work with design team to create playable spaces conducive to AI interaction
  • Revise and tune characters based on design goals and playtest feedback
  • Profile and optimize code to meet memory and CPU budgets

Requirements

  • Comfortable working directly with designers in an iterative environment
  • Solid understanding of different aspects of game AI (navigation, behavior, etc)
  • At least one shipped game
  • Proficiency in C/C++ and Microsoft Visual Studio
  • Strong communication and teamwork skills
  • Solid math skills

Preferences

  • Previous work on Multiplayer Action Games and FPS's a plus
  • Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Computer Science or Engineering
  • Unreal Engine 5 experience
  • Shipped a console game

Benefits

Some of the benefits and perks our employees get to enjoy, include:

  • 100% Medical, Dental, Vision Coverage for you and your family
  • Retirement Savings Plan Matching
  • Career Improvement Plan
  • Flexible Work Arrangements - In-House, Hybrid, and Remote
  • Generous Time Off Policy
  • Company Events - In-Person + Virtual Events
  • Fully Stocked Kitchen + Sponsored Food Trucks

The estimated base pay range for this role is:

$136,000—$172,000 USD

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

About the job

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Job type

Contractor

Experience level

Salary

Salary: 136k-172k USD

Education

Bachelor degree

Experience accepted in place of education

Location requirements

Hiring timezones

United States +/- 0 hours

About Turtle Rock Studios

Learn more about Turtle Rock Studios and their company culture.

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Turtle Rock Studios is an American video game developer founded in March 2002 by Michael Booth. The company was re-founded in 2010 as a subsidiary of Slamfire Inc. by Phil Robb and Chris Ashton after a period of being owned by Valve Corporation (during which it was known as Valve South). Headquartered in Lake Forest, California, Turtle Rock Studios has established itself as a creator of AAA competitive and co-operative shooter games, as well as engaging virtual reality (VR) titles. The studio is recognized for its commitment to an open, collaborative environment and a philosophy of iteration alongside its player community to bring gameplay dreams to life.

Throughout its history, Turtle Rock Studios has been involved in the development of iconic game franchises. Their early work included contributions to the Counter-Strike series, specifically Counter-Strike: Condition Zero and Counter-Strike: Source. The studio gained significant acclaim for developing the original Left 4 Dead, a groundbreaking cooperative first-person shooter published by Valve. Following its re-establishment as an independent entity, Turtle Rock Studios went on to create Evolve, an asymmetrical multiplayer shooter, and more recently, Back 4 Blood, a spiritual successor to Left 4 Dead, published by Warner Bros. Games. Their portfolio also extends into the VR space with titles such as Journey of the Gods and Face Your Fears II. In December 2021, Tencent Holdings acquired Slamfire Inc., the parent company of Turtle Rock Studios. Despite the acquisition, Turtle Rock Studios continues to operate autonomously, with its existing leadership team, including co-founders Phil Robb and Chris Ashton, remaining at the helm. The studio emphasizes working closely with its community and is continually looking for talented individuals to join its team for ongoing and future projects.

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Turtle Rock Studios

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