Electronic Arts creates next-level entertainment experiences that inspire players and fans around the world. Here, everyone is part of the story. Part of a community that connects across the globe. A place where creativity thrives, new perspectives are invited, and ideas matter. A team where everyone makes play happen.
We are looking for a Senior Principal Research Engineer to join the Agents vector to architect the next generation of game AI in interactive entertainment Our work centres on scaling agent technologies, including Reinforcement Learning, Large Language Models, and Imitation Learning into high-performance game systems. The team works directly in game engines to build scalable agent solutions that push the boundaries of real-time, interactive reasoning. You will translate complex engineering challenges into production-ready AI-first architectures, setting the technical standard for AI integration.
As a senior technical leader, in partnership with our Director of Research, you will provide the engineering strategy and deep architectural oversight necessary to deliver agent-based features at scale. We are looking for an expert who excels at solving systemic challenges, optimising for performance, and building technologies that support long-term development. You will partner with research leads, software engineers, and research scientists to ensure our agent technologies are reliable, and lead difference.
This is a hybrid remote/in-office role based in London (UK). You will report to the Agents Director of Research.
Responsibilities
Architect Complex Systems: Lead the design and implementation of large-scale agent systems, prioritising production robustness, real-time latency requirements, and integration into modern game engine architectures.
Promote Engineering Excellence: Influence the technical roadmap for AI agents. This includes optimising algorithmic efficiency, managing technical debt, and building sustainable technologies for System 1 and System 2 AI-driven gameplay.
Technical Leadership: Mentor engineers and researchers, setting architectural standards and driving engineering best practices for Agents across the team. Influence our broader technical culture through strategic project guidance.
Main Attributes
Systems Theorist: A deep, systemic understanding of high-performance computing, optimization, and software architecture.
Innovation: A focus on delivering high-performance, shippable systems over purely theoretical exercises.
Strategic & Analytical: A critical mindset for evaluating large-scale system performance and anticipating infrastructure needs years in advance.
Qualifications
Advanced Academic Background: A PhD in Computer Science or a related STEM field.
Experience: 20+ years of professional experience in software engineering, with experience with shipping complex systems in gaming, high-scale distributed systems, or real-time AI.
Deep Technical Expertise: Expert-level proficiency in C++ and Python, with a background in ML frameworks (PyTorch/TensorFlow) and low-level engine optimization.
Practical Scalability: Expertise in architecting and deploying AI or ML agents into live products, managing the lifecycle from prototype to large-scale implementation.
Electronic Arts creates next-level entertainment experiences that inspire players and fans around the world. Here, everyone is part of the story. Part of a community that connects across the globe. A team where creativity thrives, new perspectives are invited, and ideas matter. Regardless of your role, team, or location, this is a place where everyone makes play happen. Join us.
