Backend Lead (Unannounced Project)

Wargaming; Guildford; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A premier game development company in Guildford is searching for a Backend Team Lead to oversee the backend services of a revolutionary free-to-play game. In this role, you will guide a skilled team, ensure the quality and scalability of backend systems, and collaborate closely with project managers and designers. Ideal candidates will have substantial experience in distributed systems, a deep understanding of game architectures, and excellent communication skills. Join us to shape the future of gaming!

Benefits

5 weeks Annual Leave, increasing to 30 days

Sick Leave Compensation and enhanced Maternity & Paternity Leave

Dog-friendly office

Onsite canteen with free snacks

Career development opportunities

Employee discounts via Perkbox

Qualifications

• Expertise in designing large-scale distributed systems specifically for gaming.
• Extensive programming experience and knowledge of game architectures.
• Effective communication skills for collaboration with other teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead the backend team and set the technical direction for backend systems.
• Ensure scalability and performance of backend services.
• Promote coding best practices and conduct code reviews.

Skills

Designing large-scale distributed systems

Real-time multiplayer

Microservices

Low-latency data exchange systems

Kotlin

Java

Python

C/C++

C#

NoSQL databases

Docker

Kubernetes

CI/CD pipelines

Terraform

Job description

Wargaming is one of the world’s leading free-to-play PC game companies, with the resources and experience to support ambitious, long-term development,proudly backed by the global success of titles like World of Tanks.

We're currently building our next big project: a collaboration with a world-renowned name, an epic-scale military sci-fi fantasy, free-to-play game focused on delivering cinematic visual quality and a rich, immersive world.

Now in the early stages of pre-production and prototyping, we’re looking for Backend Team Lead.

In this role, you will be focused on maintaining a high-quality backend of a free-to-play Unreal Engine based game. This will involve working closely with all disciplines and leading the backend team to identify, design, implement and maintain the scalable backend services capable of supporting millions of players.

Reports to

• Deputy Technical Director

What will you do?

• Lead technical direction: Set/adjust technical vision for the backend systems, including decisions on tech stack, frameworks, libraries, and tools.
• Promote the use of coding best practices, including clean code, design patterns, and efficient system designs. Perform code reviews.
• Ensure scalability and performance, handle scaling challenges, optimize development, deployment, and operations processes.
• Manage the backend team includingcareer development, performance reviews, 1-2-1s, mentoring, training, and recruiting.
• Work closely with other team leads, and project managers.
• Work with outsourcing partners in the gaming industry.

What are we looking for?

• Expertise in designing large-scale distributed systems for gaming platforms, particularly those involving real-time multiplayer, microservices, and high-availability infrastructure.
• Extensive knowledge of game-specific architectures (microservices, actor systems), ability to design efficient, low-latency data exchange systems between clients and servers.
• Experience in promoting effective development processes, fostering collaboration, adherence to clean code practices, test-driven development.
• Extensive programming experience as a principal or above (Kotlin, Java, Python, C/C++, C#).
• Deep understanding of NoSQL databases.
• Experience with cloud infrastructures to manage large-scale game services. Experience in using Docker, Kubernetes, and other containerization/orchestration tools.
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure as code (IaC) tools like Terraform, and ensuring automated deployment and scaling of game backends.
• Effective communication skills to collaborate effectively with other teams, including game designers, game and systems programmers, and project managers.
• Ability to communicate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders, ensuring that business needs are translated into scalable technical solutions while aligning technical direction with product goals.

What additional skills will help you stand out?

• Experience working with highly distributed teams
• Experience operating a live free-to-play game service
• Experience with Unreal Engine
• Onsite (4 days per week in the office)
• This role isn't eligible for immigration support
• This role is eligible for relocation support (for candidates with free access to the labor market in the Czech Republic or UK)

Benefits and perks are tailored to the local market and culture. Our benefits in Guildford include:

• 5 weeks of Annual Leave per calendar year - increasing over time to a maximum 30 days per year, with the ability to buy up to an additional 5 days through our holiday buy scheme
• Additional paid time off (Birthday Leave, Marriage Leave, Compassionate Leave)
• Sick Leave Compensation and enhanced Maternity & Paternity Leave Benefits
• Dog-friendly office
• Onsite canteen (with an endless supply of free snacks and drinks)
• Video games area
• Family coverage for Private Medical Insurance (pre-existing conditions are covered), Life Insurance, Pension scheme offering a matched 4% tax free employee contribution
• Wellbeing perks (Mental Health Days, Dedicated Well-being room, Team of Mental Heath First Aiders)
• Career development and education opportunities within the company
• Employee discounts via Perkbox
• Personal Wargaming Gaming Account
• Company events (including events for partners/children)
• Seniority Awards
• Referral program - you can recommend the best talents to the Company and receive a reward
• One of the main European hubs for game development with 25 years of experience on the market

Please submit your CV in English to ensure smooth processing and review.

About Wargaming

Wargaming is an award-winning online game developer and publisher headquartered in Nicosia, Cyprus. Operating since 1998, Wargaming has become one of the leaders in the gaming industry with 15 offices worldwide, including studios in Chicago, Prague, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Vilnius. Our diverse and multicultural team works together to deliver a top-class experience to millions of players who enjoy Wargaming's titles across all major gaming platforms. Our flagship products include free-to-play hits World of Tanks, World of Warships and World of Tanks Blitz.