Senior Build Engineer

Senior Build Engineer

Full-Time 55000 - 65000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
Creative Assembly

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Drive technical improvements in build systems and CI for Total War development.
  • Company: Creative Assembly, a leading game development studio with a collaborative culture.
  • Benefits: Flexible work options, enhanced holiday allowance, and comprehensive health insurance.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact on game development and lead innovative projects.
  • Qualifications: Strong experience in build systems, CI/CD pipelines, and programming in C++.
  • Other info: Join a dynamic team with excellent career growth opportunities and a focus on wellbeing.

The predicted salary is between 55000 - 65000 £ per year.

The role Creative Assembly’s Total War Infrastructure Team is seeking a Senior Build Engineer to drive technical improvements and contribute to the architecture of our build systems, toolchain, CI and automated testing infrastructure that supports all Total War development teams. This is a high-impact role. Your work will directly influence developer productivity, CI stability, build cadence, automation reliability and the studio’s ability to deliver multiple large-scale projects in parallel across multiple platforms.

We are looking for someone who not only delivers but also drives technical priorities, someone who can see where the platform needs to evolve and make those changes happen. You will work closely with build engineers, tools programmers, automation teams, IT, QA and multiple game teams across the studio. As a senior engineer, you will be expected to lead initiatives, shape technical standards, mentor others and act as a point of escalation for complex issues across the infrastructure space. This is a hybrid role. We’re looking for someone who can be in the Horsham studio 1–2 days per week to collaborate closely with the team and stay connected to on-site workflows.

On a day-to-day basis, you will:

  • Own and drive the evolution of CA’s multi-project build pipelines, including pre-submit, post-submit, scheduled tests, console and PC workflows.
  • Define and drive improvements in CI reliability, error detection, logging standards and quality guardrails in CI.
  • Strengthen the development and reliability of deployment pipelines that deliver builds to internal teams, QA and external platforms, ensuring consistent and repeatable releases across all target destinations.
  • Design, build and maintain backend services such as build storage infrastructure, symbol servers, archiving systems and dashboards, ensuring they scale with studio demand.
  • Write and review production-ready code, primarily in C++ and C#, setting expectations for quality, maintainability and testing.
  • Join the rotating weekly support responder role to triage build/test issues across all infrastructure channels.
  • Establish key metrics and dashboards that surface issues early, track reliability trends and demonstrate measurable improvement over time.
  • Identify bottlenecks in hardware utilisation, storage strategy, CI capacity and build roadmap to address them.
  • Support other engineers, contributing to knowledge sharing, documentation and improved engineering practices.
  • Work with the automation team to integrate comprehensive quality gates into CI workflows, ensuring fast and actionable feedback for development teams.

What we are looking for:

  • Strong experience designing, operating and improving build systems, CI/CD pipelines or DevOps platforms at scale.
  • Strong programming ability in C++, plus C# or an equivalent scripting language.
  • Deep debugging skills across complex multicomponent systems.
  • Experience with console automation (PS5/Xbox).
  • Experience with online store APIs (e.g. Steam/MS).
  • Familiarity with Perforce or similar version control systems in large team environments.
  • Familiarity with branching strategies and their application in large-scale, multi-project environments.
  • Strong communication skills, with the ability to influence across disciplines and engineering leadership.
  • Comfortable balancing hands‑on technical work with broader architectural thinking.
  • Experience with hardware build farms, build node provisioning and cost‑effective on‑prem resource management.
  • Strong understanding of build storage, archiving strategies and performance constraints.
  • Experience with large‑scale CI environments.
  • Experience in improving tooling UX, dashboards, and workflow automation.

Benefits:

  • Work from Anywhere for a temporary period each year (restrictions apply such as VISAs).
  • Enhanced holiday allowance, maternity and paternity breaks, flexibility with our core hours, and no‑notice holidays.
  • Bespoke relocation package for you and your dependents.
  • Private medical and dental insurance, life insurance, permanent health insurance, critical illness cover and free health care screening.
  • Additional benefits ranging from free games and work parties to discount on technology.
  • Wellbeing support and virtual confidential counselling.

We are an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief. Our studio sites have disabled access.

Senior Build Engineer employer: Creative Assembly

Creative Assembly is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters collaboration and innovation within the gaming industry. As a Senior Build Engineer, you will benefit from a supportive environment that prioritises employee growth through mentorship and technical leadership opportunities, alongside a comprehensive benefits package including enhanced holiday allowances and private medical insurance. Located in Horsham, our studio provides a unique blend of flexibility with hybrid working options, allowing you to thrive both in-person and remotely while contributing to high-impact projects across multiple platforms.
Creative Assembly

Contact Detail:

Creative Assembly Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Senior Build Engineer

✨Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees at Creative Assembly on LinkedIn. A friendly chat can give you insider info and maybe even a referral, which can really boost your chances.

✨Tip Number 2

Show off your skills in action! If you’ve got a portfolio or GitHub with relevant projects, make sure to highlight them during interviews. It’s a great way to demonstrate your expertise in build systems and CI/CD pipelines.

✨Tip Number 3

Prepare for technical challenges! Brush up on your C++ and C# skills, and be ready to tackle some coding problems during the interview. They’ll want to see how you think and solve issues on the spot.

✨Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining the team at Creative Assembly.

We think you need these skills to ace Senior Build Engineer

Build Systems Design
CI/CD Pipeline Management
DevOps Platforms
C++ Programming
C# or Scripting Language Proficiency
Debugging Complex Systems
Console Automation (PS5/Xbox)
Online Store API Integration (e.g. Steam/MS)
Version Control Systems (Perforce)
Branching Strategies in Multi-Project Environments
Strong Communication Skills
Architectural Thinking
Hardware Build Farms Management
Build Storage and Archiving Strategies
Tooling UX Improvement

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Senior Build Engineer role. Highlight your experience with build systems, CI/CD pipelines, and any relevant programming skills in C++ or C#. We want to see how your background aligns with what we're looking for!

Showcase Your Projects: Include specific examples of projects you've worked on that demonstrate your ability to drive technical improvements and lead initiatives. This is your chance to show us how you've made an impact in previous roles!

Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it clear and concise. Use bullet points where possible to make it easy for us to read through your experience and skills. We appreciate a well-structured application!

Apply Through Our Website: Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, we love seeing applications come directly from our site!

How to prepare for a job interview at Creative Assembly

✨Know Your Build Systems

Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of build systems and CI/CD pipelines. Be ready to discuss your past experiences in designing and improving these systems, especially at scale. Highlight specific projects where you made a significant impact.

✨Show Off Your Coding Skills

Since the role requires strong programming abilities in C++ and C#, prepare to talk about your coding experience. Bring examples of production-ready code you've written and be ready to discuss your approach to quality and maintainability.

✨Communicate Effectively

Strong communication skills are key for this role. Practice articulating complex technical concepts clearly and concisely. Think about how you can influence cross-disciplinary teams and be prepared to share examples of how you've done this in the past.

✨Prepare for Problem-Solving

Expect to face some technical challenges during the interview. Brush up on your debugging skills and be ready to tackle hypothetical scenarios related to build/test issues. Show them how you approach problem-solving and your ability to triage complex issues.

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