At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive technical improvements in build systems and support multiple game teams.
- Company: Join Creative Assembly, a leader in crafting immersive games.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, competitive salary, and comprehensive health benefits.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on game development and enhance developer productivity.
- Qualifications: Strong experience in build systems and programming skills in C++.
The predicted salary is between 59400 - 72600 £ per year.
Join Creative Assembly and craft deep and detailed games that last, entertaining millions of players across the globe for decades.
The Role Creative Assembly’s Total War Infrastructure Team is seeking a Senior Build Tools 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, test 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.
- What you’ll be doing
- 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 test 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 Dev Ops platforms at scale.
- Strong programming ability in C++, plus C# or an equivalent scripting language.
- Deep debugging skills across complex multi-component 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.
Desirable
- 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.
- ABOUT CREATIVE ASSEMBLY
We care deeply about the experiences we create and put our players at the heart of our decisions.
We are all game makers; no matter our role we are empowered to make significant contributions to our games, supported by skills development and growth opportunities.
Most roles at Creative Assembly are hybrid with 3 days a week in the studio.
CA has the right to change requirements based on the needs of the business.
We offer many benefits to support you and your family including
- 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
- Performance-based discretionary bonus scheme
- Bespoke relocation package for you and your dependents
- Private medical and dental insurance, life insurance and free health care screening
- Additional benefits ranging from free games and work parties to discounts 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.
WORKING THE SEGA WAY
We believe that making the best games relies on having the best people, so we make sure that we look after ours… For our gaming buffs, you can get involved in our lunchtime get gaming sessions in our games lounge and Club SEGA, regular gaming tournaments and free SEGA games on Steam.
If you're more of a foodie, you can take advantage of fresh fruit and cereal every single day.
Fitness fanatics will love our discounted gym membership, ride to work scheme, workout area and bootcamps in the business park.
You can find your zen with weekly yoga classes as well as in-house massage therapy.
You'll have access to a comprehensive benefits package that includes life assurance, income protection, private healthcare & dental insurance schemes and an enhanced contributory pension scheme.
We offer competitive salaries and a fantastic bonus scheme so that you can stay motivated and focused on making SEGA the best it can be.
We hold regular lunch & learn sessions, company updates at incredible venues in Central London and Christmas parties that you’ll want to brag to your mates about!
What’s not to love?
We pride ourselves on having flexible working hours to ensure that you have a life outside of the office.
We want people of all backgrounds to see themselves represented and included in our work, so we actively seek to diversify our team and bring more voices to the table.
All applicants are welcome!
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Check out our Careers Website to find out why we are a workplace you’ll never want to leave!
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Senior Build Tools Engineer in Horsham employer: The Creative Assembly Ltd
Creative Assembly is an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture that prioritises employee well-being and professional growth. With a hybrid working model based in Horsham, employees enjoy flexible hours, enhanced holiday allowances, and a range of unique benefits including gaming sessions, fitness classes, and comprehensive health support. Join us to be part of a passionate team dedicated to crafting immersive gaming experiences while enjoying a supportive environment that values diversity and innovation.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Build Tools Engineer in Horsham
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at The Creative Assembly Ltd or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to The Creative Assembly Ltd.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like The Creative Assembly Ltd.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like The Creative Assembly Ltd that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Build Tools Engineer in Horsham
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at The Creative Assembly Ltd.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at The Creative Assembly Ltd and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at The Creative Assembly Ltd
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If The Creative Assembly Ltd uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.