At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and implement cutting-edge AI for thrilling vehicular combat games.
- Company: Join Wargaming, a leading game developer with a vibrant culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy 5 weeks annual leave, remote work, and wellness perks.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with opportunities for career growth and mentorship.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of AI innovation in gaming and make a real impact.
- Qualifications: Strong C++ skills and experience in multiplayer or simulation-heavy titles.
The predicted salary is between 48000 - 84000 £ per year.
Job Overview
We\'re building a next-generation AI stack for large-scale, session-based vehicular combat. You\'ll own end-to-end AI features—from behavior technical design to integration with our server simulation, sensory systems, telemetry, and ML inference services. You\'ll help us move from \\\"default bots\\\" to adaptive, performant, debuggable opponents and squadmates that feel human without breaking fairness or the server budget.
What will you do?
- Design & Implement Behaviors: Ship production-grade AI using GOAP, Utility AI, and/or BTs, choosing the right tool per feature (target selection, positioning, driving, firing, evasion, cooperation).
- Author Sensors & World State: Build reusable sensors, perception pipelines, blackboards/knowledge graphs, and data streams (LOS/LOF, threat & opportunity scoring, terrain/cover, trafficability, dynamic obstacles).
- Telemetry & Tooling: Add introspection/telemetry (action traces, scores, timers, counters), record-and-replay, debug overlays/heatmaps, and scenario harnesses for regression.
- Performance & Quality: Profile and optimize C++ AI systems (jobs/ECS/multithreading, memory locality, cache behavior, lock contention) to hit tight frame budgets.
- ML Inference Hooks: Integrate with model inference services, define data contracts, and gate ML policies safely behind deterministic fallbacks.
- Collaboration & Mentoring: Partner with gameplay, engine, online, and data teams; review code; mentor mid/junior engineers; uphold coding standards and test discipline.
What are we looking for?
- Strong C++ (C++17/20) in large, real-time codebases; STL, templates, memory/perf, concurrency; solid debugging and profiling chops.
- Shipped features on at least one multiplayer or simulation-heavy title (AA/AAA or high-quality indie) with AI ownership.
- Deep knowledge of at least one AI architecture (GOAP, Utility AI, BTs) and practical understanding of when/why to use each.
- Experience building perception/sensing systems and scoring/utility functions, not just wiring nodes.
- Proven ability to design debuggability in from day one (telemetry, traces, visualization, reproducible test scenarios).
- Tools: Git/Perforce, CMake, Visual Studio/Clang, CI fundamentals.
What additional skills will help you stand out?
- Python 2.7 and 3.10+ for tooling or scripting; binding Python-C++ and shipping safe/native bridges.
- Hands-on with ML for games (data collection, labeling, offline training, online inference, A/B evaluation); familiarity with RL/imitation learning concepts.
- Experience with inference runtimes (ONNX Runtime, Triton), serialization (protobuf/flatbuffers), and service plumbing (gRPC/HTTP, Kafka/Kinesis).
- Navigation for vehicles at scale (terrain analysis, cost fields, flow fields, RVO/ORCA).
- Prior end-to-end AI work on shipped or open-source titles showing full ownership from design to debugging.
- Exposure to ECS/job systems, lock-free structures, and SIMD; Windows/Linux cross-platform builds.
Tech You\'ll Touch
- C++17/20, custom engines, internal ECS/job systems
- Python 2.7 (tooling) and 3.10+ (machine learning)
- Build/CI: CMake, Teamcity
- Observability: internal telemetry, replay tools, debug UIs/overlays
- (Optional) ML: ONNX/TorchScript/TensorRT, gRPC/REST service
Expected Outcomes (First 12 Months)
- Ship a robust AI behavior slice (e.g., target selection + driving + firing loop) with clear KPIs (engagement quality, fairness, perf budget).
- Deliver a sensor & scoring framework that other engineers/designers can extend safely.
- Stand up AI telemetry & replay that shortens bug reproduction cycles from days to hours.
- Integrate and harden one ML-backed component behind toggles and fallbacks.
What to Include with Your Application
- Short note on an AI system you owned: problem, architecture choice, trade-offs, and how you measured success.
- Links to demos, videos, or repos (including open-source or modding AI work).
- Optional brief example of a telemetry view or replay harness you built.
Work mode
- Remote (from anywhere within the selected country/EU).
Benefits
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 of 30 days per year, with the option to buy up to 5 additional days.
- 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 free snacks and drinks
- Video games area
- Family coverage for Private Medical Insurance, Life Insurance, Pension scheme with matched 4% employee contribution
- Mental well-being program (iFeel)
- Wellbeing perks (Mental Health Days, Well-being room, Mental Health 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
- DPS Games, a Wargaming company, is a main European hub for game development with 25 years of experience
- To learn more about our studio in Guildford, follow this link: https://dpsgames.com/studio
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 offices worldwide. Our flagship products include World of Tanks, World of Warships and World of Tanks Blitz. Please see Wargaming Candidate Privacy Policy for details on how we use your personal data.
Senior AI Developer (C++ / Gameplay AI) employer: Wargaming
At Wargaming, we pride ourselves on fostering a dynamic and inclusive work culture that empowers our employees to innovate and grow. As a Senior AI Developer in Guildford, you'll enjoy generous benefits such as five weeks of annual leave, enhanced family leave, and a dog-friendly office environment, all while collaborating with talented teams on cutting-edge AI technologies in the gaming industry. With ample opportunities for career development and a focus on mental well-being, Wargaming is an exceptional employer for those seeking meaningful and rewarding work in game development.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior AI Developer (C++ / Gameplay AI)
✨Tip Number 1
Get your networking game on! Connect with folks in the industry, especially those already working at Wargaming. A friendly chat can sometimes lead to a referral, which is like gold dust in job hunting.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! If you've got a portfolio or any projects that highlight your AI development chops, make sure to share them. Demos, videos, or even GitHub repos can really make you stand out.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for the interview like it’s a boss battle! Research common interview questions for AI developers and practice your answers. Be ready to discuss your past projects and how you tackled challenges.
✨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.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior AI Developer (C++ / Gameplay AI)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your AI Experience:When you apply, make sure to include a short note about an AI system you've owned. Talk about the problem you tackled, the architecture you chose, and how you measured success. This is your chance to shine and show us what you're made of!
Link to Your Work:Don’t forget to include links to any demos, videos, or repositories that showcase your work. Whether it's open-source projects or modding AI, we want to see what you've done. It helps us get a feel for your skills and creativity!
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to highlight your C++ experience and any shipped features in multiplayer or simulation-heavy titles. We’re looking for specific skills, so don’t be shy about showcasing your relevant experience!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands. Plus, it shows us you’re serious about joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Wargaming
✨Know Your AI Architectures
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of AI architectures like GOAP, Utility AI, and Behaviour Trees. Be ready to discuss specific scenarios where you've implemented these in past projects, as this will show your depth of understanding and practical experience.
✨Showcase Your C++ Skills
Since strong C++ skills are a must for this role, prepare to demonstrate your proficiency. Bring examples of your work with C++17/20, especially in real-time codebases. Be ready to talk about debugging and profiling techniques you've used to optimise performance.
✨Prepare for Technical Questions
Expect technical questions that dive deep into AI behaviour design and implementation. Think about how you would approach building sensors and perception systems, and be prepared to explain your thought process clearly and confidently.
✨Highlight Collaboration Experience
This role involves working closely with various teams, so be sure to highlight your collaboration and mentoring experiences. Share examples of how you've partnered with other engineers or designers to deliver successful AI features, showcasing your teamwork skills.