Electronic Arts

About Respawn Entertainment

Founded in 2010 by the original creators of the Call of Duty Franchise, Respawn was created with the philosophy that when talented people have creative freedom, they'll make extraordinary games that achieve the unexpected. From our roots as an indie studio to joining the expansive roster of studios at Electronic Arts, this remains our guiding principle. We truly love what we do and want to share our passion with players worldwide. Our shipped titles include critically acclaimed multi-platform games Apex Legends, Titanfall, Titanfall 2, Star Wars™ Jedi: Fallen Order, Star Wars™ Jedi: Survivor and Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond. Join us for the opportunity to create groundbreaking games with some of the best developer talent in the industry.

Role Overview

As a Technical Lead on our Foundations team, you will drive the evolution of the low-level, performance-critical systems at the core of Apex Legends’ game engine, including CPU performance, memory management, load times, platform support, script compilers, animation, and audio. You will lead a team of senior, versatile engineers, taking ownership of building technical roadmaps and tackling the most complex and impactful engine challenges across diverse domains. In a fast-paced environment with frequent updates, you will carefully plan major technical changes to ensure a stable, shippable codebase. Your role will require exceptional problem-solving, technical expertise, and collaborative leadership to simplify and enhance a mature, complex codebase, delivering seamless player experiences worldwide.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of senior generalist engineers, fostering a collaborative, solutions-focused environment.
  
  

• Plan and execute major technical changes while maintaining a stable live-service codebase.
  
  

• Solve complex challenges across multithreading, build processes, CPU optimization, and scripting systems.
  
  

• Analyze and improve existing systems to streamline performance and maintainability.
  
  

• Define technical roadmaps and staffing plans aligned with long-term engine goals.
  
  

• Mentor engineers through reviews, architecture discussions, and hands-on guidance.
  
  

• Architect, implement, and maintain low-level engine systems in C++.
  
  

• Collaborate across disciplines to design efficient, scalable solutions.
  
  

• Optimize systems for memory, CPU, and streaming performance.
  
  

• Lead cross-platform development for Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo hardware.
  
  

• Debug and resolve complex engine issues in large-scale, live environments.
  
  

• Partner with internal and external tech teams (EA Central Tech, first-party partners) to integrate new technologies.
  
  

Requirements

• Passion for games and improving core engine systems.
  
  

• Technical expertise: Deep C/C++ and systems programming knowledge; strong focus on performance and optimization.
  
  

• Versatility: Comfortable across engine domains and large codebases.
  
  

• Experience: 10+ years in game development, including 5+ in engine architecture and 3+ in a technical leadership role.
  
  

• Leadership: Proven ability to guide experienced engineers and align teams on complex goals.
  
  

• Platform knowledge: AAA engines, console development (Sony/Microsoft/Nintendo), Perforce, Visual Studio, Windows; shipped at least one AAA title.
  
  

• Skills: Expert debugging and performance optimization using industry profilers; cross-disciplinary collaboration and solutions-focused mindset.
  
  

• Preferred: Bachelor’s degree in CS/Math, experience with PS5/Xbox Series X|S, multiplayer AAA titles, or Linux debugging.
  
  

If you’re thrilled by the challenge of driving Apex Legends’ core engine systems forward and leading a talented team to solve tough technical problems, we want to talk to you! Don't let doubt deter you - we are an equal opportunity team excited about our next journey. Please submit your resume to apply. We will get back to you once we have a chance to review.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The ranges listed below are what EA in good faith expects to pay applicants for this role in these locations at the time of this posting. If you reside in a different location, a recruiter will advise on the applicable range and benefits. Pay offered will be determined based on a number of relevant business and candidate factors (e.g. education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, or business needs). 

PAY RANGES

In the US, we offer a package of benefits including paid time off (3 weeks per year to start), 80 hours per year of sick time, 16 paid company holidays per year, 10 weeks paid time off to bond with baby, medical/dental/vision insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, and 401(k) to regular full-time employees. Certain roles may also be eligible for bonus and equity.

In British Columbia, we offer a package of benefits including vacation (3 weeks per year to start), 10 days per year of sick time, paid top-up to EI/QPIP benefits up to 100% of base salary when you welcome a new child (12 weeks for maternity, and 4 weeks for parental/adoption leave), extended health/dental/vision coverage, life insurance, disability insurance, retirement plan to regular full-time employees. Certain roles may also be eligible for bonus and equity.