Startup Careers : Game

Flash Developer - Social Games - San Mateo, CA

admin — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 22:37:00 GMT

Do you have what it takes to be a Chocoholic?

We are looking for top-notch Flash Developers to join our Engineering Team! Our Flash Developers are building great social games that are fun, viral, and will be used by millions! Come build outstanding web-based products in a collaborative environment!

Digital Chocolate is the world's most efficient producer of high quality, original games across mass-market casual platforms. With offices in San Mateo, Helsinki, Bangalore, and Barcelona, the company offers more than 60 award-winning games, including Tower Bloxx and AvaPeeps, with a focus on casual, social, and mobile play that is offered globally over both wired and wireless networks. Digital Chocolate was founded in 2003 by CEO Trip Hawkins, who was also the founder and CEO of Electronic Arts. In addition to leading the industry in awards for its mobile games, the company known as "DChoc" has itself won more than 10 awards in the last two years including Best Game Developer of the Year awards from both IGN.com and Mobile Entertainment and inclusion in The Red Herring Global 100. For more information, please visit www.digitalchocolate.com.

Although we are an established company, we have maintained the spirit, camaraderie and teamwork of a startup. Every employee can see how he or she contributes to the company’s success – and be recognized for it.

What We're Looking For:

Expertise in Flash Development: Actionscript 3.0, CPU/Memory optimization, JavaScripts/Flash bridging
Expertise in Web Development: JavaScript, Cross-Browser compatibility
3+ years of solid Software Development experience
Passion for building high-quality, viral, engaging games
Design and Game Development experience
Experience building data-driven, complex, high-transaction Internet applications
BS in Computer Science (or equivalent experience)
Flex experience

How to Apply:

If this looks like your dream job, please email your resume to sm-careers@digitalchocolate.com. Include your name, and the words "Flash Developer" in the subject of your message. Please paste a copy of your resume in the body of the email - we don't open attachments.
Please note that relocation assistance is not offered.

Game Server Developer - San Mateo, CA

admin — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 22:36:00 GMT

Do you have what it takes to be a Chocoholic?

We are looking for top-notch Game Server Developers to join our Engineering Team! Our Web Developers are architecting and building great social games that are fun, viral, and will be used by millions! Come build outstanding products in a collaborative environment!

What We're Looking For:

Experience with Java, Hibernate, Spring, JavaScript, PHP, Ruby
Familiarity with Linux, Apache, MySQL
2+ years of sold Software Development experience
At ease with run-time complexity, caching, and load balancing issues
Clustering knowledge and experience
Facebook and/or MySpace platform experience
Passion for building high-quality, viral, engaging games
BS in Computer Science (or equivalent experience)

How to Apply:

If this looks like your dream job, please email your resume to sm-careers@digitalchocolate.com. Include your name, and the words "Game Server Developer" in the subject of your message. Please paste a copy of your resume in the body of the email - we don't open attachments.
Please note that relocation assistance is not offered.

Lead Artist - Social Games - San Mateo, CA

admin — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 22:35:00 GMT

Do you have what it takes to be a Chocoholic?
We are looking for a Lead Artist to contribute to the development of innovative social games for Digital Chocolate.

The Job

The lead artist will create art for social games across multiple platforms, primarily web and iPhone. This includes creating characters, animations, backgrounds, environments and UI.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or higher
3 years of experience
Experience creating a broad range of art styles in both 2D and 3D
Solid understanding of color
Solid understanding of game UI
Solid foundation in art skills
Ability to multitask and prioritize and work on multiple games and platforms simultaneously
Ability to take something from concept to completion
Experience developing games desirable
Previous experience as a lead artist in a game preferred
Experienced with Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash and similar
Specific Flash and Maya knowledge is a plus
Work samples required

Junior Artist - Social Games - San Mateo, CA

admin — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 22:34:00 GMT

Do you have what it takes to be a Chocoholic?
We are looking for a Junior Artist to contribute to the development of innovative social games for Digital Chocolate.

The Job:

Bachelor's degree or higher
1-3 years of experience
Experience creating a broad range of art styles in both 2D and 3D
Solid understanding of color
Solid understanding of game UI is desirable
Solid foundation in art skills
Ability to multitask and prioritize and work on multiple games and platforms simultaneously
Ability to take something from concept to completion
Experience developing games desirable
Experienced with Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash and similar
Specific Flash and Maya knowledge is a plus
Work samples required

How to Apply:

If this looks like your dream job, please email your resume to the sm-careers@digitalchocolate.com. Include your name, and the words "Lead Artist" in the subject of your message. Please paste a copy of your resume in the body of the email.
Please note that relocation assistance is not offered.

Contract Gameplay Programmer - San Rafael, CA

admin — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 23:34:00 GMT

Telltale Games is searching for a qualified Contract Gameplay Programmer/Software Engineer to work on our growing library of XBLA episodic games. Gameplay Programmers are responsible for the implementation of the games using Lua, C++ and the Telltale Tools.

This position is contract, on-site in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Responsibilities
- Implement gameplay-related functionality including controls, dialogs, puzzles, mini-games, etc using Lua and/or C++
- Implement front end and menu systems, NPC interactions and various other scripted events
- Implement special behaviors in various game scenarios according to story specifications and gameplay needs
- Work closely with designers and tool engineers to create gameplay features using Lua and/or C++
- Work with the Team Leads to implement gameplay systems and refine as needed
- Test and refine gameplay features throughout the development cycle of the project
Essential Skills and Experience
- Proven experience and proficiency with high level scripting languages (examples: Java Script, LUA, Python, Perl)
- Familiar with C/C++
- Demonstrated ability to write clear, maintainable code
- Demonstrated ability to work with designers and artists
- Good communication and interpersonal skills
Preferred Skills and Experience
- Experience with proprietary game scripting systems, especially Lua
- Experience with Visual Studio and Source Safe
- Experience working on Xbox 360 or XBLA titles
- Strong understanding of TCR requirements
- Game industry experience in a design or programming position
- B.S. in Computer Science, Math, or Engineering

If interested, please send your resume, salary requirements, and earliest start date to jobs@telltalegames.com with the subject "Contract Gameplay Programmer". Please be aware that you must be legally qualified to work in the United States to be considered for this position.

Telltale Games is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation or any other classification protected by Federal, State or local law.

Senior Software Engineer (iPhone Games) - San Francisco, CA

admin — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:22:00 GMT

PlayFirst is an innovative entertainment company that makes video games appealing to everyone. We create engaging story worlds that capture imaginations and we make those experiences available everywhere consumers want to play. PlayFirst teams create outstanding games, then we bring those games to life across popular platforms worldwide including PC, Mac, mobile, handheld, and console. The company's portfolio includes world-renowned titles, such as Diner Dash®, Wedding Dash™, Chocolatier™, Chocolatier®, and Dream Chronicles™. PlayFirst games are available in major retailers and on more than 500 sites in 20 languages.

Founded in 2004 by veterans of Internet portals, traditional games publishers, entertainment software, and technology firms, PlayFirst is funded by Mayfield Fund, Trinity Ventures, Rustic Canyon Partners and DCM. PlayFirst, Inc is headquartered in downtown San Francisco. For more information, visit www.playfirst.com.

Job Description:

The Senior Software Engineer for iPhone works directly with the CTO and iPhone Product Manager to establish the technology vision and direction for the iPhone in alignment with PlayFirst’s platform goals. In addition to growing and leading a team of SDK, server-side, and game engineers, this individual will also work closely with cross-functional internal and external teams to support their technology needs. The Senior Software Engineer for iPhone will ensure PlayFirst has the technical foundation upon which to design, develop and ship innovative, award winning, and commercially successful iPhone titles.

Responsibilities:

Responsible for communicating and guiding a technology strategy for the iPhone that positions PlayFirst as an industry leader on the device.
Responsible for managing a team of on-site and off-site developers to create a technical foundation that can be used by internal or external teams to develop a diverse portfolio of games.
Responsible for reviewing the development strategy of project teams including approval of requirements design, technical design, task estimation, implementation plans, automated testing plans, debugging tools, and deployment.
Responsible for evaluating technical risk and ensuring games are deployed against a schedule.

Requirements:

iPhone Programming Experience, including: Objective C++, XCode, Interface Builder, Instruments, Cocoa Touch, UIKit, Core Audio, Core Animation, PowerVR Hardware, Push Notifications, In App Purchase.
Games Programming Experience, including: C++, LUA, XCode / Visual C++, OpenGLES, OpenAL, PlayGround SDK or other games middleware. (e.g. DirectX, Havok, PhysX, Fmod, Unreal, Unity, Torque, etc.)
Familiarity with games middleware or SDK development and release strategies.
Demonstrated strong knowledge of object-oriented design and implementation.
Must have excellent written and verbal communications skills.
Demonstrated ability to evaluate technical risk and make quick decisions to adhere to scheduled and team-agreed timelines.
6 or more years experience professional software development.
4 or more years experience C++ development.
Bachelor's degree (or higher) in Computer Science.
Eligibility to work in the U.S. without sponsorship.

Preferred:

Past success with establishing and communicating technical direction within a mid-sized software development or video game company.
Past success with team based projects for which you were responsible for the full engineering life-cycle from requirements gathering through to deployment.
Understanding of server-side development and back-end systems, including experience with some combination of: PHP, ASP, HTML, Java, J2EE, SQL, Apache, Encryption, TCP/IP & UDP.
Experience with localized and cross-platform product development.
Previous experience reviewing the technical capabilities of 3rd party developers.
Experience with embedded scripting languages (lua, ruby, python, perl, etc.).
Experience developing and deploying networked multiplayer games.

Benefits:

Core benefits include: health, dental, vision, life/disability, flexible spending accounts, 401(k) and stock options. PlayFirst is located downtown in SOMA right by the financial district (2 blocks from BART) and offers great fringe benefits, including generous paid time off, 10 company holidays, chair massage, snacks, refreshments, and company-wide "playdates" to test each of our games during the development process.

Salary and level to be determined by experience and education

To apply for this position, please email your resume in a standard Word or PDF document to jobs@playfirst.com and please include the exact job title in the subject line as above.

Game Producer

admin — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 23:34:00 GMT

Game Producer

Summary:

The Serious Business Game Producer is responsible for the concept, design, and roll-out of our games. Game Producers also provide the roadmap and vision for each game that gets greenlit into production. Game Producers are the source of game requirements (features, balance, theme) and are responsible for the health of their games (virality, engagement, monetization). In a sense, Game Producers can be seen as the CEOs of their game studios.

Responsibilities:

conceptualization of new games

feature roadmap for new and existing games

goaling and management of the performance of their games (virality, engagement, monetization)

keeping pace with game industry trends and dynamics and incorporating them into future game design

prototyping new games and/or game features

coordination with Creative, Engineering, and Community teams in all phases of game development

Requirements:

1-3 years experience as a web-based game producer

2-4 years experience as a game designer (preferrably board games)

Strong biased towards data-backed and process-driven decision-making

Ability to prototype games both on paper and via a programming language

Acute sense of implementation cost per conceptualized game feature

Must have a portfolio of successful games

Send code samples, portfolios, and resumes to work@seriousbusiness.com

iPhone Game Developer - San Mateo, CA

admin — Wed, 27 May 2009 02:41:00 GMT

We are looking for a person to work with our internal development team to create high-quality games for the Apple iPhone and other platforms.

Work with our internal development team to create high-quality games for the Apple iPhone and other platforms.

Be a game developer on iPhone games.
Work day-to-day with Director and team to implement design goals.
Offer creative and technical insights from experience.
Technical guru who leads from experience and knowledge on multiple platforms and projects.
Implement game code and create tools.
Work on other platforms such as Mobile, Online, Console, PC.

Primary Engineering role on published projects in conventional video game, mobile game, and/or web game industry.
Leadership role creating tools and technology for games.
Shipped at least 1 iPhone game
Proficiency, and at least one year working experience, with J2ME or JAVA.
Experience with small-memory devices.

Networking, BREW, Actionscript 3, Flash, C++, and/or Objective C experience.
BS or MS in Computer Science.
Strong Communications Skills.
Knowledge and passion for games.
Experience with xCode, iPhone SDK, Safari, and other Apple iPhone Development processes. (iPod, iPod touch, etc)

Interested?
To Apply: Please send an email to sm-careers@digitalchocolate.com. Type YOUR NAME and the words LEAD IPHONE DEVELOPER in the subject line and paste your resume into the body of your email. We're sorry, but we do not open attachments.

About Us Digital Chocolate is the world's most efficient producer of high quality, original games across mass-market casual platforms. With offices in San Mateo, Helsinki, Bangalore, and Barcelona, the company offers more than 60 award-winning games, including Tower Bloxx and AvaPeeps, with a focus on casual, social, and mobile play that is offered globally over both wired and wireless networks. Digital Chocolate was founded in 2003 by CEO Trip Hawkins, who was also the founder and CEO of Electronic Arts. In addition to leading the industry in awards for its mobile games, the company known as "DChoc" has itself won more than 10 awards in the last two years including Best Game Developer of the Year awards from both IGN.com and Mobile Entertainment and inclusion in The Red Herring Global 100. For more information, please visit www.digitalchocolate.com.

Senior Open-GL Graphics Developer - Menlo Park, CA

admin — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 01:59:00 GMT

Smule is looking for a Senior Open-GL Graphics Developer to help build our next generation of innovative sonic applications for the iPhone

Qualifications:

Degree in Computer Science, Masters degree desirable
Strong C/C++ programming skills
Killer graphics programming
Strong OpenGl, simulation/physical modeling experience and interaction design experience
Strong visual aesthetic sense
Ability to work with a small, fast-paced team of engineers, designers, and product managers

Nice to have::

Game developer experience.
Mobile development experience
Social Media Experience

Come help Smule build the new fabric and in the process unify the world.

send resume to: jobs@smule.com.

In-Game Media Editor - Redwood Shores, CA

admin — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 23:14:00 GMT

We are looking for an In-game Media Editor with passion, enthusiasm, and a very high degree of skill in creating stunning in-game media for marketing and community purposes. On a team led by Jon Van Caneghem, creator of the Might and Magic hall of fame RPG franchise and Heroes of Might and Magic hall of fame strategy franchise, the In-game Media Editor will be tasked with creating and editing In-game cinematic movies, videos, and trailers while displaying a mastery of storytelling through the language of film. Part of the Marketing and Community team, the In-game Media Editor will work embedded with the development team in all aspects of in-game media creation.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Development and editing of In-game cinematic movies, videos, and trailers to create a visual story of a High Fantasy MMO
Tell the visual story of a High Fantasy MMO by creating video assets for online marketing and community use
Develop compelling storyboards, capture in-game footage and edit to create video assets with maximum visual impact
Deliver a variety of assets for use on the web and in broadcast media

REQUIREMENTS

3+ years of experience developing and editing In-game cinematic movies, videos, and trailers
2+ years experience with shipped titles in the video-gaming industry
Excellent proficiency with Final Cut or similar video editing software package
Excellent proficiency with Adobe Photoshop or similar image editing software packages
Strong and demonstrable understanding of industry standard methodologies for effective use of camera and editing.
Ability to work to a schedule
Excellent communication skills
Open to direction and works well in a team environment
Strong passion for film, art, and games

PLUSES

Experience with machinima moviemaking
Experience with live action filming
Experience with audio editing
Familiarity with DVD authoring packages

WITH YOUR APPLICATION

Please include a 60-second demo reel highlighting your best work paying extra attention to timing, lighting, detail, and the dramatics of in-game media

How do I apply for this position?

Send your resume and relevant material to: careers@trionworld.com.
Please put first name/last name: Title of position in the subject line of your email.

Flash Game Programmer (San Francisco, CA)

admin — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 02:35:00 GMT

Zynga is looking for a seasoned Flash Game Programmer to join their growing team! Are you looking to join a team who's committed to working on cutting edge technology flashGameProgrammer having fun doing it?

We are looking for a Flash Game Programmer to work in a highly collaborative environment with our: designers, artists and producers to plan for, develop and deploy bleeding edge Flash/Flex-based games.

This candidate should excel in all aspects of the Flash/Flex/AS3 development skill set. This is an AS3 position focusing on new development in a fast paced environment. This candidate should have the ability to deliver projects successfully and on time with little oversight required. You will be responsible for building features on games that are viewed by millions of users across MySpace & Facebook.

We are committed to developing high quality casual and multi player games! Come join us ...we're having a ball!

CANDIDATE REQUIREMENTS:

B.S. in Computer Science, or equivalent experience
3+ years of solid software development experience
Expertise in Flash Development: Actionscript 3.0 , CPU/Memory optimization, JavaScript/Flash bridging, Cross-browser compatibility
Extensive design and game development experience
Strong knowledge of the software development lifecycle
Strong analytical skills and ability to assist other team members in problem solving
Proficiency in Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash
Build great Flash-based games.
Thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
Experiencing building XML sockets in flash to build multi-user games or applications would be ideal!
Please send us a link that exhibits your work!

Zynga is the #1 social gaming company on the web. The company was founded specifically to add a social element to online games because we all love games, and we love them most when we're playing with friends! Zynga has something for everyone: casino games, word games, role playing games and flirting games which can be found on Facebook, MySpace, Bebo, Hi5 and Friendster. Zynga is looking for people who thrive in a fast paced, entrepreneurial, technology-driven culture and are tenacious about achieving results. Our games are produced by our talented team of developers & designers with an audience of 6.25 million users per day and 55 million registered players. Find out what 18 million monthly players already know! The company has its own building in the Potrero Hill neighborhood of San Francisco that has a high-energy buzz and yummy amenities (we provide lunch and dinner every day!). In July, Zynga announced raising $29 million led by Kleiner Perkins. Check us out: www.zynga.com

This position is located in our corporate office in San Francisco
Competitive salary & stock options & 401k
We provide full benefits: dental, vision, & healthcare
Delicious lunch & dinner every day!

Please send your resume to jobs@zynga.com

Game Master (Santa Clara, CA)

admin — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:35:00 GMT

Game Master (QA background, passion for driving games)

We are currently looking for a motivated individual with great customer service skills and a passion for games.

This Game Master position is a little bit different than usual. We are looking for someone with a background in Quality Assurance, and a passion for driving games in addition to the usual Game Master qualifications. See Project Torque for details on the game: http://project-torque.aeriagames.com/

The ideal candidate should have previous GM or customer service experience, with an extensive amount of customer support management. This person should also possess a strong knowledge of the unique issues inherent to MMO games.

If you have the necessary background and are aware of the desires of gamers, care about their needs and understand the MMO market, contact us today!

Responsibilities:

Test and document bugs;
Draft and outline possible game enhancements and features
Address and resolve customer/player issues;
Develop and maintain customer/player relations;
Investigate and document complex issues with regard to bugs, game exploits, trade and other potential issues;
Distinguish for the team and other departments between high and low priority items, focusing on areas yielding the greatest return, and make sound determinations based on what requires a "sense of urgency".
Document and communicate game/technical/investigation issues to technical staff;
Document and communicate in-game community satisfaction, revenue stream, and revenue-building opportunities to management;
Organize and run events for the community of players;
Provide input on content driven events, updates, and future enhancements;
Monitor game servers to ensure stability and fair game play;

Qualifications:

Fluent in English;
Excellent verbal and written communication skills;
Knowledge and passion for MMOs in general and driving games specifically;
Superb team player;
Good computer skills.
Self-directed, detail oriented, problem solver with a burning desire to contribute to a uniquely creative environment.
Demonstrate an ability to handle multiple demands from superiors and coworkers, have a strong ability to maintain professionalism during times of changes, and display finesse when working under adverse conditions.
Experience with Massive Multiplayer Online Games is ideal

How to Apply

The position you are applying for in the subject line,
A cover letter/email telling us about your related qualifications and achievements,
Your resume in Word or PDF.