Sr. AI Gameplay Engineer

Description

Spark is looking for a Senior AI Gameplay Engineer for a 3rd Person Action/Adventure title in a high-profile science fiction franchise currently in development for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC markets. You will be tasked with functionality goals to realize the vision of a high profile next-generation property currently in prototype development. With input from team engineers, artists, designers in an agile development (SCRUM) environment, implement core game technologies within the Unreal 3 engine for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC markets.

Responsibilities:
• Oversee all aspects of AI behavior development.
• Work closely with engineers, artists, designers to design and implement cutting-edge, realistic, smart and intuitive AI solutions.
• Communicate with Game Designers to create AI behaviors according to specifications and to maximize user experience.
• Design and implement solutions to create realistic motion and animations for AI behaviors.
• Implement and maintain strategic and realistic path finding and path following algorithms as well as formation and grouping algorithms
• Create tools and user interface to easily author AI behaviors.
• Develop, maintain and extend current AI framework for multi platforms.
• Keep abreast of latest AI technology and technique and provide usability/feasibility analysis for the project's AI requirements.
• Develop and maintain network ready code to ensure that it meets multiplayer/coop functionality and requirements: client/server state replications, latency, synchronization, cheating, etc. etc.
• Write well architected, robust, and maintainable code with good coding standards for all platforms with an eye towards usability for multiple games.
• Maintain code performance through profiling and optimization.
• Contributing innovative and original ideas towards all aspects of game production and development.
• Participate in the development of core disciplines (gameplay, UI, graphics or multiplayer)
• Ability to lead, manage, and guide other team members from various departments to complete a level.
• Actively seek review and input from team members
• Assist in writing TDD for the game
• Assist in creating schedule including helping others ensure their schedules are realistic and accurate.
• Create tools, features and engine components in other areas of development as needed with good coding standards.
• Provide documentation and support of implemented features.
• Communicate closely with Lead Gameplay Engineer and CTO regarding the status of assigned tasks as well as potential pitfalls that require redesign.
• Be proactive at fixing issues that are discovered.
• Provide user support in all aspect of the engine and its tools.
• Willingness to assist in all areas of game development.