Business Unit

LIGHTSPEED STUDIOS is made up of passionate players who advance the art & science of game development through great stories, great gameplay, and advanced technology. We are focused on bringing next generation experiences to gamers who want to enjoy them anywhere, anytime, across multiple genres and devices.

What the Role Entails

As Technical Director, you will define and drive technical strategy, ensuring our engineering decisions directly support our long-term product goals. You'll work closely with the Creative Director and core leadership to set and sustain the technical vision, keeping engineering decisions aligned with the creative direction and built to serve a global audience. The role leads a distributed engineering organization, partnering day to day with development teams across multiple regions and time zones.

• Partner with the Creative Director and core leadership to define and maintain the project's technical vision, and build the technical roadmap that supports it.
• Work alongside design, art, and other disciplines to keep development efficient and unblocked.
• Set the studio's technical standards and practices, holding the bar on stability, performance, and quality across all technical deliverables.
• Ensure the technical foundation complements and enhances the game's narrative and gameplay.
• Build and lead a high-performing core tech team; mentor and develop the broader engineering group.
• Own implementation of core technical systems, from architecture through ship.
• Foster an environment that values creativity, professional growth, and diversity.
• Keep the team and studio leadership aligned on technical direction, trade-offs, and priorities.

Who We Look For

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, or equivalent practical experience.
• 10+ years in the game industry, including 5+ years leading AAA engineering teams.
• Strong hands-on programming skills, proficient in C++ and a track record of building scalable core game systems.
• Deep understanding of the game production pipeline.
• Experience managing technical organizations at scale — process, structure, and technical governance.
• Multi-platform AAA development and shipping experience.

Preferred

• Experience leading distributed engineering teams across multiple regions and time zones.
• Unreal Engine experience.

Location State(s)

US-California-Irvine

The expected base pay range for this position in the location(s) listed above is $168,500.00 to $347,200.00 per year. Actual pay may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Employees hired for this position may be eligible for a sign on payment, relocation package, and restricted stock units, which will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Subject to the terms and conditions of the plans in effect, hired applicants are also eligible for medical, dental, vision, life and disability benefits, and participation in the Company’s 401(k) plan. The Employee is also eligible for up to 15 to 25 days of vacation per year (depending on the employee’s tenure), up to 13 days of holidays throughout the calendar year, and up to 10 days of paid sick leave per year. Your benefits may be adjusted to reflect your location, employment status, duration of employment with the company, and position level. Benefits may also be pro-rated for those who start working during the calendar year.

Equal Employment Opportunity at Tencent

As an equal opportunity employer, we firmly believe that diverse voices fuel our innovation and allow us to better serve our users and the community. We foster an environment where every employee of Tencent feels supported and inspired to achieve individual and common goals.