Welcome to Maxis, home to tinkerers, craftspeople, & storytellers. We aim to inspire everyone to make a better world through creative play. As the developer of The Sims, we create games and experiences for millions of people around the world and are always looking for new ways to inspire our players. Maxis is a place where you can do what you love and help others grow while doing it, a place where your unique voice can be heard and seen. We put creativity and inclusivity at the core of our work and don't settle for seeing the world only as it is but strive to build a world as it could be.
As a Core Engineer, you will focus on developing foundational tech for game experiences, with an emphasis on engine and game client systems. Your work will span feature architecture, implementation, and performance optimization. Success in this role requires strong technical and problem-solving skills, as well as the ability to collaborate and communicate effectively with cross-functional teams.
You will report to a Development Director as part of the project team.
Responsibilities
Implement core features and systems in C++, extending existing systems and creating new ones
Collaborate with designers, producers, content creators, and other engineers to develop game features and solve in-game challenges
Write technical design documents outlining software requirements
Develop performant, memory efficient code for game client systems
Debug, document, and resolve issues
Apply software engineering best practices across the development lifecycle, including agile methodologies, coding standards, code reviews, source control, build processes, testing, and operations
Partner with technical directors, engineering leads, and other engineers to improve game performance and scalability
Qualifications
Please note that you do not need to qualify for all requirements to be considered. We encourage you to apply if you can meet most of the requirements and are comfortable opening a dialog to be considered.
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related field
5+ years of hands-on experience in a software engineering role
Proficiency in modern C++
Experience with Windows platforms and development tools (e.g., Visual Studio or other IDEs)
Experience with performance tools and profilers (e.g., Unreal Insights, VTune, Razor GPU/CPU Profiler, or similar)
Experience debugging and optimizing complex applications
Experience using Perforce or Git-based workflows for code management
Strong collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to tailor messaging to different audiences and cross-functional teams
Pluses:
Experience with commercial game engines
Experience developing client-side game systems across varied hardware or platform environments
Experience working on large, data-driven games or applications
Experience using automation tools to improve code quality and workflows
Familiarity with graphics libraries (e.g., DirectX, Vulkan, Metal)
Familiarity with The Sims on PC, Mac, mobile, or consoles