Lead Software Engineer (Game Play / Engine)

Job Description

Expert in building game play features and developing engine tech? 

Then get your application ready, we're looking for you! 

Play Software builds technology enabled play; where LEGO play sets are combined with electronic hardware and software to build a Play experience. 

As part of the Play Experience team, you will be a central part of the Play Software organization as we build interactive experiences for kids, working across all technical teams, while always focusing on the experience of LEGO fans of all ages. 

Responsibilities 

We are looking for a Lead Software Engineer to define and drive technical architecture of a high-performance core engines and software platforms. You will lead the design and develop software components that enables the teams to create engaging play experiences using physical capabilities such as motion, sound and colour detection. Through robust and reusable software, you will help bring our tech-enabled toys to life. 

You will take technical ownership of the engine, establishing its architectural foundations, guiding major technical decisions and ensuring that the platform remains reliable, scalable and fit for future needs. You will combine hands-on engineering with technical leadership, enabling engineers to deliver a cohesive system.  

• Translate strategic objectives into an achievable technical roadmap, identify and communicate the trade-off and risks, align the software delivery with stakeholders. 

• Define architecture and vision, align with product and platform objectives. 

• Lead the design and implementation of the engine capabilities, remain hands-on on the technical challenging problems and architecture areas.  

• Provide technical direction, review critical designs and code, raise the team's engineering standards. 

• Establish engineering strategies for performance improvement and resources usage within a constrained system. 

• Drive the improvement of processes and workflows. 

Requirements 

• Proven experience leading and building reusable platforms and components as the foundation for building scalable play experiences. 

• Strong experience in technical leadership of software engineering teams. 

• Demonstrated experience resolving complex architecture and performance challenges that affect a platform 

• Strong software development skills, fluent in C++/C. 

• Experience with Domain Specific Languages (DSL). 

• Proven ability to lead technical delivery across multiple components, manage architectural dependencies and resolve cross-team engineering issues. 

• Strong experience in using task management software like Jira. 

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical decisions and align engineers and stakeholders. 

Nice to have:

• Experience with connected toys, wearables, IoT or other hardware-software products (BLE, NFC/RFID, sensors, low-power devices). 

• Experience with game engines (Unity, Unreal, Godot) and building designer-facing tools and data-driven content pipelines. 

• Audio programming or interactive sound design experience. 

• Experience designing play for children, including playtesting with kids and working within child safety and privacy regulations. 

• A passion for LEGO play and a curiosity for inventing new forms of play. 

Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis. However, please note we do amend or withdraw our jobs and reserve the right to do so at any time, including prior to any advertised closing date. So, if you're interested in this role we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

What’s in it for you?

Here is what you can expect:

Family Care Leave - We offer enhanced paid leave options for those important times.

Insurances – All colleagues are covered by our life and disability insurance which provides protection and peace of mind.

Wellbeing - We want our people to feel well and thrive. We offer resources and benefits to nurture physical and mental wellbeing along with opportunities to build community and inspire creativity.

Colleague Discount – We know you'll love to build, so from day 1 you will qualify for our generous colleague discount.

Bonus - We do our best work to succeed together. When goals are reached and if eligible, you'll be rewarded through our bonus scheme.

Your workplace: Your workplace will be the office, store or factory specified in this advert.

Hybrid Working: Our hybrid work model, Best of Both offers you the option of flexibility to work from home up to two days per week. Your People Leader will discuss the principles of the model, including how this option applies to your role and team.

Learn more about our benefits, culture and workplace experience here

Children are our role models. Their curiosity, creativity and imagination inspire everything we do. We strive to create a diverse, dynamic and inclusive culture of play at the LEGO Group, where everyone feels safe, valued and they belong.

The LEGO Group is highly committed to equal employment opportunity and equal pay and seeks to encourage applicants from all backgrounds (eg. sex, gender identity or expression, race/ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, age and religion) to apply for roles in our team.

The LEGO Group is fully committed to Children’s Rights and Child Wellbeing across the globe. Candidates offered positions with high engagement with children are required to take part in Child Safeguarding Background Screening, as a condition of the offer.

Thank you for sharing our global commitment to Children’s Rights.

Just imagine building your dream career.

Then make it real.

Join the LEGO® team today.