Director of Technology, Games

Netflix is one of the world's leading entertainment services, with 283 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, films and games across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can play, pause and resume watching as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, and can change their plans at any time.

We are seeking a visionary and dynamic Director of Technology to lead our technical strategy and innovation in the gaming space. This role is pivotal in shaping the technical landscape of our gaming initiatives, ensuring that our technologies align with the broader Netflix service. You will work closely with our world-class Netflix engineering and platform teams to enable the creation of exceptional games and transmedia experiences.

As the Director of Technology, you will also lead our R&D labs, which play a crucial role in pioneering and validating innovative Netflix technologies through the creation of experimental games. Your strategic oversight will guide these labs in exploring new frontiers and demonstrating the potential of emerging technologies. By fostering a culture of creativity and technical excellence, you will ensure that these initiatives contribute significantly to the advancement and success of our gaming platform.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead Technical Vision and Roadmap: Develop and implement the technical vision and roadmap across all game teams, ensuring alignment with our game portfolio and platform strategy. Your leadership will drive the integration of cutting-edge technologies and best practices.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with Netflix platform/product teams and cross-functional organizations to deliver the technical capabilities and features required by our studios and developers. Your role will be crucial in ensuring seamless integration and alignment with broader company goals.

• Risk Management and Solution Development: Proactively identify and address potential technical risks, ensuring the development of robust and scalable solutions for both in-house and licensed game titles. Your ability to foresee challenges and devise effective strategies will be crucial in maintaining the integrity and performance of our gaming technologies.

• Strategic Oversight and Mentorship: Offer visionary leadership and mentorship to our technical teams, empowering them to excel and innovate. Your role will be pivotal in nurturing talent, promoting a culture of continuous improvement, and driving the organization towards technical excellence and creative breakthroughs.

• Evaluation of External Capabilities: Review and evaluate the technical capabilities of 2nd and 3rd party teams, as well as M&A opportunities. Your insights will guide strategic decisions and partnerships.

• Oversee R&D Labs: Lead our Games R&D labs, focusing on the development of experimental game prototypes to validate and steer Netflix Game technologies. This includes the Tech Lab, which builds prototypes to validate systems, tools, and processes, and the Transmedia Pipeline Lab, which enhances workflows across games, linear media, and derived products like consumer and marketing experiences.

Qualifications:

• A deep passion for gaming and a strong understanding of the gaming industry, coupled with a commitment to driving significant business value.

• A minimum of 10 years of engineering experience in the gaming industry, including at least 5 years in engineering management roles.

• Experience in leading geographically distributed and/or global teams. 

• Extensive knowledge of game architecture, game engines, and game tools.

• Strong organizational and communication skills, with the ability to manage relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.

• A collaborative, creative, and entrepreneurial spirit, with a proven track record of leading technical teams to success.

Our compensation structure consists solely of an annual salary; we do not have bonuses. You choose each year how much of your compensation you want in salary versus stock options. To determine your personal top-of-market compensation, we rely on market indicators and consider your specific job family, background, skills, and experience to determine your compensation in the market range. The range for this role is $430,000 - $840,000.

Netflix provides comprehensive benefits including Health Plans, Mental Health support, a 401(k) Retirement Plan with employer match, Stock Option Program, Disability Programs, Health Savings and Flexible Spending Accounts, Family-forming benefits, and Life and Serious Injury Benefits. We also offer paid leave of absence programs.  Full-time hourly employees accrue 35 days annually for paid time off to be used for vacation, holidays, and sick paid time off. Full-time salaried employees are immediately entitled to flexible time off. See more details about our Benefits here.

Inclusion is a Netflix value and we strive to host a meaningful interview experience for all candidates. If you want an accommodation/adjustment for a disability or any other reason during the hiring process, please send a request to your recruiting partner.

We are an equal-opportunity employer and celebrate diversity, recognizing that diversity builds stronger teams. We approach diversity and inclusion seriously and thoughtfully. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, ancestry, national origin, caste, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, age, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic makeup, marital status, or military service.