Scale Engineer

Software Engineering Manager

Software Engineering ManagerP1High

This interview process is designed to assess candidates for a Software Engineering Manager (P1 level) position at Riot Games. It evaluates leadership potential, technical acumen, people management skills, and strategic thinking relevant to game development.

Rounds·4

Timeline·~15d

Experience·5 - 8 yrs

Comp band·US$170000 - US$220000

Interview time·210 min

Evaluation

What they measure.

  • Leadership and people management skills (coaching, mentoring, performance management).
  • Technical depth and breadth (understanding of software architecture, development processes, and relevant technologies).
  • Strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities.
  • Communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Cultural fit and alignment with Riot's values.

Preparation

How to prepare.

Tips

  1. Deeply understand the role of an Engineering Manager at Riot Games, focusing on people leadership, technical guidance, and strategic contribution.
  2. Review your past experiences and identify specific examples that demonstrate your leadership, problem-solving, and technical skills. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers.
  3. Familiarize yourself with Riot Games' culture, values, and recent projects. Understand what makes Riot unique.
  4. Prepare to discuss your management philosophy, including how you coach, mentor, and develop engineers.
  5. Brush up on fundamental computer science concepts, software architecture principles, and common development methodologies (Agile, Scrum, Kanban).
  6. Think about how you handle conflict, difficult conversations, and performance issues within a team.
  7. Consider your experience with scaling teams, managing technical debt, and ensuring software quality in a live-service environment.
  8. Be ready to discuss your approach to fostering innovation and psychological safety.
  9. Prepare thoughtful questions to ask the interviewers about the team, the role, and Riot's engineering culture.

Study plan

Fig · Study plan — 04 phases

01 / 04
01

Phase 01 of 04

Company & Self-Assessment

Weeks 1-2: Riot culture, values, resume review, STAR method basics.

Weeks 1-2: Deep dive into Riot Games' culture, values, and recent game releases. Understand the company's mission and player-centric approach. Review your resume and identify key leadership and technical achievements. Begin structuring STAR method examples for common management scenarios.

Questions

Commonly asked.

  • Describe your leadership philosophy and how you motivate and inspire engineering teams.
  • Tell me about a time you had to manage a significant technical challenge or project failure. What did you learn?
  • How do you balance the needs of your team with the broader goals of the organization?
  • How do you foster a culture of continuous improvement and learning within your team?
  • Describe your experience with hiring and retaining top engineering talent.
  • How do you handle underperforming team members?
  • What is your approach to managing technical debt?
  • How do you ensure the quality and reliability of software delivered by your team?
  • Tell me about a time you had to influence stakeholders or senior leadership to adopt a particular technical direction.
  • How do you stay updated with the latest technologies and trends in software development and the gaming industry?

Locations

Regional differences.

Fig · Regions — 02 locations

01 / 02

Location

Los Angeles, USA

Interview focus

Understanding of Riot's specific game development pipelines and challenges.Experience with live-service game operations and player-focused development.Cultural fit with Riot's collaborative and player-centric values.Ability to navigate the unique demands of the gaming industry.

Common questions

  • How would you handle a conflict between two senior engineers on your team?
  • Describe a time you had to deliver difficult feedback to a direct report. What was the outcome?
  • How do you foster a culture of innovation and psychological safety within a team?
  • What are your strategies for managing remote or distributed teams effectively?
  • Tell me about a project where you had to balance technical debt with feature delivery. How did you make the decision?
  • How do you stay current with emerging technologies and assess their potential impact on our games?
  • Describe your experience with agile methodologies and how you adapt them to a game development context.
  • How do you identify and develop high-potential talent on your team?
  • What are your thoughts on performance reviews and career progression for engineers?
  • How do you ensure the quality and stability of software in a live-service game environment?

Tips

  • Research Riot's current game titles and recent updates.
  • Familiarize yourself with Riot's company culture and values (e.g., Player Experience, Collaboration, Impact).
  • Be prepared to discuss your experience in game development or related fast-paced, iterative environments.
  • Highlight any experience with cross-functional collaboration (e.g., with art, design, production).

Rounds

Round-by-round.

Expand a step for evaluation criteria, sample questions, and prep notes.

DSA

Coding questions at Riot Games.

Frequently reported on Riot Games loops

View all at Riot Games

Other guides

More at Riot Games.