Scale Engineer

Software Engineering Manager

Software Engineering ManagerP6High

This interview process is designed to assess candidates for a Software Engineering Manager (P6) position at Riot Games. It evaluates leadership potential, technical acumen, people management skills, strategic thinking, and cultural fit within Riot's unique environment.

Rounds·4

Timeline·~21d

Experience·8 - 15 yrs

Comp band·US$180000 - US$250000

Interview time·225 min

Evaluation

What they measure.

  • Leadership and people management skills
  • Technical depth and breadth
  • Strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities
  • Communication and interpersonal skills
  • Cultural alignment with Riot's values (e.g., Player Experience, Collaboration, Integrity)

Preparation

How to prepare.

Tips

  1. Deeply understand Riot Games' mission, values, and player-focused approach.
  2. Review your past experiences and prepare specific examples using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for behavioral questions.
  3. Brush up on software engineering best practices, including agile methodologies, CI/CD, testing strategies, and system design principles.
  4. Think about your leadership philosophy and how you foster a positive and productive team environment.
  5. Research common challenges faced by engineering managers and how you've overcome them.
  6. 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

Foundation & Behavioral Preparation

Weeks 1-2: Culture, Values, STAR Method, Agile.

Weeks 1-2: Focus on understanding Riot Games' culture, values, and product portfolio. Review your resume and identify key leadership experiences. Prepare STAR method examples for common behavioral questions related to team building, conflict resolution, and performance management. Study agile methodologies and their practical application.

Questions

Commonly asked.

  • Tell me about a time you had to manage a underperforming engineer. What steps did you take, and what was the outcome?
  • How do you foster a culture of psychological safety and inclusivity on your team?
  • Describe your approach to technical roadmap planning and prioritization.
  • How do you balance the need for innovation with the demands of maintaining stable systems?
  • What are your strategies for effective delegation and empowering your team members?
  • Tell me about a significant technical challenge your team faced and how you led them through it.
  • How do you stay current with emerging technologies and ensure your team does as well?
  • Describe a time you had to influence stakeholders or other teams to adopt your team's technical direction.
  • How do you handle conflict within your team or between your team and other departments?
  • What is your philosophy on performance reviews and career development for engineers?
  • How do you ensure your team is aligned with the company's overall goals and player experience?

Locations

Regional differences.

Fig · Regions — 03 locations

01 / 03

Location

Los Angeles

Interview focus

Understanding of game development pipelines and cross-functional collaboration (LA)Adaptability to different work models (remote, hybrid, in-office)Experience with agile methodologies in a creative 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 innovation and creativity within a team?
  • In our Los Angeles office, there's a strong emphasis on collaborative game development. How would you ensure your team effectively partners with design and art departments?
  • What are your strategies for managing remote or hybrid teams, considering our global presence?
  • How do you balance technical debt with feature delivery in a fast-paced environment?

Tips

  • Research Riot's game development philosophy and recent titles.
  • Be prepared to discuss your experience working with creative teams.
  • Highlight any experience with distributed or hybrid team management.
  • Showcase your ability to adapt to evolving project requirements.

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.