Director of Data Engineering

About 2K

2K is a leading developer and publisher of some of the most iconic and culturally impactful video games worldwide. Our portfolio includes renowned franchises like NBA® 2K, BioShock®, Borderlands®, Mafia, Sid Meier’s Civilization®, XCOM®, WWE® 2K, TopSpin®, and PGA TOUR® 2K, delivered across multiple platforms by influential studios such as Visual Concepts, Firaxis Games, Hangar 13, and others. We pride ourselves on fostering a diverse, inclusive environment where our teams are empowered and inspired.

Role Overview

The Director of Data Engineering will be a pivotal technical and strategic leader charged with designing and managing the data infrastructure that supports 2K’s global ecosystem. This leader will oversee engineering strategies, telemetry standards, and infrastructure frameworks to convert raw player data into actionable insights. The role involves advancing the data platform towards an AI-integrated, proactive model, serving as a collaborative link between studio leads and executives, and managing resources with a FinOps approach to ensure cost-effective, high-value outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development of a scalable data engineering vision spanning Sports, Core, and R&D sectors, focusing on advanced telemetry and data modeling.
• Guide the transition to AI-enhanced data processing solutions using platforms like Snowflake Cortex or Databricks Genie to automate and refine data workflows.
• Manage cloud infrastructure budgets with strong FinOps discipline, optimizing cost-performance trade-offs and ensuring investments yield measurable returns.
• Define and implement telemetry strategies that tightly connect game client events with downstream analytics, establishing high-quality, low-latency data capture standards.
• Architect and scale an ML Ops platform enabling data scientists to effectively deploy, monitor, and iterate AI models, emphasizing proactive business and player behavior predictions.
• Forge strategic partnerships with studio engineering, DevOps, and commercial teams to align data initiatives with product objectives and broaden data engineering influence.
• Recruit, mentor, and cultivate a top-tier team of data engineers, telemetry experts, and ML platform engineers fostering technical excellence, financial accountability, and collaborative culture.

Qualifications and Experience

• Significant background in Data Engineering or Software Engineering focusing on large-scale distributed systems and telemetry management.
• Proven leadership in managing engineering teams within complex, multi-franchise environments, supporting broad technical skill development.
• Expertise in telemetry architecture, event-driven systems, and designing schema capturing core product metrics.
• Experience delivering global, scalable streaming telemetry and feature pipelines that support real-time machine learning operations.
• Strong FinOps capabilities with track record managing substantial cloud budgets for optimized resource utilization.
• Exceptional relationship-building skills to transform challenging stakeholders into allies and expand team impact.
• Adaptability with a growth-oriented mindset, skilled at leading change both personally and organizationally.
• Comfortable functioning in matrixed, product-centric organizations with pronounced operational excellence and familiarity with SRE/DevOps practices.

Preferred Extras

• Broad expertise in data science lifecycle including exploratory analysis, feature creation, and AI model deployment.
• Proficiency in software engineering, full-stack development, or system architecture.
• Hands-on experience with game engines such as Unreal, Unity, or proprietary systems relating to data emission.
• Fluency in AI-related platforms like Snowflake Cortex, Databricks Genie, Langchain, or Rust.
• A strong passion for gaming and understanding of player-focused experiences.

Inclusivity and Contact

2K is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to accommodating qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the application and employment process. Contact us to request reasonable accommodations. We maintain strict communication protocols to safeguard candidates: 2K does not use instant messaging or personal emails for recruitment.