Principal Engineer - Game Innovation

About the role

Hard Rock Digital is building the next generation of in-house casino content with an AI-assisted development pipeline to design, build, and ship real-money games faster. As the Principal Engineer, Game Innovation, you will be the technical lead for this effort, designing and standing up the pipeline, owning the architecture from concept to certified title, and building games on it yourself. This is a hands-on principal role focused on solving the challenge of creating a real framework that produces games suitable for real players and real money.

Responsibilities

• Own the pipeline: Design and build the AI-assisted game development pipeline, including version control, CI/CD, agents for math/art/sound/animation, automated evaluation gates, and playable builds.
• Own the architecture: Set the architecture for the game client and back-end game server, covering round lifecycle, bet validation, RNG integration, wallet operations, reconciliation, RTP reporting, and audit trails.
• Integrate with our RGS: Lead integration with Fingenuity (our RGS and RNG) and manage the certification and shipping process across jurisdictions.
• Build games, not just infrastructure: Prototype mechanics, build game clients and servers, and ship real titles to prove the pipeline.
• Set the AI engineering standard: Define conventions, guardrails, and automated checks for AI-generated content to ensure nothing ships uninspected.
• Choose the stack: Make build/buy/partner decisions on engine, tooling, and infrastructure, standardizing the studio for AI-assisted development.
• Partner across the business: Collaborate with platform engineering, compliance, RGS partners, and studio talent to maintain high quality and speed.
• Raise the bar: Mentor engineers, establish code review culture, and document patterns to ensure the pipeline’s longevity.

Requirements

• 10+ years in software engineering, with significant experience building games as an individual contributor at a director or principal level.
• Shipped real-money casino games with direct experience in game clients, servers, math/paytable implementation, RNG integration, and certification (GLI, BMM, or equivalent).
• Deep game development experience across the stack: modern client engines (e.g., Phaser, Godot, Unity, Cocos, PixiJS) and server-side game logic.
• Hands-on expertise using AI-assisted development tools and agents, with a track record of defining team-wide conventions and workflows.
• Enthusiasm for AI in game production, with a point of view on its strengths, weaknesses, and verification methods.
• Experience standing up development infrastructure: version control, CI/CD, containerization, artifact management, and reproducible builds.
• Understanding of RGS/RNG integration, wallet operations, and real-money play reporting/audit requirements.
• Track record of shipping multiple titles or platform releases.
• Comfort working in a regulated industry, balancing compliance with innovation.
• Strong written and verbal communication for technical specs, architecture discussions, and stakeholder explanations.
• Low ego, high ownership: ability to unblock yourself, collaborate with product, and prioritize shipping over abstract debate.

Benefits

• Competitive pay and benefits.
• Flexible vacation allowance.
• Flexible work-from-home or office hours.
• Startup culture backed by a secure, global brand.
• Opportunity to invent a new way of making games and build products enjoyed by millions.