About the Position

Principal Game AI Engineer

Location: Massachusetts, USA (Remote)

About the Company

Ghost Story Games is a self-publishing game development studio founded by Ken Levine (Creative Director of System Shock 2, Bioshock, and Bioshock Infinite) and former Irrational Games developers. The studio’s mission is to create narrative-driven experiences rooted in immersive world building and gameplay.

The Challenge

Ghost Story Games is seeking a talented remote Principal Game AI Engineer to join us on Judas, the highly anticipated game led by Ken Levine (System Shock 2, BioShock series). Unique in its bold, creative vision, Judas is also built upon novel technology by which the visual world, gameplay, and story unfolds in meaningful, dynamic ways. The result is a significant and personal journey adapted to each player’s experience and offers a new approach to the art and storytelling of video games.

We are seeking a Principal Game AI Engineer to focus on the finalization and polish of our AI behaviors and systems. In this critical role, you will take ownership of bringing our AI systems to a "shipping-ready" state, ensuring the enemies within Judas react and behave in believable, compelling ways. Beyond technical implementation, you are expected to work closely with our design and animation teams to tune these systems and guarantee the best possible player experience.

Responsibilities

Own the implementation, hardening, and polish of AI behaviors and systems to shipping quality.
Collaborate closely with design, animation, and other disciplines to iterate on AI features, ensuring they support the creative vision and deliver an exceptional player experience.
Ensure the quality and stability of critical AI systems, taking responsibility for delivering highly reliable behaviors.

Requirements

Extensive experience with Unreal Engine 4 and/or Unreal Engine 5.
Deep experience with modern game AI architecture (Behavior Trees, pathfinding, perception systems).
Experience with modern animation techniques like root motion, distance matching, motion warping, blend spaces, and state machines.
Strong knowledge of C++.
At least one shipped title working primarily on game AI, preferably a AAA title in the action and/or FPS genre.
Ability to quickly understand existing code and enhance/extend an existing architecture.

Nice to Have

Experience with closing down heavily dynamic and/or procedural systems.
Support build automation processes as needed.
C#/Python/Blueprint experience.

We Offer

Competitive salary between $180,000 and $210,000 per year.
Opportunity to work on a highly anticipated game with a renowned creative director.
Remote work flexibility.

Application Instructions

Please watch the following GDC talk given by Ken Levine: Narrative

Please be aware that Ghost Story does not conduct job interviews or make job offers over third-party messaging apps such as Telegram, WhatsApp, or others. Ghost Story also does not engage in any financial exchanges during the recruitment or onboarding process, and the Ghost Story will never ask a candidate for their personal or financial information over an app or other unofficial chat channel. Ghost Story’s in-house recruitment team will only contact individuals through their official Ghost Story email addresses (i.e., via a ghoststorygames.com email domain). If you need to report an issue or otherwise have questions, please contact [email protected]

As an equal opportunity employer, Ghost Story Games, LLC (“Ghost Story”) is committed to fostering and celebrating the diverse thoughts, cultures, and backgrounds of its talent, partners, and communities throughout its organization. Consistent with this commitment, Ghost Story does not discriminate or retaliate against any employee or job applicant because of their race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin, age, disability, and genetic information (including family medical history), or on the basis of any other trait protected by applicable law. If you need to report a concern or have questions regarding Ghost Story’s equal opportunity commitment, please contact [email protected].

Principal Game AI Engineer

Job description