Director of Technology

Recognized as a global leader in interactive and digital entertainment, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) is responsible for the PlayStation® brand and family of products and services. PlayStation has delivered innovation to the market since the launch of the original PlayStation in Japan in 1994.

Sony Santa Monica is seeking a Director of Technology to join the studio behind the critically acclaimed God of War games. You will set the high-level technical direction for the studio, weighing the needs of products currently in development against those of future endeavors. You will work with internal and external project management, studio leadership, and Sony executives, as well as counterparts at other first-party Sony studios. Of primary importance is your ability to communicate clearly and effectively to all, regardless of engineering skill or comprehension. And you will encourage open and honest input from all, while firmly establishing direction, and following through to see that technological goals are achieved.

* Simultaneously develop short, medium, and long view of technology to ensure current titles ship with high performance, and future titles set and achieve superior technological goals * Partner with studio leadership to align technical plans and studio goals * Build strong relationships with internal and external vendors and with other Sony studios. Leverage those relationships in making technology evaluations and recommendations * Collaborate with studio leadership to manage the Sony Corporate relationship, and participate as needed in related high-level planning and communication * Evaluate and investigate industry-leading middleware and other tools and technologies, with an eye to usage and tradeoffs among the possible solutions. This includes use, cost, and efficiency, including time required for code base integration, and projected support requirements * Establish hardware performance targets and goals across all titles, current and projected * PS4 expert; Drive the studio’s ability to get the most out of the box, making the hardware shine * Guide technology development for internal titles: * Partner with technical management in recruiting and career development, and in mentoring technical directors, leads, and engineers * Consult with project technical directors and leads to guide development of engine architecture * Continuously evaluate existing tools and recommend upgrades, additions, or third-party solutions. Plan and drive in-house tools improvements * Compile the best data available and mold that data into a future-facing plan for technology development that spans console generations * Participate in long-term planning for each external developer: * Provide technical evaluation and planning for products in development * Identify developer technical competencies and needs; offer perspective and make recommendations; catalogue technical know-how; advocate ways to share technology or solutions among developers * Understand and anticipate extension of technology from one title to the next * Create and present multiple-project plans from the strategic, technical perspective * Make during-development technological evaluations, including milestone evaluations. Report on competencies and provide support recommendations * Conduct low-level technological discussions with developer engineers. Compile and present detailed reports about the state of the technology by project * For new engagements: assess pitches from the technical perspective; evaluate to the depth required to provide technical approval and go ahead; or report on technical shortfalls driving either “no go” or required revisions and reevaluation

* Minimum ten years’ technical management experience * Minimum ten years’ professional programming experience * Exceptional leadership and interpersonal skills * Strong personal interest in video games and knowledge of industry technical trends and innovations * Expert in modern rendering techniques and engine-related issues * Thorough understanding of architecture and best practices for game consoles * B.Sc. degree in computer science or equivalent experience * Minimum of four console titles shipped, from concept to final * Enthusiasm and initiative * Excellent spoken and written communication skills