Software Engineer

Job Summary

Overview

The Madison Square Garden Company (MSG) is a world leader in live sports and entertainment experiences.  The company presents or hosts a broad array of premier events in its diverse collection of iconic venues: New York’s Madison Square Garden, Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall and Beacon Theatre; the Forum in Inglewood, CA; and The Chicago Theatre.  Other MSG properties include legendary sports franchises: the New York Knicks (NBA) and the New York Rangers (NHL); two development league teams –  the Westchester Knicks (NBAGL) and the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL); and esports teams through Counter Logic Gaming, a leading North American esports organization, and Knicks Gaming, MSG’s NBA 2K League franchise.  In addition, the Company features the popular original production – the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes – and through Boston Calling Events, produces New England’s preeminent Boston Calling Music Festival.  Also under the MSG umbrella is TAO Group, a world-class hospitality group with globally-recognized entertainment dining and nightlife brands: Tao, Marquee, Lavo, Avenue, Beauty & Essex and Vandal.  More information is available at www.themadisonsquaregardencompany.com

Role Summary

MSG Ventures is looking for a software engineer with strong mobile web-based game development experience. Candidate’s main focus will be to ensure we can maintain and create new production ready features for interactive games that are played by thousands of people at Madison Square Garden during Knicks and Rangers games. You will also play an integral role in developing our Game Platform and setting the standard for how we create real-time games, applications, and R&D for our new venues. This position will join a group of other developers and artists focused on creating cutting edge content, tools, and applications. The right candidate will have shipped project experience and is ready to make an impact on shaping the way we create interactive games at scale.

Specific Functions/Activities Summary

• Lead the development and maintenance for production ready mobile web and interactive games (Javascript/Python/Unity) that run at Madison Square Garden during Knicks and Rangers games.


• Create, Optimize, Analyze, and Debug frontend and backend features, tools, endpoints, and metrics for our mobile web games to ensure we are improving the experience for thousands of players during a live event.


• Assure that assets, delivered by the art department in the appropriate format(s) for integration, are promptly integrated into code and available in regularly-scheduled milestone builds for inline observation and approval.


• Collaborate with the project manager to ensure that our feature backlog for these Garden Games is prioritized and appropriately scoped into discrete and manageable engineering tasks.


• Collaborate closely with other departments to help shape and integrate new web based and interactive tools into our game platform.


• Research and support proofs of concepts with various partners and vendors.


• Write technical documentation and clearly communicate complex solutions and challenges, even to non-technical staff.


• Stay current on relevant technology and conduct necessary research, due diligence, prototyping, and testing to assess emerging technology options.


• Attend and report in daily scrums and bi-weekly sprint planning sessions, reviews, and retrospectives in accordance with Agile best practices.

Qualifications

• Computer Science BS/MS degree preferred or equivalent experience


• 4+ years professional game engineering experience required with a focus on web technologies, with additional C#/Unity experience highly preferred


• Strong understanding of JavaScript, its quirks, and workarounds


• Strong understanding of Python for backend API development as well as deploying to Heroku and AWS or other cloud-based application platforms.


• Excellent communication and team relations skills


• Experience with common games industry production software (MS Office, JIRA, Trello) a plus.


• Interest and/or secondary skills in another key game development discipline (Game Design, Product Management, Art, Audio) a plus


• Applications must include attached work examples: game executables and associated code samples

Education

Candidates who have completed 60 credits of college-level coursework (representing 2 years), or have shown similar self-development through certifications, trade school coursework, etc. are preferred. Educational requirements may differ from job to job based on the role.

EEO Statement

At MSG we value diversity and are looking for extraordinary employees of all backgrounds! MSG is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, sexual and reproductive health choices, national origin, citizenship, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. In addition to federal law requirements, MSG complies with all applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in all locations.