--- title: 'Director of Data Engineering at 2K' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/director-of-data-engineering-2k-dublin-wrscy2zm31gp' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-07' --- # Director of Data Engineering at 2K - **Company:** 2K - **Location:** Dublin, Ireland - **Posted:** 2026-06-09 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-07 - **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/2k/jobs/7762602003 ## Job description ## Who We Are At 2K, we create some of the most iconic and culture-shaping video games in entertainment, including NBA® 2K, one of the top-selling franchises in the world, and legendary titles like BioShock®, Borderlands®, Mafia, Sid Meier’s Civilization®, and XCOM®, as well as fan favorites WWE® 2K, TopSpin®, and PGA TOUR® 2K. We build unforgettable experiences by pushing the boundaries of creativity, authenticity and innovation across every genre. Our portfolio is brought to life by some of the most influential game development studios in the world. Visual Concepts, Firaxis Games, Hangar 13, Cat Daddy Games, 31st Union, Cloud Chamber, Gearbox, HB Studios, and 2K SportsLab create world-class experiences across platforms. But what truly powers 2K is our people. We believe the best ideas come from teams that feel empowered, supported, and inspired. As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive workplace where people are encouraged to come as they are and do their best work. ## What We Need The Director of Data Engineering is a technical and strategic powerhouse responsible for architecting the data foundations that power 2K’s global ecosystem. This role oversees the engineering strategy, telemetry standards, and infrastructure framework that transforms raw player interactions into high-fidelity, actionable intelligence. You will lead the evolution of our data platform, moving beyond traditional ETL toward a proactive, AI-integrated environment. As a natural "bridge builder," you will partner deeply with Studio leads and cross-functional executives to expand the remit of data engineering. Crucially, you will act as a steward of our resources, applying FinOps principles to ensure our infrastructure is high-performing, cost-efficient, and that every technical investment delivers clear business value—ensuring the "juice is always worth the squeeze." ## What You’ll Do Architect 2K’s Next-Gen Data Strategy - Lead a forward-looking data engineering vision that scales across Sports, Core, and R&D, prioritizing high-scale telemetry and proactive data modeling. - Transition 2K’s infrastructure toward AI-augmented data processing, leveraging tools like Snowflake Cortex or Databricks Genie to automate and optimize the data lifecycle. Drive FinOps & Infrastructure Efficiency - Own the cloud infrastructure budget, implementing rigorous FinOps practices to monitor, manage, and optimize data processing costs. - Evaluate technical debt versus innovation, ensuring all platform scaling is economically sustainable and tied to measurable ROI. Own the End-to-End Telemetry Lifecycle - Drive the strategy for telemetry design and implementation, ensuring an intimate connection between game-client events and downstream analytical value. - Establish rigorous telemetry standards that ensure high-signal, low-latency data capture across all titles and platforms. Build the Platform for ML Ops & Proactive Modeling - Design and scale a dedicated ML Ops framework that allows Data Scientists to deploy, monitor, and iterate on AI models with industry-leading efficiency. - Champion the use of proactive modeling to predict player needs and business trends before they occur. Expand Impact Through Strategic Partnerships - Act as a key relationship builder, creating strong alliances with Studio Engineering, DevOps, and Commercial leadership to align data roadmaps with product goals. - Navigate complex partner dynamics with diplomacy, building trust and expanding the Data Engineering team's influence across the broader organization. - Partner tightly with the Director of Product of 2K Data to define and deliver upon a modern and comprehensive data strategy. Build, Lead & Develop a High-Performing Engineering Team - Hire, mentor, and grow a world-class team of data engineers, telemetry specialists, and ML platform engineers. - Foster a culture of technical rigor, financial accountability, and "bridge-building" collaboration. - Foster an internal culture of innovation and fearless technical thought leadership throughout the data teams What Will Make You A Great Fit - Extensive experience in Data Engineering or Software Engineering, with a heavy emphasis on high-scale distributed systems and telemetry. - Proven Success leading or managing engineering teams in complex, multi-title environments with proven track record of promoting engineers in both title and breadth of technical expertise - Intimate knowledge of Telemetry: You understand the nuances of event-driven architecture and how to design schemas that capture the "heartbeat" of a product. - Experience in Streaming Telemetry and Feature Pipelines: Solid understanding and experience in delivering large-scale, global data streaming services with scalable and sustainable architecture to support real-time machine learning operations and features - FinOps Mentality: Proven ability to manage large-scale cloud budgets, optimizing for both performance and cost-efficiency. - Master Relationship Builder: You have a track record of turning "difficult" technical partners into advocates and successfully expanding your team's strategic remit. - Growth Mindset: Indexes toward learning through challenges and didactic learning patterns to bring about change at the individual and organizational levels. - Experience in Matrix-driven and Product-led Environments: Able to successfully operate and thrive in matrixed environments led by product strategies and roadmaps. - A Track Record of Operational Excellence: You have demonstrated experience upleveling global data operations and a deep understanding of SRE or DevOps principles. You don't just maintain systems; you build the guardrails, automation, and infrastructure needed to scale them reliably. Bonus Points - Full-Lifecycle Data Science & ML Enablement: Comprehensive experience across the data science lifecycle, from exploratory data analysis and feature engineering to model deployment and monitoring. - Software Engineering Background: Strong experience in full-stack development or systems architecture. - Game Engine Expertise: Hands-on experience with Unreal Engine, Unity, or proprietary game engines, specifically regarding how they emit data. - AI Fluency: Experience with Snowflake Cortex, Databricks Genie, Langchain, Rust or similar AI-integrated data platforms. - Passion for games and a player-focused mindset. As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to ensuring that qualified individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform their essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us if you need reasonable accommodation. Please note that 2K Games and its studios never uses instant messaging apps or personal email accounts to contact prospective employees or conduct interviews and when emailing, only use 2K.com accounts. #LI-Hybrid ## About 2K ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: 2K is a major video game publisher and developer, best known for iconic franchises like *NBA 2K*, *Borderlands*, *Civilization*, *BioShock*, *Mafia*, *WWE 2K*, and *XCOM*. - **Entity Type**: Private subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive (public parent company, NASDAQ: TTWO) - **Headquarters**: Novato, California, USA (with global offices across the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Australia) - **Founded**: January 25, 2005 (as a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive) - **Founders**: Founded as a corporate entity by Take-Two Interactive; key early leaders included Christoph Hartmann (former President). Current President is David Ismailer. ## Core Business - **Primary industry/industries**: Video game development and publishing (AAA, sports, and strategy games) - **Target customers**: B2C (consumers/gamers globally across PC, console, and mobile platforms) - **Mission or purpose statement**: "We enable all gamers to build, connect, escape and dream big!" (from their official values page) ## Products & Services - **NBA 2K Series**: Flagship basketball simulation franchise, released annually across console and PC. - **Borderlands Series**: Acclaimed first-person shooter looter-shooter franchise. - **Civilization Series**: Legendary turn-based strategy series (developed by Firaxis Games, a 2K studio). - **BioShock Series**: Critically acclaimed narrative-driven first-person shooter series. - **Mafia Series**: Open-world crime drama franchise. - **WWE 2K Series**: Professional wrestling simulation franchise. - **XCOM Series**: Tactical strategy franchise. - **PGA Tour 2K Series**: Golf simulation franchise. - **Top Spin Series**: Tennis simulation franchise (revived in 2024). - **2K Foundations**: Social impact program that builds community and youth engagement programs, including refurbishing basketball courts globally. ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: 2K is a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive. Take-Two's market cap is approximately **$30+ billion** (as of mid-2025), with 2K being one of its two core publishing labels alongside Rockstar Games. - **Key Metric**: 2K is a private subsidiary; exact revenue is not disclosed separately. However, Take-Two Interactive’s total net revenue for fiscal year 2024 was approximately **$5.6 billion**, with 2K contributing a significant portion. The company employs approximately **4,000 people**. - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Parent company is Take-Two Interactive. Key development studio partners include Visual Concepts (NBA 2K), Firaxis Games (Civilization), Gearbox Software (Borderlands), and Hangar 13 (Mafia). - **Growth Signals**: 2K has been actively expanding its development network, including the acquisition of Gearbox Software in 2024. The company continues to launch major franchise entries and invest in new IP. It has a growing presence in mobile gaming and live-service models. ## Competitive Advantages - **Iconic IP Portfolio**: Owns some of the most valuable and long-running franchises in gaming (*NBA 2K*, *Borderlands*, *Civilization*, *BioShock*). - **Massive Global Reach**: Games sell tens of millions of copies annually across all major platforms. - **Strong Parent Backing**: As a core label of Take-Two, 2K has significant financial resources for marketing, development, and acquisitions. - **Diverse Studio Network**: Operates a wide range of internal studios with specialized expertise (sports, strategy, action, RPG). - **2K Foundations**: A unique social impact program that builds brand goodwill and community engagement. ## Strategic Focus - **Franchise Expansion**: Continuing to grow its flagship franchises with annual releases, new entries, and expanded content. - **Live Service & Engagement**: Deepening post-launch engagement through in-game events, battle passes, and microtransactions (especially in *NBA 2K*). - **Mobile & New Platforms**: Expanding into mobile gaming and new platforms. - **Studio Investment**: Acquiring and investing in top-tier development talent (e.g., Gearbox). - **Technology & AI**: Investing in R&D for game engines, AI, and data science to improve game quality and player experiences (evidenced by job postings for AI R&D, data science, and Unreal Engine roles). ## Why Work Here - **Work on Iconic Franchises**: Opportunity to contribute to some of the most beloved and best-selling game series in the world. - **Culture**: Described as a blend of "NYC roots with a Northern California vibe," with a focus on being direct, open, and friendly. The company emphasizes "Come As You Are" and "Give a ^%$*" as core values. - **Remote/Hybrid/Office Policy**: 2K has a hybrid work model. Many roles are listed with specific locations (Novato, Los Angeles, Montreal, Bengaluru, etc.), but some positions offer remote flexibility. - **Notable Perks**: Located in a unique headquarters (converted airplane hangars in Novato, CA) near hiking, biking trails, and wine country. The company also runs a motion capture studio in Petaluma, CA. - **Engineering Culture**: Strong emphasis on technical innovation, with dedicated teams for AI R&D, Core Tech/Tools, Data Science, and Online Services. Many job postings focus on Unreal Engine, data engineering, and systems architecture. - **Social Impact**: Employees can participate in 2K Foundations, which refurbishes basketball courts and builds community spaces globally. ## Sources 1. [2k.com/careers/](https://2k.com/careers/) 2. [2k.com/about/](https://2k.com/about/) 3. [job-boards.greenhouse.io/2k](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/2k) 4. 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