--- title: 'Lead Backend Engineer at 31st Union' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/lead-backend-engineer-31st-union-san-mateo-ffx7rtcb6ga6' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-10-16' --- # Lead Backend Engineer at 31st Union - **Company:** 31st Union - **Location:** San Mateo, CA - **Posted:** 2026-10-15 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-16 - **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/31stunion/jobs/8006918003 ## Job description ## WE ARE GAMEMAKERS Who we are: We are a diverse team of developers driven by a passion for our art, united by our core values and inspired by a culture of inclusivity to build amazing games that thrill players everywhere. We pursue growth and innovation in an environment of safety and trust. Our culture is built on the belief that the more varied voices in our collective will strengthen our team and our games. We are looking for our next teammate who will raise our bar and make us better. We are currently working on Project ETHOS, a new free-to-play, 3rd person rogue-like hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the genre! Who You Are: 31st Union is looking for a Lead Backend Engineer to lead the team that builds and runs our studio-hosted services. You will manage backend engineers in our US and EU studios, own the architecture of our services and infrastructure, and write code alongside the team. You are the first point of contact for backend technical decisions and backend incidents. This role reports to the Director - Online Services. This role is based in our San Mateo, California studio and is open to fully remote candidates. Responsibilities: ## Team Leadership - Manage backend engineering team: hold regular 1:1s, set goals, give performance feedback, and lead hiring. - Run the backend team's planning: maintain the backlog, estimate work, and set sprint priorities against the online services roadmap. - Set the team's engineering standards for code review, testing, documentation and on-call readiness. Architecture and Development - Own the architecture of our studio-hosted services and infrastructure, including service boundaries, data models, APIs and deployment topology. - Scope backend work for new game features. - Write and review technical designs for new services and major changes. - Implement and review implementations for proprietary studio backend services. Releases and Deployment - Align backend roadmap with studio release schedule. - Diagnose, fix and deploy backend hotfixes through the studio hotfix process. - Maintain the continuous integration pipelines and deployment automation for our services. Operations - Own monitoring, alerting, dashboards, runbooks and incident reporting for studio services. - Run the backend on-call rotation, and act as first responder and escalation point for backend incidents. - Load test services before major releases, fix performance bottlenecks, and optimize service costs. - Implement and test failover and disaster recovery for our services and their data. Platform Integration - Integrate studio proprietary services with 2K and external platform services. - Debug cross-service issues with external engineering partners. Required Qualifications: - 10+ years of server-side development experience, complemented by a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related field, or equivalent experience. - Has led or managed backend engineers on a shipped AAA title, preferably a live-service or competitive multiplayer game. - Fluent in C#, and proficient in Python or Go. - Strong grasp of distributed systems, concurrency and scalable service design. - Hands-on experience with NoSQL databases such as MongoDB or DocumentDB, and with Redis. - Has deployed and operated production services on AWS. - Gives direct, constructive feedback and invites it from others. Relevant Experience: - Kubernetes, Helm and microservice architectures. - Profiling and optimizing distributed systems, including database queries and service calls. - Real-time messaging, such as MQTT, and API gateways. - C++ and Unreal Engine. - Online game systems such as matchmaking, social, progression, commerce and telemetry. - Running a live title: incident response, capacity planning and cost management. The pay range for this position in California at the start of employment is expected to be between $169,100 and $250,280 per Year. However, base pay offered is based on market location, and may vary further depending on individualized factors for job candidates, such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and other objective business considerations. Subject to those same considerations, the total compensation package for employees in regular roles may also include other elements, including a bonus and/or equity awards, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, provided that temporary or intern roles will not be eligible for many of these payments or benefits. Details of participation in compensation and benefit plans (if applicable) will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.If hired, employee will be in an ~at-will position~ and the company reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation or benefit program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, company or individual department/team performance, and market factors. 31st Union prides itself on the diversity of its team members, partners, and communities. For this reason, we remain committed to providing equal employment opportunity in all aspects of the employment relationship, from recruitment and hiring through compensation, benefits, discipline and termination. This means that employment at 31st Union depends on your substantive ability, objective qualifications and work ethic – not on your age, race (including traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles), height, weight, religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender (including gender identity and expression), alienage or citizenship status, transgender, military or veteran status, physical or mental disability (actual or perceived), medical condition, AIDS/HIV, denial of family and medical care leave, genetic information, predisposition or carrier status, pregnancy status, childbirth, breastfeeding (or related medical conditions), marital status or registered domestic partner status, political activity or affiliation, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking, arrest record, or taking or requesting statutorily protected leaves, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local laws. As an equal opportunity employer, we are also committed to ensuring that qualified individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation(s) to participate in the job application and/or interview process, to perform their essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us if you need to request 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. Please note that 31st Union is unable to provide visa sponsorship or assistance for this position. All candidates must be legally authorized to work in United States without requiring current or future employer sponsorship. #LI-Remote ## About 31st Union ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: 31st Union is a video game development studio creating highly engaging multiplayer entertainment as a wholly owned studio of 2K, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive. - **Entity Type**: Private (wholly owned subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., NASDAQ: TTWO) - **Headquarters**: San Mateo, California, United States - **Founded**: 2019 - **Founders**: Not publicly disclosed (studio formed by 2K/Take-Two Interactive) ## Core Business - **Primary industry/industries**: Video Game Development (AAA console/PC gaming) - **Target customers**: B2C (consumers/players), specifically fans of online multiplayer gaming experiences - **Mission or purpose statement**: "Crafting highly engaging entertainment and a commitment to putting players first" — the studio's rallying cry is "Bring fun, inspiration and awe to our lives and to our community." ## Products & Services - **Unannounced Title (in development)**: A highly engaging online multiplayer game. The studio is actively hiring across engineering, UI, UX, animation, and design disciplines to build this "inspired new game experience." The specific title or franchise has not been publicly revealed. ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly available (subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive, which has a market cap of roughly $30B+ as of mid-2026) - **Key Metric**: Studio size of approximately 146 employees (per Built In), with active hiring across both San Mateo and Valencia, Spain locations - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Parent company is Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), operating under the 2K publishing label. This provides the studio with "the collaborative support and incredible perks of one of the world’s leading interactive entertainment companies." - **Growth Signals**: The studio is actively expanding its team, with open roles in engineering, animation, and UI/UX design. The studio operates as "one empowered global team across North America and Spain," indicating a growing international footprint. ## Competitive Advantages - **AAA Backing with Studio Autonomy**: 31st Union "cherishes studio independence and autonomy" while benefiting from the financial stability, resources, and perks of Take-Two Interactive, a top global publisher. - **Multi-Location Talent Pool**: Dual studios in San Francisco Bay Area and Valencia, Spain allow access to diverse global talent across all disciplines. - **Player-First Culture**: The studio is built on values of trust, inclusivity, and psychological safety, which they believe enables the best creative work. ## Strategic Focus - **Building a New IP**: The studio is focused on developing a new, original online multiplayer game from the ground up, investing heavily in UI systems, animation, and technical design. - **Global Team Empowerment**: They are building a "one team" culture where all disciplines are represented in both North America and Spain, with shared ownership of the game's success. - **Innovation in Gameplay**: Driven by the motto "Chase the Horizon," the team is focused on pushing creative boundaries to deliver a "brilliant" experience that "raises the bar." ## Why Work Here - **Culture**: Emphasizes a "psychologically safe space," inclusivity, trust, and a commitment to personal growth ("Live Your Dreams"). The studio values diverse perspectives and operates with a "player-first" mindset. - **Work Policy**: Roles listed are "In-Office" at the San Mateo, CA headquarters. The studio has a physical office with bike stations, EV charging, and well-stocked kitchens. - **Notable Perks & Benefits**: - Private healthcare (medical, dental, vision) for employees & dependents - Generous PTO & sick time off - Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP) - Fitness reimbursement program - Life & disability insurance - Parental leave & compassionate leave - Retirement savings plans with company contributions - Learning & development tools - Employee referral bonuses - Charitable giving, corporate match & volunteer program - Mental health & wellbeing offerings - Company social events & gatherings - Commuter & meal perks ## Sources 1. [thirtyfirstunion.com](https://thirtyfirstunion.com/) 2. [thirtyfirstunion.com/careers](https://thirtyfirstunion.com/careers/) 3. [thirtyfirstunion.com/studio](https://thirtyfirstunion.com/studio/) 4. [job-boards.greenhouse.io/31stunion](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/31stunion) 5. 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