--- title: 'Senior Director, Online Services at 31st Union' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-director-online-services-31st-union-san-mateo-california-5827shd0j69y' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-11' --- # Senior Director, Online Services at 31st Union - **Company:** 31st Union - **Location:** San Mateo California, United States - **Posted:** 2026-07-22 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-11 - **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/31stunion/jobs/7807544003 ## Job description ## WE ARE GAME MAKERS 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. What we need: 31st Union is looking for a Senior Director of Online Services to direct the live operation of our AAA free-to-play, cross-platform action game. Reporting to the Head of Technology, you will direct frontend engineering for our online systems and manage our Backend Engineering and Build Engineering teams. You are the principal technology partner to Product Management, delivering the features and pipelines to learn, optimize, and engage at runtime. Responsibilities: - Leadership - Set the technical vision and roadmap for online services - Manage the Backend Engineering and Build Engineering leads and their teams - Live Operations - Own release management: cadence, patch and hotfix orchestration, and safe rollout - Own launch readiness and live health: capacity, scale and availability testing, observability, and incident response - Direct build engineering: CI/CD, submission pipelines, and automation - Product Partnership - Partner with Product Management and Analytics to turn product strategy into online services capabilities - Partner with 2K Core Technology teams to identify and manage shared technology requirements - Maintain and extend pipelines for experimentation and segmentation, telemetry and player insight, and remote configuration - Deliver engagement tooling: live events, offers, messaging, and store merchandising - Frontend & Online Systems - Direct development of durable, flexible, and performant pipelines and runtimes for frontend systems — including authentication and presence, matchmaking, social features, and commerce - Own player safety and anti-toxicity systems - Maximize development freedom for design partners and model best practices Who you are: - 10+ years of engineering experience, including 5+ years of leadership on AAA cross-platform Live Services games - 2+ years of leadership in frontend systems for AAA cross-platform Live Services games - Experience operating a shipped live service — release management, incident response, scale and availability - Unreal Engine fluency — including core object model, referencing patterns, threading patterns, and core frameworks, specifically including Online Subsystem - Command of distributed backend architecture and of software patterns for maintainable, debuggable systems - Experience delivering experimentation and telemetry pipelines with Product partners Nice-to-Haves: - ## Experience with Unreal Engine 5 - Experience launching free-to-play titles, including commerce and monetization - ## Experience with player safety or anti-toxicity systems - Experience with publisher shared-technology and first-party partners The pay range for this position in California at the start of employment is expected to be between $227,700 and $337,020 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 this position may also include other elements, including a bonus and/or equity awards and eligibility to participate in our 401(K) plan and Employee Stock Purchase Program. Regular, full-time employees are also eligible for a range of benefits at the Company, including: medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance coverage; 14 paid holidays per calendar year; paid vacation time per calendar year (ranging from 15 to 25 days) or eligibility to participate in the Company’s discretionary time off program; up to 10 paid sick days per calendar year; paid parental and compassionate leave; wellbeing programs for mental health and other wellness support; family planning support through Maven; commuter benefits; and reimbursements for fitness-related expenses. Ontario only: The use of Artificial Intelligence is not being used to screen candidates. The position is for an existing vacancy. #LI-Remote #LI-Onsite #LI-Hybrid ## 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. [builtin.com/company/31st-union](https://builtin.com/company/31st-union) ## Other roles at 31st Union - [Lead Producer](https://feeny.ai/job/lead-producer-31st-union-san-mateo-california-f8rbwdkh8c08) — San Mateo California, United States - [Producer](https://feeny.ai/job/producer-31st-union-san-mateo-california-29kbkg1ec67d) — San Mateo California, United States - [Lead Designer](https://feeny.ai/job/lead-designer-31st-union-san-mateo-california-rmkdjkgpak35) — San Mateo California, United States - [Shader Technical Artist](https://feeny.ai/job/shader-technical-artist-31st-union-san-mateo-california-hh7zdr81j2xd) — San Mateo California, United States - [Lead UI Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/lead-ui-engineer-31st-union-san-mateo-california-tysjd9e6s3hz) — San Mateo California, United States - [Senior Director, Online Services](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-director-online-services-2k-san-mateo-california-akdkmb5pwsnm) — San Mateo California, United States