JD_AI/Games Engineer

Step into the future with our game-changing startup! We're pushing the boundaries of mixed-reality and AI, and we need a
top-notch AI / Games Engineer to help us.

Using the Apple Vision Pro headset, we're crafting a new kind of interactive mixed-reality experience. What we’re building is not a traditional game, but uses elements of what typically goes into a game, including art, animation, AI / ML, and user interaction.
Our goal is to create an engaging and emotionally uplifting experience. Our product will be an example of the successful deployment of Affective AI.

We have an experienced leadership team, and excellent technical contributors.
What are we missing? A person like you, who has relevant AI and ML experience, and who can help design and implement ways to bring AI and ML to bear on our new style of mixed-reality experience.

If you’re excited by our mission, and if you share our love for mixed-reality and
Affective AI, then let's chat. Together, we’ll be able to bring a new kind of mixed-reality experience to life.

Location: Bend, Oregon, USA or Remote ⎮ Job type: Full-time employee
Reporting line: CTO ⎮ Department: Engineering - AI

What you will do

As an AI / Games Engineer, you will play a central role in designing, implementing, and optimizing advanced AI / ML systems and gameplay mechanics. While we’re using gaming techniques, we are not actually building a game. You’ll be responsible for developing behavior trees, reinforcement learning systems, and 3D perception to create intelligent and engaging experiences for people in mixed-reality. Don’t worry if you’re expert in one or some of those areas, but inexperienced in the others – we’re building a team here.

Collaborate with the design and development teams to understand and deliver excellent end-user experiences; this includes rigorous testing and debugging.
Design and implement advanced behavior trees and “small N” reinforcement learning systems that work in the context of user-facing augmented reality experiences.
Work with the output from Apple’s ARKit to deliver more fine-grained models of the environment (not just a mesh, but geometric models with labels, such as “book” and “coffee cup”, for example).
Work on dynamic belief update, accepting information from sensors and appropriately updating a character’s internal model.
Optimize systems for performance, memory usage, and scalability, ensuring smooth user experiences on a variety of platforms (starting with the Apple Vision Pro).
Stay up-to-date with relevant advancements in AI, ML, and game development technologies, and apply these as appropriate.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including artists, designers, animators, and other engineers, to achieve overall company goals.

What you need to succeed

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science or a strongly related field.
Strong programming skills in languages such as C++, C#, or Python, with experience in object-oriented design and development.
Proven experience in designing and implementing behavior trees, in working with animation systems, and interrupt-driven coding in game development projects.
Solid understanding of machine learning algorithms and techniques, including deep learning and reinforcement learning.
Familiarity with game development engines (ideally, Unity) and AI middleware.
Proficiency in debugging and optimization techniques for performance-critical code.
Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced, geographically distributed, and dynamic environment.
Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

And you would do even better if you have:

Experience in developing AI systems for AAA game titles or similar projects.
Knowledge of additional AI techniques, such as transformer architectures, large language models, diffuser models, sentiment analysis, text processing, or computer vision.
Understanding of game physics and animation principles.
Familiarity with version control systems (e.g., Git) and agile development methodologies.

Recruitment Process

Why choose us?

Our stealth-mode startup, guided by seasoned leaders, seeks skilled professionals like you to advance our mission. We're developing a novel approach that uses Affective AI to engage humans in a positive emotional way...in mixed reality. Your expertise is essential for our success.

1
Innovative AI
Our Affective AIs understand you as a emotional, physiological being. For many this will be the first time they've interacted with an AI in a totally natural and intuitive way. We are targeting the new Apple Vision Pro, making your experiences more engaging and life-like than ever before.
2
Experienced Leadership
Our co-founders bring a wealth of experience in AI and the gaming industry. One co-founder built the first unicorn game startup in Southeast Asia, while the other served as the Head of Character AI at Apple and Dreamworks.
3
Massive Impact
Within five years, our AIs will engage with hundreds of millions of people daily, with a genuine understanding of them as emotional and physiological beings. You'll have a unique opportunity to make a lasting, positive impact on users' lives.
4
Proven Revenue Model
We've already established a strong and proven and ethical revenue model, ensuring our startup's long-term success and sustainability.
5
Stock Option Program
As a team member, you'll be able to participate in our stock option program, sharing in our success as we grow.
6
Growth Opportunity
We empower our team to take initiative in their work and their career. We want to see you grow both professionally and a person.

Work Environment

Teamwork makes the dream work, so at bootloader studio we pay very close attention to the work environment to curate it into a happy, healthy, productive environment.
100% product/innovation-focused startup company with experienced founders
Flat organization – don’t come to work for us if you want or need minions working for you!
Open communication – we listen to each other
Friendly, flexible, and fun culture
Comfortable, modern, beautiful offices full of the newest tech gears

Equal Employment

We are an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We believe in treating all employees and applicants with fairness and respect, regardless of their race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected characteristic.

We value the unique perspectives and experiences that each individual brings, as they enhance our team's creativity and ability to innovate. Join us and be part of an organization that upholds equal employment opportunities for all.