Principal Software Engineer - Compiler

Every day, tens of millions of people come to Roblox to explore, create, play, learn, and connect with friends in 3D immersive digital experiences– all created by our global community of developers and creators.

At Roblox, we’re building the tools and platform that empower our community to bring any experience that they can imagine to life. Our vision is to reimagine the way people come together, from anywhere in the world, and on any device. We’re on a mission to connect a billion people with optimism and civility, and looking for amazing talent to help us get there.

A career at Roblox means you’ll be working to shape the future of human interaction, solving unique technical challenges at scale, and helping to create safer, more civil shared experiences for everyone.

As a Senior/Principal Software Engineer on the Roblox Game Engine Team, You Will:

• Supply to the design and development of the new features in the highly efficient Luau language compiler, virtual machine (VM) and runtime
• Take ownership of new feature development from concept and prototyping through to deployment and maintenance.
• Improve the adaptability and performance of existing components.
• Collaborate with engineers across various engine and partner teams to build collaborative solutions.

You Have:

• Over 5-10 years of experience in developing and deploying user-facing software development tools such as language compilers, virtual machines, runtime API
• A Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science or equivalent experience.
• Proficiency in C++ and a solid understanding of programming languages, compilers and runtime
• Experience with API and tool development, game development, distributed systems, and Lua/Luau programming is a plus.
• A strong grasp of industry standards, best practices, and design patterns.
• The ability to analyze and approach problems from multiple perspectives, weighing the advantages and drawbacks of different solutions.

You Will:

• Be an enthusiast about modern programming languages, compilers, virtual machines, just-in-time compilation, garbage collectors and runtime domain.
• Have self-drive, capable of navigating complex codebases with minimal guidance.
• Have a reliability to developing systems that are not just effective but also resilient over time.
• Want to constantly learn and keep abreast of the latest trends in scripting languages and programming environments.

For roles that are based at our headquarters in San Mateo, CA: The starting base pay for this position is as shown below. The actual base pay is dependent upon a variety of job-related factors such as professional background, training, work experience, location, business needs and market demand. Therefore, in some circumstances, the actual salary could fall outside of this expected range. This pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. All full-time employees are also eligible for equity compensation and for benefits.

Annual Salary Range$267,720—$331,640 USD

Roles that are based in our San Mateo, CA Headquarters are in-office Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, with optional in-office on Monday and Friday (unless otherwise noted).

You’ll Love:

• Industry-leading compensation package
• Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage
• A rewarding 401k program
• Flexible vacation policy (varies by exemption status)
• Roflex - Flexible and supportive work policy
• Roblox Admin badge for your avatar

• At Roblox HQ:

  • Free catered lunches five times a week and several fully stocked kitchens with unlimited snacks
  • Onsite fitness center and fitness program credit
  • Annual CalTrain Go Pass

Roblox provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Roblox also provides reasonable accommodations for all candidates during the interview process.