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Lead Game Tester Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Lead Software Engineer - Automation

Culver City, CA · On-site

$112.20K - $147.70K/yr

What We Need As a "Lead Software Engineer - Automation" within Shared Development Services ... Automation Architecture - Design, build, integrate, and evolve novel automated gameplay testing ...

Lead Software Engineer - Automation

Austin, TX · On-site

$101.60K - $133.80K/yr

What We Need As a "Lead Software Engineer - Automation" within Shared Development Services ... Automation Architecture - Design, build, integrate, and evolve novel automated gameplay testing ...

Lead Software Engineer - Automation

Las Vegas, NV · On-site

$97.90K - $128.90K/yr

What We Need As a "Lead Software Engineer - Automation" within Shared Development Services ... Automation Architecture - Design, build, integrate, and evolve novel automated gameplay testing ...

Lead Software Engineer - Automation

Novato, CA · On-site

$120.30K - $158.50K/yr

What We Need As a "Lead Software Engineer - Automation" within Shared Development Services ... Automation Architecture - Design, build, integrate, and evolve novel automated gameplay testing ...

Lead Software Engineer - Automation

Novato, CA · On-site

$120.30K - $158.50K/yr

What We Need As a "Lead Software Engineer - Automation" within Shared Development Services ... Automation Architecture - Design, build, integrate, and evolve novel automated gameplay testing ...

Lead Software Engineer - Automation

Las Vegas, NV

$97.90K - $128.90K/yr

What We Need As a "Lead Software Engineer - Automation" within Shared Development Services ... Automation Architecture - Design, build, integrate, and evolve novel automated gameplay testing ...

Lead Software Engineer - Automation

Austin, TX

$101.60K - $133.80K/yr

What We Need As a "Lead Software Engineer - Automation" within Shared Development Services ... Automation Architecture - Design, build, integrate, and evolve novel automated gameplay testing ...

$162.10K/yr

Lead continuous post-launch tuning efforts Analyze player data, win rates, and retention metrics to ... Familiarity with A/B testing frameworks and live balancing tools * Background in economy simulation ...

CRM Lead, Gaming

Denver, CO · Hybrid

$75K - $105K/yr

As CRM Lead, Gaming you will be responsible for developing and implementing CRM strategies to drive ... A/B, MVT, Control Testing), ensuring that all learnings are captured and used to optimize future ...

CRM Lead, Gaming

Denver, CO · On-site

$75K - $105K/yr

As CRM Lead, Gaming you will be responsible for developing and implementing CRM strategies to drive ... A/B, MVT, Control Testing), ensuring that all learnings are captured and used to optimize future ...

As CRM Lead, Gaming you will be responsible for developing and implementing CRM strategies to drive ... A/B, MVT, Control Testing), ensuring that all learnings are captured and used to optimize future ...

Director, Marketing

San Ramon, CA · On-site

$115K - $125K/yr

Oversee Lead game presentation, and in-venue entertainment, and fan engagement including: * Mascot ... Optimize campaigns through data, insights, and testing Commerce & Merchandise * Oversee merchandise ...

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Lead Game Tester information

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How much do lead game tester jobs pay per hour?

As of May 30, 2026, the average hourly pay for lead game tester in the United States is $15.27, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $13.46 and $18.27 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Lead Game Tester, and why are they important?

To excel as a Lead Game Tester, you need a deep understanding of game mechanics, quality assurance (QA) processes, and often a background in computer science or related fields. Familiarity with bug tracking systems like JIRA, test automation tools, and version control software is commonly required. Strong leadership, critical thinking, and effective communication skills are essential for coordinating teams and reporting issues clearly. These abilities ensure efficient identification of bugs, smooth team collaboration, and the delivery of high-quality gaming experiences.

What are some common challenges faced by Lead Game Testers when managing testing teams on large projects?

Lead Game Testers often navigate challenges such as coordinating communication among team members, ensuring consistent bug reporting standards, and managing tight deadlines during crunch periods. They must balance the need for thorough testing with the realities of shifting project priorities and last-minute changes from developers. Additionally, fostering team morale and maintaining high-quality output in a fast-paced, collaborative environment are key responsibilities that require strong leadership and organizational skills.

What are Lead Game Testers?

Lead Game Testers are professionals responsible for overseeing the quality assurance (QA) testing process in video game development. They coordinate a team of testers, develop test plans, and ensure that all aspects of a game are thoroughly tested for bugs, glitches, and playability issues before release. Lead Game Testers also communicate findings to developers, prioritize issues, and help maintain documentation throughout the QA process. Their leadership ensures games meet quality standards and provide a smooth experience for players.

What is the difference between Lead Game Tester vs Game Tester?

AspectLead Game TesterGame Tester
ResponsibilitiesOversees testing teams, reports bugs, coordinates testing effortsPerforms game testing, reports bugs, follows testing scripts
CredentialsTypically requires experience in testing, strong communication skillsEntry-level, often no formal certification required
Work EnvironmentTeam leadership, collaboration with developers and QA teamsIndividual testing, focused on specific game sections
Industry UsageCommon in larger studios with multiple testersFound in studios of all sizes, entry point for testing careers

The main difference between a Lead Game Tester and a Game Tester lies in responsibilities and experience. Lead Game Testers oversee testing teams and coordinate efforts, while Game Testers focus on executing tests and identifying bugs. Both roles require strong attention to detail, but Lead Game Testers typically have more experience and leadership skills.

More about Lead Game Tester jobs
What job categories do people searching Lead Game Tester jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Lead Game Tester jobs are:
Infographic showing various Lead Game Tester job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 6% Internship, 19% As Needed, 36% Full Time, 8% Part Time, 6% Temporary, and 25% Contract. Highlights an 100% Physical job distribution, with an average salary of $31,769 per year, or $15.3 per hour.

Lead Software Engineer - Automation

2K Vegas

Novato, CA • On-site

Full-time

Posted 2 days ago


Job description

Job Summary:
2K is a global video game company headquartered in Novato, California, known for publishing titles developed by influential game studios. The Lead Software Engineer - Automation will play a critical role in accelerating game delivery by designing and executing automation frameworks to enhance game quality and streamline development workflows.
Responsibilities:
• Automation Architecture - Design, build, integrate, and evolve novel automated gameplay testing frameworks that support multiple high-profile game projects.
• Workflow Acceleration - Identify developer friction points and proactively integrate automation to streamline automation and testing lifecycles.
• Cross-Studio Collaboration - Partner with leaders in Engineering. QA. and Production at world-class development studios to integrate shared Automation services into their unique game development environments.
• Pipeline Optimization - Manage and optimize high-concurrency CI/CD pipelines to ensure rapid iteration and stable build delivery for global teams.
• Tools R&D - Research and apply LLM-based tooling to accelerate development and automation workflows and improve testing efficiency.
Qualifications:
Required:
• 6+ years of experience in software engineering.
• Proven track record of delivering automation or tools solutions.
• 2+ years working with modern game engines (e.g., Unreal Engine, Godot, Unity) or large-scale proprietary internal engines.
• Expertise in at least one compiled language (e.g., C#, C++, Go, Rust, Java, etc) and one scripting language (e.g., Python, Bash, etc).
• Deep experience managing and scaling CI/CD systems (e.g., TeamCity, Jenkins, GitHub Actions, or similar pipeline orchestration tools).
• Demonstrated craft in writing and maintaining automated tests at each layer of the test pyramid, including unit, functional, integration, load, and end-to-end tests.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts for diverse stakeholders.
• A strong curiosity and demonstrated experience in using Large Language Models to assist in code generation, review, or documentation.
Preferred:
• A history of developing self-service tools from within a central technical team, serving as a technical integration partner for multiple internal teams.
• Core game-dev experience, (e.g, Gameplay, Systems, Graphics, Physics, etc) is useful in understanding game-team needs and technical requirements.
• Familiarity with cloud-based services (e.g., AWS) and their application in distributed build or automated testing environments.
• Experience with Unreal Engine and the Unreal ecosystem (e.g., Blueprints, Horde, Gauntlet, UBA, etc.).
• Exposure to performance profiling tools and the automation of performance regression detection in large-scale software.
Company:
2K Vegas is a QA studio subsidiary of 2K that provides consumers interactive entertainment experiences. Founded in 2005, the company is headquartered in Las Vegas, USA, with a team of 201-500 employees. The company is currently Growth Stage.