Lead Flash developer for on-line Games

To Apply: cgibbons@gsn.com

Date Posted: Monday March 01, 2010

Company: Game Show Network; GSN Digital

Location: Newton, MA

Company Overview

As the premier television network for games, GSN (Game Show Network) distributes game show programming through a 68-million subscriber television network. The company extends its reach through a casual and online competitive entertainment games site, GSN.com. Users can play along with popular game shows, enjoy free flash games, and compete for cash in skill-based tournaments.

Serious business, serious fun…that’s our motto. When you walk in the door, we want you to be ready for challenging and dynamic work, but we also want you to be ready to laugh and ready to play games. We’ll help you take the next step in your career, and we want you to have the time of your life doing it.

Position Summary

Reporting to the manager for cash game development, you will be the team’s expert on Flash development and support. In this position you will help the team’s Flash developers navigate through the many aspects of ActionScript required to produce quality games. You will be responsible for prototyping, creating and extending Flash games for our various online initiatives. You will also also integrate Flash games with our game server technology. As part of a small cross functional team, you will work closely with colleagues to gather, evaluate and communicate requirements and perform AS3 development through iterative development cycles. This position requires a strong foundation of development skills and practices with a history of excellence in the delivery of clean, high quality, high performing and highly maintainable code.

Primary Responsibilities

• Writing and extending ActionScript game code, with an emphasis on well documented code and supporting design documentation.
• Integration of game code with our game server platform
• Thorough unit testing of all deliverables and support of additional testing requirements
• Interface with other Developers, Quality Assurance, Graphic Designers, Product Management, Marketing and Operations 
• Game concepts prototyping
• Creative resolution of gameplay, functionality and production issues
• Documentation as it pertains to version control, defect and project tracking and knowledge transfer 
• Be the team’s go-to person for technically challenging ActionScript problems
• Help define best-practices in game development for the team, including mentoring other team members on Flash development. 

Requirements

• BS in Computer Science, or equivalent experience
• Expertise with ActionScript (5+ years). Understanding of AS1, AS2 and AS3 (with an emphasis on the latter)
• Game development experience with strong understanding of game development principles: Collision, AI, Physics, GUI, Input, Multiplayer, etc.
• Experience optimizing Flash for bandwidth restrictions, file-size constraints, machine resource management (CPU/Memory/Networking/etc)
• Solid OO skills with the ability to write high performance, elegant, clean code
• Strong Flash diagnostic and problem solving skills. Good expertise in trouble shooting other people’s code a definite plus.
• Experience with C++ preferred
• Strong understanding of software development process
• Ability to work collaboratively in small teams
• Reliance on instructions and pre-established guidelines to perform the functions of the job, but a high degree of creativity and latitude is required
• Experience with HTML and JavaScript
• Excellent organizational, time management, verbal and written communication skills
• Experience with Agile practices and Social Media
• Understanding of Client/Server game technology is essential
• Hands on experience with TCP/IP, especially from within ActionScript, a plus
• Experience with Linux/C++ a definite plus
• Experience with securing games a definite plus
• Experience with Flex Builder as well as Flex are highly desirable
• Must love gaming
• Must be authorized to work in the US
• No relocation funding is available

Office Location

Our Newton, MA office.

Direct applicants only, no agencies please.