Character Artist - EA Sports NHL

Electronic Arts Ltd; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 78,000 - 108,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation time

Sick time

Health coverage

Dental coverage

Life insurance

Job summary

Electronic Arts in Vancouver is seeking a skilled Character Artist to create high-quality characters for our AAA titles. You will blend strong artistic fundamentals with technical workflows in modeling, sculpting, texturing, and material creation to deliver authentic characters that meet EA SPORTS quality.

You will collaborate across Character Art, Animation, Rigging, Technical Art, and Production, iterating from concept to in-game assets while adapting quickly to feedback and maintaining

Qualifications

• 2+ years of professional character creation experience.
• High-fidelity 3D modeling and sculpting with game-ready workflows.
• Proficiency in Maya, ZBrush, Photoshop, and Substance Painter.
• Strong understanding of human anatomy and likeness.
• Experience with PBR texturing and real-world surface translation.
• Experience with Frostbite, Unreal Engine, or Unity.
• Ability to translate reference material into 3D assets.
• Texture optimization and UV layout for performance.

Responsibilities

• Create high-quality characters for games from concept to in-game assets.
• Collaborate with Art, Animation, Rigging, and Production teams.
• Iterate assets through feedback and polish stages.
• Maintain consistency with the project’s visual style.

Skills

3D modeling

Sculpting

PBR texturing

Anatomy knowledge

UV layout

Texture baking

Game engines

Feedback collaboration

Photorealism

Character likeness

Tools

Maya

ZBrush

Photoshop

Substance Painter

Unreal Engine

Frostbite

Job description

Electronic Arts creates next-level entertainment experiences that inspire players and fans around the world. Here, everyone is part of the story. Part of a community that connects across the globe. A place where creativity thrives, new perspectives are invited, and ideas matter. A team where everyone makes play happen.

EA SPORTS is one of the leading sports entertainment brands in the world, with top-selling videogame franchises, award-winning interactive technology, fan programs, and cross-platform digital experiences. EA SPORTS creates connected experiences that ignite the emotion of sport through industry-leading sports video games, including Madden NFL football, EA SPORTSTM FC soccer, NHL® hockey, and EA SPORTS UFC.

Your Responsibilities

As a Character Artist, you will play a key role in creating the high-quality characters that bring our games to life. You will combine strong artistic fundamentals with technical expertise in modeling, sculpting, texturing, and material creation to deliver authentic, visually compelling characters at the quality bar expected of EA SPORTS.

Working as part of the EA SPORTS Characters team, you will create and develop characters using a combination of scan data, photography, reference material, and traditional 3D workflows. Your work will span character likeness, heads, bodies, hair, clothing, headgear, and a wide variety of character accessories and customization content.

You will collaborate closely with Character Art, Technical Art, Animation, Rigging, Production, and other partner teams to ensure characters not only look exceptional but also perform successfully in-game. You will contribute throughout the production process, from initial asset creation and iteration through integration, polish, and final quality.

You will report to the project Development Director and contribute to our ongoing goal of raising the visual quality, authenticity, and player experience of EA SPORTS characters.

Your Qualifications

• 2+ years of professional experience creating characters for games or a related industry.
• Strong skills in high-fidelity 3D modeling and digital sculpting, including high-poly to game-resolution workflows and surface/detail baking.
• Proficiency with industry-standard tools such as Maya, ZBrush, Photoshop, and Substance Painter.
• Strong understanding of human anatomy, proportion, form, and likeness.
• Experience creating photorealistic characters and materials, with a strong understanding of how real-world surfaces translate into CG.
• Strong knowledge of PBR texturing and material workflows, including the creation of realistic skin, hair, fabric, and hard-surface materials.
• Experience creating high-quality textures from scan data, photography, and traditional reference.
• Experience working within a modern, content-driven game engine such as Frostbite, Unreal Engine, or Unity.
• Ability to interpret limited photography, reference material, or concept art and translate it accurately into three-dimensional assets.
• Experience creating game-resolution topology with consideration for animation, deformation, rigging, and performance.
• Knowledge of clothing construction and experience creating believable garments, folds, materials, and character accessories.
• Strong understanding of UV layout and optimization, prioritizing texture resolution and visual quality where it matters most.
• Ability to take character assets from initial creation through in-game integration, iteration, polish, and final quality.
• Comfortable receiving and implementing feedback while collaborating with Character Art, Animation, Rigging, Technical Art, and Production.

Portfolio Requirements

Your portfolio should demonstrate a strong understanding of photorealistic character creation, including:

• High-quality character likeness and anatomy.
• Realistic skin, hair, clothing, and materials.
• Examples showing both high-resolution sculpting and final game-resolution assets.
• Texture and material breakdowns, including UV layouts and relevant texture maps.
• Finished character work presented at a quality suitable for a modern AAA game.
• Concept-to-final-model work is considered an asset.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The ranges listed below are what EA in good faith expects to pay applicants for this role in these locations at the time of this posting. If you reside in a different location, a recruiter will advise on the applicable range and benefits. Pay offered will be determined based on a number of relevant business and candidate factors (e.g. education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, or business needs).

• British Columbia (depending on location e.g. Vancouver vs. Victoria) $77,700 - $107,900 CAD

Pay is just one part of the overall compensation at EA.

In Canada, we offer a package of benefits including vacation (3 weeks per year to start), 10 days per year of sick time, and extended health/dental/vision coverage and basic life insurance.

About Electronic Arts

We’re proud to have an extensive portfolio of games and experiences, locations around the world, and opportunities across EA. We value adaptability, resilience, creativity, and curiosity. From leadership that brings out your potential, to creating space for learning and experimenting, we empower you to do great work and pursue opportunities for growth.

We adopt a holistic approach to our benefits programs, emphasizing physical, emotional, financial, career, and community wellness to support a balanced life. Our packages are tailored to meet local needs and may include healthcare coverage, mental well-being support, retirement savings, paid time off, family leaves, complimentary games, and more. We nurture environments where our teams can always bring their best to what they do.

Electronic Arts is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, genetic information, religion, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, marital status, family status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We will also consider employment qualified applicants with criminal records in accordance with applicable law. EA also makes workplace accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities as required by applicable law.