Character Artist - EA Sports UFC

Global Sports Jobs Limited; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation 3 weeks

Sick time 10 days

Extended health, dental, vision

Life insurance

Job summary

EA SPORTS is seeking a skilled Character Artist to create authentic, high-quality characters for its next-generation sports titles. You will work within the Characters team, using scan data, photography, and traditional workflows to build likenesses, heads, bodies, hair, clothing and accessories, from concept through in-game integration.

Collaborating with Art, Technical Art, Animation, Rigging and Production, you will refine assets through iteration and polish, applying PBR texturing and

Qualifications

• Strong artistic fundamentals with technical modelling and texturing skills.

Responsibilities

• Create high-quality characters for EA SPORTS games.
• Develop characters using scan data, photography, and references.
• Produce likenesses for heads, bodies, hair, clothing, accessories.
• Collaborate with Character Art, Technical Art, Animation, Rigging, Production and other teams.
• Contribute through asset creation, integration, polish and final quality.
• Raise visual quality, authenticity and player experience of EA SPORTS characters.

Skills

Artistic fundamentals

3D modelling

Sculpting

Texturing

Material creation

Photorealism

Character anatomy

UV layout

Feedback collaboration

Game engine familiarity

Tools

Maya

ZBrush

Photoshop

Substance Painter

Frostbite

Unreal Engine

Unity

Job description

About the Role

This role focuses on creating high-quality characters for EA SPORTS games by combining artistic fundamentals with technical expertise in modelling, sculpting, texturing, and material creation. It sits within the EA SPORTS Characters team and involves developing characters using scan data, photography, reference material, and traditional 3D workflows. The work spans character likeness, heads, bodies, hair, clothing, headgear, and a wide variety of character accessories and customisation content. The role requires close collaboration with Character Art, Technical Art, Animation, Rigging, Production, and other partner teams, and it contributes throughout production from initial asset creation through integration, polish, and final quality. The role reports to the project Development Director.

Key Responsibilities

• Create high-quality characters for EA SPORTS games, including authentic and visually compelling characters at the expected quality bar.
• Develop characters using a combination of scan data, photography, reference material, and traditional 3D workflows.
• Produce character likeness, heads, bodies, hair, clothing, headgear, and a wide variety of character accessories and customisation content.
• Collaborate closely with Character Art, Technical Art, Animation, Rigging, Production, and other partner teams to ensure characters look exceptional and perform successfully in-game.
• Contribute throughout the production process, from initial asset creation and iteration through integration, polish, and final quality.
• Contribute to raising the visual quality, authenticity, and player experience of EA SPORTS characters.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• Strong artistic fundamentals combined with technical expertise in modelling, sculpting, texturing, and material creation.
• 1+ years of professional experience creating characters for games or a related industry.
• Strong skills in high-fidelity 3D modelling 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 optimisation, prioritising 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.

Preferred Skills

• Concept-to-final-model work is considered an asset.

Salary

• Pay offered will be determined based on relevant business and candidate factors (e.g. education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, or business needs).
• If you reside in a different location, a recruiter will advise on the applicable range and benefits.
• Pay is just one part of the overall compensation at EA.

Benefits & Perks

• In Canada, vacation starts at 3 weeks per year.
• In Canada, 10 days per year of sick time are provided.
• In Canada, extended health, dental, and vision coverage is offered.
• In Canada, basic life insurance is provided.

About the Company

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 SPORTS™ FC soccer, NHL® hockey, and EA SPORTS UFC.