Lead Software Engineer - EA SPORTS NHL

Global Sports Jobs Limited; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

3 weeks vacation

Sick time

Top‑up to EI/QPIP benefits

Extended health, dental, vision

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Retirement plan

Bonus eligibility

Job summary

EA SPORTS’ NHL franchise lead software engineer role is based in Vancouver, BC. You will spearhead architectural design across platforms, guiding execution with the Development Director and Producer while collaborating with designers, artists, and engineers to shape next‑gen features in rendering, UI, platform systems, ML, and tools.

You will mentor a team of engineers, champion performance and robustness, and drive safe, high‑impact AI usage.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of professional software or game development experience.
• Excellent C++ skills and strong portfolio of designing complex OO software.
• Proven technical leadership and mentoring a team of 5+ engineers.
• Experience evaluating emerging AI technologies and guiding tool/workflow transformations.
• Outstanding communication skills bridging technical and non‑technical teams.
• Solid understanding of memory management, multi‑threading, and runtime optimisation.
• Experience working on large, multiplatform codebases is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Architect and implement core systems and technical designs for future games.
• Collaborate with Frostbite engine developers to push gaming boundaries.
• Partner with EA SPORTS NHL teams to integrate new tech and deliver experiences.
• Mentor a high‑performing engineering team from discovery to integration.
• Champion code quality, performance, and stability across projects.
• Identify and attract top engineering talent to build the team.
• Drive adoption of AI-assisted development tools and establish best practices.

Skills

C++

Leadership / Mentoring

AI Technologies Evaluation

Communication Skills

Architectural Design

Job description

About the Role

This Lead Software Engineer role sits at the core of the game creation process for the EA SPORTS™ NHL franchise. The role leads architectural design and implementation across multiple platforms, partnering with the Development Director and Producer to guide execution and foster collaboration. Working with designers, artists, and engineers, the engineer helps define next‑generation features spanning rendering, user interface, platform systems, machine learning, and tools. The team is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, and is dedicated to creating on‑ice experiences that connect gamers worldwide.

Key Responsibilities

• Architect and implement the core systems and technical designs that will define our future games.
• Collaborate directly with the creators of the Frostbite engine to push the boundaries of what's possible in game development.
• Partner with the teams behind our EA SPORTS™ NHL title to integrate new technology and deliver unforgettable player experiences.
• Mentor a passionate and high-performing engineering team, guiding them from technical discovery through to final integration.
• Champion code quality, performance, and stability to ensure our games are optimised and robust.
• Help us build our dream team by identifying and attracting top‑tier engineering talent.
• Champion and drive team‑wide adoption of AI‑assisted development tools, defining and enforcing guidelines and best practices to incorporate AI into coding and workflows effectively and responsibly.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• A deep passion for gaming and a drive to create amazing interactive entertainment.
• Proven technical leadership and experience mentoring a team of 5+ engineers.
• Proven experience in evaluating emerging AI technologies, leading teams through tool and workflow transformation, and educating teams on safe and high‑impact AI usage.
• Excellent C++ skills and a strong portfolio of designing and architecting complex, object‑oriented software.
• The ability to take a high‑level vision and drive it to execution with excellence.
• Outstanding communication skills, with the ability to bridge the gap between technical and non‑technical teams.
• 6+ years of professional software development experience.
• Professional software or game development experience.
• A solid understanding of memory management, multi‑threading, and runtime optimisation.

Preferred Skills

• Previous work in large, multiplatform codebases is a plus.

Workplace

• Vancouver, British Columbia

Benefits & Perks

• 3 weeks of vacation per year to start
• 10 days of sick time per year
• Paid top‑up to EI/QPIP benefits up to 100% of base salary when welcoming a new child (12 weeks for maternity, 4 weeks for parental/adoption leave)
• Extended health, dental, and vision coverage
• Life insurance
• Disability insurance
• Retirement plan for regular full‑time employees
• Certain roles may also be eligible for bonus and other incentive programs

About the Company

EA SPORTS™ is one of the most iconic brands in entertainment, connecting hundreds of millions around the world to the sports they love through a portfolio of industry‑leading video games. The team, based in Vancouver, British Columbia, is composed of diverse talent dedicated to creating on‑ice experiences that connect gamers worldwide.