Senior Research Scientist (Neural Animation)

Electronic Arts Ltd; Vancouver; Hybrid; CAD 141,000 - 204,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare benefits

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Job summary

Electronic Arts is seeking a Senior Research Scientist to join our Animation research pillar, advancing intelligent motion systems for future virtual characters and expressive in-game animations. You will lead translation of neural architectures into runtime behaviors, working with researchers, engineers, artists, and designers in a collaborative environment.

The role is hybrid with 3 days on-site at the Vancouver/Montreal/Redwood City studios and requires strong leadership and communication as

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Computer Science or STEM related to game animation
• Experience with Generative Models and CV techniques
• Proven ability to turn ideas into working prototypes
• Experience with ML frameworks and game engines
• 7+ years combined research and professional experience

Responsibilities

• Develop novel ideas by researching and implementing solutions to complex challenges in video game animation
• Pioneer applied research in Generative Motion and design breakthrough algorithms for expressive animations
• Build demos showcasing novel character animation and locomotion integrated with modern engines
• Publish work in peer-reviewed conferences and contribute to open-source and industry events

Skills

Generative Models

Computer Vision

Prototyping

Research Leadership

Collaboration

Deep Learning

Education

PhD or Masters in Computer Science or STEM

Tools

PyTorch

TensorFlow

Unity

Godot

Unreal Engine

Agentic frameworks

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.

Creator-made content is already a proven part of EA's history — from community creation tools in Battlefield to The Gallery in The Sims 4. We believe new creative technologies and tools will expand how players engage with and contribute to our experiences, supported by thoughtful product design, safety systems, and global reach. Our focus is on enabling more players to participate in creative expression by making creation easier, safer, and more rewarding.

A Senior Research Scientist to join our Animation research pillar and help pioneer the next generation of character animation technologies. Our goal is to build intelligent motion systems that will breathe life into future virtual characters. This is an advanced research role: you will lead the charge in translating complex neural network architectures into in-game responsive runtime behaviors, crafting high-impact simulation and generative-motion models that turn academic science into practical, expressive creations.

As a diverse team with clear goals, we provide autonomy and genuine influence to each team member. We are looking for an open and curious person; someone who gets a kick out of taking new ideas, investigating them, and adapting their application to games. You need a genuine interest in video games paired with a critical understanding of how AI can be built for games, including the ability to form your own insights on how you can improve it. You will partner with other researchers, engineers, artists, and designers. You have a desire to explore new areas of game development: someone who is passionate, creative, communicative, and invested.

This is a hybrid role, 3 days a week at our office in Redwood City (California), Montreal or Vancouver (Canada) studio.

The Senior Research Scientist will report to the Director of Research.

Responsibilities:

• Develop novel ideas by researching and implementing solutions to some of the most complex challenges in video game animation.
• Pioneer applied research in Generative Motion, conceptualizing breakthrough algorithms and use cases that deliver expressive, player-facing animations running seamlessly on local hardware.
• Build compelling demos that highlight novel solutions for character animation and locomotion with a focus on integration into modern game engine technologies.
• Scientific Leadership: Share your impact by publishing your work in peer-reviewed conferences (e.g., NeurIPS, ICML, CVPR), contributing to open-source, and speaking at industry events.

Qualifications:

• Advanced Research Background: A degree in Computer Science, a STEM field, or equivalent practical experience related to game animation.
• Technical experience: Experience with Generative Models, Computer Vision techniques (video segmentation, depth estimation, optical flow), Model training and inference.
• Practical experience: Experience turning ideas into functional prototypes or demos that showcase concepts in practice.
• Tooling Proficiency: Comfortable with development on Python and ML frameworks (PyTorch or TensorFlow), game engines (Unity, Godot, Unreal, etc) and experience with agentic frameworks.
• Experience & Education Requirements: Combined experience 7+ years between graduate degree research (PhD, Masters) and professional/research experience.

We are a diverse, goal-driven team that offers real influence and autonomy to every member. Our ideal candidate is curious, open-minded, and thrilled by exploring fresh concepts and tailoring them for game development. If you are a passionate, creative, and communicative individual who is deeply invested in innovating across new domains of gaming, we want you on our team.

Pay Transparency - North America

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).

PAY RANGES

* British Columbia (depending on location e.g. Vancouver vs. Victoria) *$141,400 - $204,400 CAD

* California (depending on location e.g. Los Angeles vs. San Francisco) *$165,000 - $256,000 USD

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

In the US, we offer a package of benefits including paid time off (3 weeks per year to start), 80 hours per year of sick time, 16 paid company holidays per year, 10 weeks paid time off to bond with baby, medical/dental/vision insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, and 401(k) to regular full-time employees. Certain roles may also be eligible for bonus and other incentive programs.

For Canada, we offer a package of benefits including vacation (3 weeks per year to start), 10 days per year of sick time, paid top-up to EI/QPIP benefits up to 100% of base salary when you welcome a new child (12 weeks for maternity, and 4 weeks for parental/adoption leave), extended health/dental/vision coverage, life insurance, disability insurance, retirement plan to regular full-time employees. Certain roles may also be eligible for bonus and other incentive programs.

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.