Technical Artist (Rigging) - EA SPORTS Technology

Global Sports Jobs Limited; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

3 weeks vacation per year

Sick time 10 days per year

Extended health, dental, and vision

Basic life insurance

Job summary

EA SPORTS is seeking a Rigging Technical Artist to work under a Rigging Lead within EA SPORTS Tech, delivering high-quality assets and advancing tooling.

You will build skeletons, skin characters, create control rigs, and develop scripts while collaborating with artists, engineers, and managers in Vancouver. This onsite role requires three days per week in Burnaby and a 12-month contract with potential extension.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years in cinematic or games production.
• Rigging and skinning of complex assets.
• Strong communication with artists, engineers, and managers.
• Scripting or programming in Python.
• Expertise with Autodesk Maya.
• Knowledge of human anatomy and animation principles.

Responsibilities

• Create skeletons for characters and objects.
• Skin characters and objects.
• Build control rigs.
• Carry out cloth and hair simulation.
• Maintain assets.
• Develop scripts.
• Own content and resolve technical/quality issues with assets.
• Work with Rigging Lead and project managers to deliver on time and with quality.

Skills

Autodesk Maya

Python scripting

Rigging

Skinning complex assets

Game engine knowledge

C++ knowledge (bonus)

3D mathematics

Motion capture familiarity

Anatomy & animation principles

Tools

Houdini

Job description

About the Role

A Rigging Technical Artist works under the direction of a Rigging Lead, in partnership with project managers, to ensure that deliverables are achieved at quality and on time. The role sits within the Rigging Team, part of EA SPORTS Tech, which pushes visual boundaries and experiences for players and invests in future technologies, shared tooling, and production workflows.

The team combines creativity and imagination with technical expertise, and encourages members to bring their unique perspectives and expertise to work every day.

Key Responsibilities

• Create skeletons for characters and objects.
• Skin characters and objects.
• Build control rigs.
• Carry out cloth and hair simulation.
• Maintain assets.
• Develop scripts.
• Assume ownership of content and resolve any technical or quality issues that arise with assets.
• Work under the direction of a Rigging Lead in partnership with project managers to achieve deliverables at quality and on time.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• At least 3 years of cinematic or games production experience.
• Background in rigging and skinning complex assets.
• Effective at communicating with different audiences: artists, engineers, and managers.
• Experience scripting or programming in Python.
• Expertise with Autodesk Maya.
• Knowledge of human anatomy and animation principles.

Preferred Skills

• Knowledge of C++ is a bonus.
• Understanding of or experience with game engines (commercial or proprietary).
• Character simulation experience.
• Experience with or understanding of 3D mathematics.
• Experience with Houdini or procedural node graph systems.
• Familiarity with motion capture (data and acquisition).

Workplace

• Onsite work at the EA Vancouver (Burnaby office) is required three days per week, Tuesday to Thursday.
• A 12-month contract, with the possibility of longer-term employment.

Salary

• Pay offered will be determined based on relevant business and candidate factors, such as education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, or business needs.

Benefits & Perks

• Vacation of 3 weeks per year to start.
• 10 days per year of sick time.
• Extended health, dental, and vision coverage.
• Basic life insurance.

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.