Senior Software Engineer - Backend

Electronic Arts (EA); Redwood City (CA); Hybrid; USD 165,000 - 256,000; Full time

Job summary

Electronic Arts (EA) is hiring a Senior Software Engineer to shape backend architecture for scalable, live-game services. You will work with researchers and engineers to integrate new technologies, including AI-assisted creation, into a world-class engine used by millions of players.

This hybrid role is onsite three days a week in Redwood City, Montreal, or Vancouver, reporting to the Director of Engineering.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of hands-on coding experience.
• Experience shipping and supporting scalable web services on public clouds (AWS, GCP, Azure).
• Expertise with Python and Postgres.
• Experience owning large systems from design to deployment and live support.
• Experience building high-quality, testable software and reusable APIs.
• Familiar with load testing, performance optimization, and debugging distributed systems.

Responsibilities

• Partner with engine developers to enable generative creation workflows.
• Develop massively scalable web services for millions of players.
• Blend security practices with innovative techniques to protect data.
• Improve deployment and troubleshooting to maximize uptime.
• Design and implement APIs and protocols that are formal and testable.
• Solve complex problems under evolving game development requirements.
• Write and review technical designs and API specs.
• Maintain automated tests for backend services.
• Participate in 24-hour live environment support.
• Maintain live services and ongoing upkeep.

Skills

8+ years experience

Scalable web services

Python

Postgres

API design & deployment

Testing & QA

Zero-downtime APIs

CI/CD tools

AI coding agents

Tools

AWS

GCP

Azure

Jenkins

GitLab

Claude Code

Job description

Description & Requirements

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.

At EA, we believe games are powerful because they bring together multiple ways people engage: play, watch, create, and connect. And increasingly, the biggest entertainment platforms aren't just places to consume content - they're places where communities build.

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.

As a Senior Software Engineer, you will collaborate with Research Scientists and Engineers to shape how new technologies integrate into backend architecture. You will translate ideas from exploration into systems that can operate at scale in a live environment. You will operate at the intersection of research and production, helping bring emerging technologies (e.g., AI-assisted creation, procedural systems) to a world-class engine used by millions of players.

This is a hybrid role, onsite three days a week, in Redwood City, Montreal, or Vancouver.

You will report to the Director of Engineering.

Responsibilities

• Partner with engine developers, integrating creator-focused systems into our backend architecture to enable generative creation workflows.
• Develop responsive, resilient, massively scalable, and globally available web services that support millions of players.
• Creatively blend security best practices and original techniques to keep user data secure and prevent cheating.
• Apply and improve service deployment and troubleshooting strategies that maximize uptime.
• Drive design and implementation of APIs and protocols that are consistent, formalized, and testable.
• Demonstrate excellent technical problem-solving skills under iteratively changing requirements during game development.
• Author and review technical design documents and API specifications detailing software requirements.
• Maintain a suite of automated tests that validate the correctness of backend services.
• Participate in 24-hour support of live environments.
• Participate in the upkeep and maintenance of live services.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of job experience in a hands on coding role
• Experience shipping and supporting scalable web services hosted in a public cloud provider like AWS, GCP, or Azure
• Expertise with Python and Postgres
• Experience owning large systems and features from design to deployment, including live service support
• Experience developing high-quality, testable software
• Experience working with client engineers and designers to iteratively add features and improve APIs
• Experience developing APIs for products that release new updates with zero downtime strategies and tools
• Experience with load testing, troubleshooting, and optimizing performance of web services
• Experience working on software that requires developing and optimizing queries and database access patterns
• Ability to iterate quickly and develop multiple short-lived prototypes
• Proficiency in CI/CD tools (e.g., Jenkins, GitLab)
• Experience with AI coding agents (e.g. Claude Code)

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.