Character Artist - EA Sports NHL

This role focuses on creating high-quality characters that bring games to life, combining strong artistic fundamentals with technical expertise in modelling, sculpting, texturing, and material creation. Working as part of the EA SPORTS Characters team, the role develops characters using scan data, photography, reference material, and traditional 3D workflows across likeness, heads, bodies, hair, clothing, headgear, accessories, and customisation content. The role collaborates closely with Character Art, Technical Art, Animation, Rigging, Production, and partner teams to ensure characters look exceptional and perform successfully in-game.

• Create high-quality characters that bring games to life.
• Create and 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 the ongoing goal of raising the visual quality, authenticity, and player experience of EA SPORTS characters.

• 2+ years of professional experience creating characters for games or a related industry.
• Strong artistic fundamentals combined with technical expertise in modelling, sculpting, texturing, and material creation.
• 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.

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

• In Canada, vacation is 3 weeks per year to start.
• In Canada, sick time is 10 days per year.
• In Canada, extended health/dental/vision coverage is provided.
• In Canada, basic life insurance is provided.

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.