Senior Software Engineer

Job Description

Welcome to Maxis, home to tinkerers, craftspeople, & storytellers. Our drive is to inspire everyone to make a better world through creative play. As the developer of The Sims, we create games and experiences for millions of people around the world and are always looking for new ways to inspire our players. Maxis is a place where you can do what you love and help others grow while doing it; a place where your unique voice can be heard and seen. We put creativity and inclusivity at the core of our work and don't settle for seeing the world only as it is, but strive to build a world as it could be.

Teams are building the next generation game and creative platform, Project Rene and reimagining The Sims that players know and love with even more new ways to play. We're excited you're interested to learn more about how you can join our team and dream big.

You will be reporting to a Development Director.

Location: Redwood City, CA

As a Senior Animation Engineer with Maxis, you will play a pivotal role in refining the animation pipeline and systems for Project Rene. Your work will span from pipeline refinement to rapid prototyping and production development. You will primarily work with Unreal Engine, mostly using C++ and Blueprints. Pipeline refinement includes C# tools development, and some prototypes and features may be developed entirely in C++.

Responsibilities:

• You will collaborate with designers, producers, animators, and engineers to identify, plan, and implement feature requirements.
• You will design and build animation features and prototypes.
• You will expand upon existing features and prototypes.
• You will design, implement, and debug specifications for complex production-level subsystems.
• You will maintain our animation asset pipeline and build animation asset tools.
• You will profile and optimize code components to reach our desired performance budgets.
• You will document and review technical designs for components.
• You will mentor peer engineers through the development process.
• You will learn and suggest pioneering technology that feeds our initiatives.
• You will serve as a subject matter expert for the team.

Qualifications:

• 5+ years of game development experience as an engineer.
• Experience implementing complex game subsystems.
• Strong knowledge of C++.
• Desktop (PC/Mac) game development experience.
• Experience in delivering high-quality tools for content creators.
• Strong understanding of geometry, linear algebra, and physics as they relate to transformations and motion in 3D space.
• Experience working directly with animators and other content creators to creatively solve artistic problems.
• Interest in achieving high-quality animation, especially in games.
• Experience optimizing and debugging complex applications.
• Development experience in Unreal Engine, mobile platforms, or multiplayer games.

Pluses

• You have professional experience with C#, WPF, or Python.
• You have experience with DCC animation toolsets (Maya, 3DS Max, etc.).
• You have experience with machine learning technologies and toolchains, particularly in content generation.
• You have experience working with multi-threaded systems.

US COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
The base salary ranges listed below are for the defined geographic market pay zones in these states. If you reside outside of these locations, a recruiter will advise on the base salary range and benefits for your specific location.
EA has listed the base salary ranges it in good faith expects to pay applicants for this role in the locations listed, as of the time of this posting. Salary offered will be determined based on numerous relevant business and candidate factors including, for example, education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, and business or organizational needs.
BASE SALARY RANGES
• California (depending on location e.g. Los Angeles vs. Sacramento):
o $161,100 - $239,700 USD Annually
• New York (depending on location e.g. Manhattan vs. Buffalo):
o $142,900 - $239,700 USD Annually
• Jersey City, NJ :
o $187,400 - $239,700 USD Annually
• Colorado (depending on location e.g. Denver vs. Colorado Springs):
o $153,100 - $206,200 USD Annually
• Washington (depending on location e.g. Seattle vs. Spokane):
o $142,900 - $230,000 USD Annually
Base salary is just one part of the overall compensation at EA. We also 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 equity.