Electronic Arts

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.

Location: Hybrid Redwood City and Vancouver.

This is an individual contributor senior role reporting to a design manager. You will be part of a multidiscipline team working on the future of The Sims.

Responsibilities:

• Create prototypes and designs for gameplay content, mechanics, and systems

• Write clear and detailed documentation that communicates functionality, logic, tuning, and player outcomes

• Implement and tune interactive objects, mechanics, and systems, or mechanics that power story-driven simulation and gameplay

• Collaborate with designers, art, engineering, and QA to ensure alignment and feasibility

• Partner with producers and project managers to scope features and track tasks.

• Use player-centered and data-informed design processes through quantitative and qualitative player insights

• Debug and troubleshoot in engine, taking ownership over quality and player experience

• Mentor junior designers, offering feedback guidance based on expertise

Qualifications:

• 7+ years of professional experience with one shipped AAA title

• Experience in builders, simulation, sandbox, or life-sim games

• Experience with expansion content or live service development

• Experience with logic, scripting, and in-engine implementation using in engine, esp. with proprietary tools (e.g., Unreal, XML, Blueprints)

• Proficient in version control (e.g. Perforce, Git) task tracking (e.g. Jira), and data visualization tools (e.g. Looker or Tableau)

• Experience with player-driven storytelling and systems supporting different playstyles

• Comfort designing content around themes like identity, relationships, and social dynamics

• Plus - experience in any or all: synchronous multiplayer; mobile-first design; mobile live-ops.

• British Columbia (depending on location e.g. Vancouver vs. Victoria)
  • $114,300 - $156,200 CAD

• California (depending on location e.g. Los Angeles vs. San Francisco)
  • $127,700 - $190,600 USD

• Washington (depending on location e.g. Seattle vs. Spokane)
  • $122,300 - $158,500 USD

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 equity.

In British Columbia, 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 equity.