Senior Game Designer - The Sims

We are looking for an experienced Senior Game Designer at Maxis, the developer of The Sims. The role involves working with Engineers, UX designers, artists, researchers, and producers to design and implement gameplay features, systems, and content. The Senior Game Designer reports to a Game Design Director.

Responsibilities

• Advocate for and maintain the vision of the project set by the Game Design Director.
• Become an expert on the game and our target audience, using data, research, and playtesting to make thoughtful design decisions.
• Design and own major features, systems, mechanics, and content.
• Determine player experience goals and lead concept, implementation, and iteration of owned systems and features.
• Find creative solutions that achieve the intended player experience and fit within the project scope.
• Collaborate with engineers, experience designers, product managers, artists, and quality assurance to guide projects from design to production.
• Become proficient in proprietary game development tools to implement designs, tune features, and fix bugs.
• Establish and advocate for good design patterns and practices that scale with the game and team.
• Partner with Development Directors and Producers to plan work, identify risks, and communicate design changes.
• Mentor other designers, providing feedback and guidance to support their growth.

Qualifications

• At least 7 years of professional game design experience on a video game development team.
• Proficient at designing mobile or mobile‑first features and systems.
• Motivated to overcome complex design challenges with practical solutions.
• Proficient in communication and collaboration across many disciplines.
• Proficient at leading large features or game areas.
• Experience implementing features and tuning design using scripting, blueprint, or other technical configuration schemes in common editors or proprietary toolsets.
• Comfortable with multiple stages of development, from pre‑production through live service.
• Proficient at writing clear design documentation throughout a project life cycle.
• Experience with data‑informed design practices, A/B testing, and segmentation.
• Experience shipping live service features that enhance the player experience, respond to player needs, and deliver measurable impact.
• Enthusiasm for playing and deconstructing games.
• Experience leading or mentoring other designers.
• Effective at collaborating with project managers to organise and prioritise work.
• Proficient in version control (e.g. Perforce, Git) and online collaboration suites like Atlassian (Confluence, Jira), Slack, Google (Docs, Sheets, Slides), Miro, and Figma.

Desirable Skills

• Worked on mobile, mobile‑first, or AAA HD titles.
• Some technical design, scripting, modding, or engineering background.
• Experience designing synchronous multiplayer gameplay.
• Experience with camera, character, and controls design.Experience with rapid prototyping.
• Experience in Unreal.
• Experience designing mobile‑first UX.
• Experience with games in The Sims franchise or other simulation games (life sim, builder, business management, tycoon).
• Experience with expansion content or live service development.
• Experience working within Agile development.
• Experience with social sandbox games or other open‑ended player creativity games.

Compensation and Benefits

The following ranges are what EA in good faith expects to pay applicants for this role in North America. Pay will be determined based on education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, and other business factors. Pay ranges (British Columbia) $114,300 - $156,200 CAD.

Benefits in Canada include 3 weeks of vacation per year at start, 10 sick days per year, paid EI/QPIP top‑up up to 100% of base salary for new child, 12 weeks maternity leave, 4 weeks parental/adoption leave, extended health/dental/vision coverage, life insurance, disability insurance, retirement plan for full‑time employees. Certain roles may also be eligible for bonus and equity.

Equal Opportunity Employer

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. EA also considers applicants with criminal records in accordance with applicable law and makes accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities as required by law.

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