Experience Designer (UX) - EA SPORTS™ NHL

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Experience Designer II (UX) - EA SPORTS™ NHL

Company: Electronic Arts

Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Job Type: Temporary Employee

Category: User Experience (UX) Design / Game Design

Date Posted: 2026-10-01

Experience Level: 4+ Years Professional Experience

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is crucial for shaping the player experience within the EA SPORTS™ NHL franchise, focusing on intuitive design and seamless interaction across multiple platforms.

• The Experience Designer will translate complex player needs into user-friendly interfaces, ensuring high-quality engagement and visual identity for the game and its seasonal campaigns.

• Key responsibilities include designing player flows, wireframes, interaction patterns, and adapting core gameplay and menu experiences for diverse hardware capabilities.

• Success in this role requires a strong portfolio demonstrating impactful UX work, a collaborative spirit, and a commitment to player-centered design principles within the fast-paced video game development industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is specifically for a game development studio, focusing on the user experience of video games rather than traditional software or web applications. The "player" is the end-user, and "multi-platform development" refers to consoles, PC, and potentially mobile. The "Temporary Employee" designation suggests a fixed-term contract.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and refine player flows, wireframes, interaction patterns, and layouts to enhance clarity, usability, and comprehension within the EA SPORTS™ NHL game.

• Guide the adaptation and translation of core gameplay mechanics, controls, and menu experiences for multi-platform environments, ensuring a consistent and high-quality player experience across all supported hardware.

• Contribute to team discussions, share design documentation and insights, and actively work to improve overall design quality, consistency, and collaboration within the UX team and with cross-functional disciplines.

• Conduct user interviews and facilitate design brainstorms or workshops under guidance to gather player feedback and drive innovative solutions.

• Advocate for UX design excellence across the entire team, gathering feedback from various stakeholders and iterating on solutions to enhance usability, clarity, and emotional impact for millions of players.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strong emphasis on player-centric design and cross-platform consistency, which are critical in the gaming industry. The mention of "seasonal campaigns" suggests involvement in live service elements or ongoing content updates for the game.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• University degree (Bachelor's) in Experience Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, or an equivalent field, or substantial equivalent professional experience. Experience:

• A minimum of 4+ years of professional experience within video game development or a closely related interactive entertainment industry.

• 2+ years of experience specifically working with multi-platform development environments and challenges.

• 3+ years of professional UX design experience, with a strong proficiency in using Figma for design and prototyping. Required Skills:

• UX Design & Prototyping: Demonstrated expertise in user flows, complex information hierarchy design, wireframing, copywriting, prototyping, and player-centered thinking.

• Design Tools: Proficiency with Figma for creating wireframes, interactive prototypes, and design documentation.

• Cross-Platform Design: Proven experience designing for diverse input methods (e.g., controllers, mouse/keyboard) and variable performance profiles across multiple platforms (e.g., PC, consoles), maintaining a cohesive user experience.

• Visual Design Principles: Solid understanding of graphic design, layout principles, and gestalt principles to create visually appealing and functional interfaces.

• Collaboration & Communication: A positive, collaborative mindset with a commitment to learning, improving craft quality, and contributing to stronger team outcomes through effective communication and feedback exchange.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with user research methodologies and incorporating player feedback into design iterations.

• Familiarity with game development pipelines and the iterative nature of game design.

• Understanding of accessibility standards in user experience design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on Figma and multi-platform experience is key. The "Experience Designer II" title suggests this is not an entry-level position, aligning with the 4+ years of experience requirement. The portfolio requirement is paramount for this role.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate Design Process: Showcase a clear and well-documented design process, including research, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, user testing (if applicable), and iteration.

• Impactful UX Work: Present clear examples of how your design solutions have positively impacted player experience, engagement, or usability metrics.

• Design Rationale: Articulate the "why" behind your design decisions, explaining the rationale, trade-offs considered, and how solutions address player needs and business objectives.

• Documentation: Include examples of design documentation, such as user flows, style guides, or interaction specifications, that facilitate clear communication with development teams.

• Multi-Platform Consideration: Highlight projects that demonstrate an understanding of designing for different platforms and input methods.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design: Provide examples of how you've mapped out and designed complex player journeys and information architectures within interactive applications.

• System Adaptation: Illustrate how you've approached adapting core gameplay or system experiences for different platforms, considering technical constraints and user experience parity.

• Collaboration Artifacts: Include examples of documentation that facilitated collaboration with engineering, art, and product management teams (e.g., detailed specs, annotated wireframes).

📝 Enhancement Note: For a UX role in game development, the portfolio is the primary evaluation tool. It needs to go beyond static mockups and demonstrate a deep understanding of user-centered design, interaction patterns, and the challenges specific to game interfaces and multi-platform releases.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $104,500 - $142,800 CAD per year

• This range is specific to British Columbia, Canada, with potential variations based on the exact location within the province (e.g., Vancouver vs. Victoria). Benefits:

• Paid Time Off: 3 weeks of vacation per year (starting), plus 10 days per year of sick time.

• Health & Wellness: Extended health coverage, dental coverage, vision coverage, and mental well-being support.

• Financial Security: Basic life insurance and retirement savings plan contributions.

• Family Support: Family leaves.

• Perks: Complimentary games.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time work week, likely around 40 hours, with a hybrid work model.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is specific to the Canadian market and the stated province. The benefits package is comprehensive, covering health, financial, and personal well-being, which is standard for large tech/entertainment companies. The "Temporary Employee" status might affect the long-term nature of some benefits, but core offerings like health and PTO are typically included.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Interactive Entertainment / Video Game Development

Company Size: Large (Electronic Arts is a global company with thousands of employees across multiple studios).

Founded: 1982 (Electronic Arts)

Team Structure:

• Studio Focus: The role is within EA SPORTS, specifically the EA SPORTS™ NHL team, indicating a specialized focus within the larger EA organization.

• Reporting: Reports to an Associate UX Director, suggesting a hierarchical structure within the UX department.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Works closely with various disciplines including game design, engineering, art, product management, and potentially QA to bring game features to life.

Methodology:

• Player-Centric Design: The core methodology revolves around understanding and advocating for the player experience.

• Iterative Development: Design processes are iterative, involving feedback loops with development teams and potentially player testing.

• Data-Informed Decisions: While not explicitly stated for this role, EA generally uses data and analytics to inform design choices and measure player engagement.

• Collaborative Environment: Emphasis is placed on teamwork, knowledge sharing, and collective improvement of design quality.

Company Website: https://www.ea.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: EA is a major player in the gaming industry, known for its AAA titles and large-scale development. The culture is likely fast-paced, creative, and performance-driven, with a strong emphasis on delivering polished, engaging entertainment products. The company's long history suggests established processes and a significant global presence.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Experience Designer II (UX)

• This title indicates a mid-level position within the UX design track. It implies a solid foundation of practical experience and the ability to work with some autonomy on defined features or systems, contributing to larger design efforts under senior guidance. It's beyond an entry-level role but not yet a senior or lead position. Reporting Structure:

• Reports to an Associate UX Director, meaning direct mentorship and guidance from a senior leader in the UX discipline. This provides opportunities for learning advanced design strategies and career development advice. Operations Impact:

• The role has a direct impact on player satisfaction, engagement, and retention by shaping the core interactive experience of a major sports franchise. Well-designed UX can lead to higher player ratings, increased playtime, and stronger community sentiment. Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Advancement: Deepen expertise in UX design principles, advanced prototyping techniques, and platform-specific design challenges within the gaming context.

• Career Progression: Potential to move into Senior Experience Designer roles, UX Lead positions, or specialize in areas like UI design, user research, or systems design.

• Learning & Development: Exposure to AAA game development processes, working with industry-leading tools and technologies, and opportunities for mentorship within a large, established organization.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Gain insights into game design, engineering, art, and production pipelines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "II" designation is a common indicator of a mid-level role. For a UX designer, growth often involves taking on more complex features, leading design for specific game systems, or mentoring junior designers. The temporary nature of the role might influence long-term growth prospects within EA, but it offers significant experience for future roles.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid Work Model

• This indicates a blend of in-office and remote work, allowing for collaborative sessions at the studio while maintaining some flexibility. Office Location(s):

• Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This is a major hub for game development, suggesting a vibrant ecosystem of talent and resources. Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: The hybrid model implies access to studio facilities for team meetings, brainstorming sessions, and collaborative design work.

• Technology & Tools: Access to industry-standard design software (like Figma), development tools, and potentially internal EA platforms.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities to work closely with a dedicated UX team, game designers, artists, and engineers, fostering a dynamic and creative work environment.

Work Schedule:

• Likely a standard full-time schedule (e.g., Monday-Friday) with flexibility built into the hybrid model. The demands of game development can sometimes lead to crunch periods, though efforts are typically made to manage this.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is typical for many tech and creative industries post-pandemic. For game development, in-office time is often crucial for spontaneous collaboration, playtesting, and team cohesion, especially when working with complex visual and interactive elements.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter will likely review your resume and portfolio for initial fit.

• Portfolio Presentation: You may be asked to present your portfolio to the hiring team, walking them through key projects, your design process, and decision-making.

• Technical/Design Interviews: Expect questions focused on UX principles, problem-solving scenarios, and how you'd approach specific design challenges relevant to game interfaces.

• Team/Cultural Fit: Interviews with potential team members and the hiring manager to assess collaboration style, communication skills, and alignment with EA's values.

• Potential Practical Exercise: A design challenge or case study may be assigned, either to complete beforehand or during an interview session, to evaluate your design thinking and problem-solving abilities in real-time.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Showcase 3-5 of your strongest, most relevant projects that highlight your UX design process and impact.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process you followed, your design decisions (and rationale), and the outcomes or learnings.

• Highlight Game/Platform Relevance: If possible, include projects that demonstrate experience with game interfaces, console controls, or multi-platform design challenges.

• Showcase Figma Skills: Ensure your Figma work is well-organized and demonstrates proficiency in creating wireframes, interactive prototypes, and design systems.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics or qualitative feedback to demonstrate the positive impact of your designs.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand Game UX: Familiarize yourself with common UX patterns in sports games and the specific challenges of designing for consoles and diverse player bases.

• Practice Problem-Solving: Prepare to articulate your thought process for tackling design problems, breaking them down, and proposing solutions.

• Communicate Effectively: Practice explaining complex design concepts clearly and concisely, as if presenting to a mixed audience of designers, developers, and producers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is the most critical component for this role. Candidates should be prepared to defend their design choices and demonstrate a deep understanding of the UX process from conception to delivery.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Explicitly required for wireframing, prototyping, and design documentation. Candidates must demonstrate strong proficiency.

• Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator): Likely used for asset creation, image manipulation, and potentially UI elements.

• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma, familiarity with other prototyping tools might be beneficial.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not directly a UX design tool, understanding how analytics are used to track player behavior and engagement within games is valuable. Tools like internal analytics platforms or potentially third-party solutions might be used. CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to the core UX design function in game development, but understanding project management tools (e.g., Jira, Asana) used for task tracking and workflow management is essential for team collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is the cornerstone of this role's toolset. A strong understanding of its capabilities for creating interactive prototypes and design systems is essential. Exposure to game development-specific tools or workflows could be a plus.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Player-Centricity: A fundamental value, ensuring that all design decisions prioritize the player's experience, enjoyment, and ease of use.

• Collaboration: A strong emphasis on teamwork, open communication, and working effectively with diverse disciplines to achieve common goals.

• Creativity & Innovation: Encouraging new ideas and approaches to problem-solving within the interactive entertainment space.

• Excellence & Quality: A commitment to delivering high-quality, polished experiences that meet the standards of the EA SPORTS™ brand.

• Continuous Learning: A culture that supports professional development, skill enhancement, and adaptation to new technologies and design trends.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Seamless integration with game design, engineering, art, and production teams is critical.

• Feedback Loop: An environment where constructive feedback is welcomed and utilized for design iteration and improvement.

• Shared Ownership: Fostering a sense of shared responsibility for the game's success and player experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: EA's culture often balances creative freedom with the rigorous demands of AAA game development. The emphasis on collaboration and player-centricity are key themes that candidates should reflect in their applications and interviews.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Multi-Platform Design Complexity: Balancing user experience across different hardware capabilities, screen sizes, input methods, and performance constraints.

• Iterative Design in Game Dev: Navigating the iterative nature of game development, where designs may need to change significantly based on technical constraints, gameplay evolution, or player feedback.

• Balancing Player Needs with Business Goals: Designing experiences that are both engaging for players and align with the commercial objectives of the franchise.

• Communicating UX Vision: Effectively articulating and advocating for UX design principles to a diverse team that may not have a deep UX background.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialization: Opportunities to deepen expertise in specific areas of UX/UI design relevant to gaming.

• Industry Exposure: Gaining experience with the entire lifecycle of AAA game development.

• Mentorship: Learning from experienced UX Directors and other senior members of the EA SPORTS team.

• Networking: Connecting with a wide range of professionals in the game development industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to game development, particularly for a major franchise like NHL. Growth opportunities are significant, offering exposure to cutting-edge game design and development practices.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex player flow you designed for a game or interactive experience. What were the challenges, and how did you ensure clarity and usability across platforms?"

• "How do you approach adapting a core game mechanic's interface for different controller schemes or input methods?"

• "Walk us through a time you received critical feedback on a design. How did you process it, and what changes did you make?"

• "Imagine we need to redesign the main menu for EA SPORTS NHL to be more intuitive for new players while retaining familiarity for veterans. How would you approach this?" Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about EA SPORTS and the NHL franchise specifically?"

• "How do you contribute to a collaborative team environment, especially in a hybrid work setting?"

• "Describe a time you had to advocate for a design decision that was initially unpopular. How did you build consensus?"

• "How do you stay updated on the latest UX trends and technologies in gaming?" Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your presentation logically: Introduction (Project goal, your role), Problem Statement, Design Process (Research, Ideation, Wireframes, Prototypes, Testing), Solution (Key screens/interactions), Outcomes/Impact, Learnings.

• Visuals: Use high-quality visuals of your work. Ensure your Figma prototypes are functional and easy to navigate during a live demo.

• Narrative: Focus on the story behind each project, emphasizing your problem-solving skills and design rationale.

• Conciseness: Be mindful of time and focus on the most impactful aspects of your projects. Be prepared to answer detailed questions about your work.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interviewers will be looking for a strong understanding of UX principles applied to the unique context of video game design and multi-platform development, as well as evidence of strong collaboration and communication skills.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Experience Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the EA Careers website.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your online portfolio is up-to-date and prominently features your best UX design work, particularly projects that demonstrate experience with interactive interfaces, multi-platform design, and strong design process. Tailor your portfolio highlights to the EA SPORTS NHL context if possible.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly highlight your 4+ years of professional experience in game development or similar industries, your 3+ years of Figma proficiency, and your experience with multi-platform development. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process and rationale for key portfolio projects. Prepare answers for common UX interview questions and be ready to discuss your experience with cross-functional collaboration and player-centered design.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with EA, the EA SPORTS brand, and the EA SPORTS NHL franchise. Understand their mission, values, and recent game releases to demonstrate genuine interest and cultural fit.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.