Technical Director

Job Description

In the Technical Operations group of Creative Technologies, we build solutions for our customers (Game Teams.) We empower game creators to make an impact; our success is measured not by mandating customer loyalty, but by becoming their preferred choice through the quality of our service and execution.

We are shaping a new division within Creative Technologies - the Technical Operations group - to propel projects in Machine Learning Operations (MLOps) and Cloud infrastructure. You will report directly to the Head of Technical Operations - Creative Technologies, leading the DevOps and MLOps functions for the Technical Operations team.

In addition to a focus on MLOps, this role also demands adeptness in traditional DevOps and infrastructure responsibilities. You will take a leadership role in managing the infrastructure for our teams, completing assessments of their infrastructure needs, and making choices between physical hardware or cloud-based solutions. This position is for you if …
• You're keen on forging a career path in multiple domains of technology.
• You're geared towards a hands-on role / direct involvement in the daily work.
• You're willing to step beyond your comfort zone and face new challenges.
• You're comfortable with managing both modern MLOps and traditional DevOps responsibilities. We are looking for a balance between the two.

Important Responsibilities
• Team Management: You will lead a dynamic team of Leads and Individual Contributors in online infrastructure and MLOps spaces, promoting an atmosphere of innovation and collaboration. Both hiring new talent and managing existing personnel will be an important part of this role.
• Strategic Partnerships: Collaborate with both Game and Technical leadership within Creative Technologies and our customers (game teams) to define goals, work on milestones, and establish best practices that uphold the core values of our engineering team.
• Solution Architecture: Work with Production staff, the Creative Technologies Leadership Team, and others to design and implement technical solutions that meet project requirements and schedules.
• Technical Decision-making: Use your expertise to arbitrate technical decisions for the engineering team, and articulate / define the WHAT, HOW, and WHY for our technology roadmaps.
• Mentorship: Provide technical mentorship and guidance to the team, promoting an environment of learning and improvement.
• Hands-on Involvement: Participate in solving our most challenging technical problems, contributing your own architectural and design expertise.
• Quality Assurance: Review completed engineering deliverables before release, ensuring that they meet our standards of quality and reliability.
• Risk Management: Identify potential technical risks and manage them, implementing mitigation strategies.
• Research and Development: Conduct research to acquire new knowledge and lead the evolution of technology within the group.
• Broad Technical Understanding: Develop an understanding of EA's game technologies, engines, and strategies, ensuring that our development is aligned with EA's broader goals.

Qualifications
• Experience shipping at least two multiplayer, high scale / online games as part of a large game development team (100+ members).
• 15+ years as a Software Engineer, with increasing levels of responsibility.
• 10+ years of experience in game development.
• 7+ years of experience as a People Manager.
• Experience shipping a game as a Technical Director, Engineering Director or similar.
• Software engineering experience in backend / online services.
• DevOps engineering experience, with a focus on managing and deploying solutions at scale on cloud infrastructure.
• An understanding of testing methodologies and continuous integration practices.
• Collaborate with several disciplines including product management, art, design, and engineering, translating their needs into technical specifications.
• Proficiency in risk management, able to identify potential issues and create mitigation strategies.
• Comfortable working in a remote or hybrid environment.
• Willing to travel to meet with team members and partners in person.

Management skills required:
• Instill a culture that prioritizes game teams as valued customers, ensuring their needs are met at the forefront of product delivery and the decision-making process.
• Mentor, coach, and aid in the development of team members.
• Set clear goals and achieve them.
• Negotiate with partners, vendors, and other team members.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The base salary ranges listed below are for the defined geographic market pay zones in these locations. If you reside outside of these locations, a recruiter will advise on the 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. Pay 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 $185,300 - $278,800 USD Annually
• British Columbia (depending on location e.g. Vancouver vs. Victoria):

º $160,200 - $229,100 CAN Annually

Base salary is just one part of the overall compensation at EA. 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. For 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.

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-g3zzxx-3-17-174-239-42 in your application.