Why on Ubuntu 18.04 command "sudo -u username -s" not works as on CentOS 7?

Question

I want to use a system user to separate permissions when I run nodejs scripts.

I created node-user:

sudo useradd -r -m node-user

Then I expected that next command login me in shell node-user:

sudo -u node-user -s

But seems that it's uses my var environment:

node-user@host:~$ echo $HOME
> /home/me

Why? On CentOS 7 it's print /home/node-user.

I know that I can to set password for node-user and login like this:

su - node-user

But for me it's not logical, because node-user it's system user and may not have a password.