Lead Technical Artist
Lead Technical Artist
IllFonic is looking for a Lead Technical Artist to build and lead a team of technical artists for the various IPs here at IllFonic. The role requires an experienced technically minded individual that has lead tech-art teams in the past. This person is adept at establishing pipelines and standards as well as identifying the strengths and weaknesses of their team. In addition to leading the team, the candidate will also create tools, shaders and scripts while adhering to schedules and project goals. This role is a team leader and will have great communication skills, written and oral. If this sounds like you, apply today and we will reach out with next steps.
About the Company
Founded in 2007, IllFonic is an independent video game developer and publisher with studios in Lakewood, Colorado, Tacoma, Washington, and Austin, Texas. Our staff is composed of video game, music, and technology veterans redefining how indie and middle-market games are made and marketed. Current and past titles / collaborations include Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed, Arcadegeddon, Predator: Hunting Grounds, Friday the 13th: The Game, Dead Alliance, Star Citizen, Evolve, Armored Warfare, and Nexuiz.
Responsibilities
- Lead team members in areas of expertise; instill best practices
- Working with Producers to estimate the duration of tech art tasks, and then enforcing deliverables and standards
- Propose solutions and optimize content for memory and performance concerns on PC and Consoles
- Develop and maintain art asset pipelines and collaborate with the art team to optimize workflows, authoring new tools as necessary
- Be proactive, develop and implement new ideas/solutions to problems as they arise
- Advise on emerging graphics technology while assessing its usefulness within current pipeline and schedules
- Assist in various areas of game art production to help assure the timely delivery of the product
Requirements
- Portfolio of work demonstrating strong proficiency as a Technical Artist
- Bachelors degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Graphic Art or a related field or equivalent experience
- Must have a minimum of 6 years experience with at least 3 shipped titles (one or more shipped titles as a Lead)
- Solid understanding of artist workflows and toolsets
- Proficiency in artist workflows and toolsets (e.g. Maya, 3Dsmax, Photoshop, ect...)
- Proficient in one (or more) of the following: C++, Python / PySide or MEL
- Familiar with UE4 blueprints or equivalent visual scripting
- Ability to create simple and complex shader graphs, as well as the optimization of those shaders
- Optimizing Art Assets (Environment, Character, Props, VFX and Rigs)
- Proactive and solution orientated
- Well-developed troubleshooting skills - must able to quickly identify and resolve art issues and demonstrate versatility
- Strong communication skills, both written and verbal
- A customer first mentality
- A passion for games
Bonus
- Tool support for Art, Tech, or Animation teams to help automate tasks or assist workflow
- Ability to write clean, maintainable and extensible code with attention to reusability
- Proficiency with Blender, Houdini, Substance Painter and/or Visual Studio
Benefits & Compensation
- Flexible work location options including remote, hybrid or in office
- 100% employee paid medical, dental and vision coverage + 50% coverage for dependents
- 401k + 4% company match
- Competitive salary in the independent game developer market, with career progression and continued education encouraged and supported by management at all levels
- Royalty Bonus Plan paid out after each calendar quarter during the year
- Wellness Program that rewards work-life balance
- Unlimited PTO and almost 7 weeks of mandated time off of work annually including First Friday Wellness Days of each month, Summer Break the week of 4th of July, Winter Break the last two weeks of the year, and an additional 7 holidays during the year
- Moonlighting allowed for all non-competitive endeavors