Principal Outsourcing Artist

Who We Are: 

Founded by an MMO legend who has led AAA teams for over 20 years, our new studio Fantastic Pixel Castle (FPC) is building an original fantasy IP from scratch. Players will be regularly engaged in our development process from early stages as part of our open and transparent studio culture, and we aim to craft an IP that will be worthy of their passion and dedication for decades to come. 

We are committed to being a fully remote and global studio, so that we can hire world-class people and have them live their best lives. We think top-heavy bureaucracy stifles creativity, so we aim to stay small as we focus on delivering a game and a world that players will love. We are fully-funded, and the team will share in all of our studio's successes. We're seeking talented teammates to join us in our journey so we encourage you to apply if you're interested, even if you're not sure you check all the boxes.

Position Overview: 

Are you an experienced artist with hands-on contributions to beautiful 3d content within AAA games, while also supervising creative content between a game team and outsourcing partners? As the first Principal Outsourcing Artist at Fantastic Pixel Castle, you will work closely with the Art Director and other key artists, creating and defining the boundaries of our visual direction. Our ideal candidate is an amazing artist who thrives on communicating between internal teams and a variety of freelance artists and outsource partners. This work includes: vetting potential artists to partner with, documenting existing pipelines, collecting or creating quality bar and technical example assets, collecting references, creating asset blockouts, putting together prompts and statements of work for our partners, while also having the ability to provide paintovers, adjust models, document succinct feedback and ultimately organize files between FPC and external artists. This is a rare opportunity to be a core team member on a game that is currently early in development of an exciting new IP. You will set asset standards, define best practices, and help execute art at a world-class level for our upcoming MMO, codenamed GHOST.

Principal Outsourcing Artist Responsibilities:

• Generate and gather detailed documentation, video references, example art assets, production procedures, and technical requirements to support external artists
• Clearly communicate feedback to external artists and teams, while ensuring that notes and goals are relayed to our internal team of artists, designers, engineers, and production so that everyone is aligned on the content being created
• Provide approximate content and supporting information with accurate scale to support asset creation, while understanding technical constraints, material setup, PBR texture creation, and asset organization
• Foster long-term relationships with outsource partners to build trust, passion, and craft excellence in best practices and technique
• Work with internal stakeholders and IP directors on licensed asset approvals
• Provide essential feedback and insight to the team leadership while communicating staffing and potential partner needs as they arise
• Grow and lead a team of Outsource Managers while contracting with Implementation Artists over the course of the game's development

Requirements:

• 12+ years of experience in a AAA game
• Proven artist experience with a stellar portfolio showcasing amazing looking next-generation 3d content 
• Track record building strong and transparent communication channels with internal artists and developers, while also empowering external partners by providing clear feedback, art direction, and support
• Experience helping to solve complex asset pipeline problems and collaborating with tech artists and engineers.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Strong understanding and practical experience with next-generation visual effects creation workflows in Unreal
• Passion for gaming (especially MMOs), with an awareness of current industry trends and an understanding of player expectations
• Exceptional problem-solving skills, able to adapt quickly to new technologies, workflows, and ideas
• Proven leadership experience managing and mentoring other artists
• History of developing and maintaining end to end documentation for internal artists and external partners for the creation of a variety of assets

US Salary Band: $134,000 - 205,000 USD 

We're always on the lookout for talented folks. Go ahead and apply, even if you're not sure you check all the boxes. Our Talent team will review your application and contact you if there is a potential fit.