Senior Lead Artist - Unity+ Tech Artist (PS, After Effects)

Summary

The role of Technical Artist is a ‘hands on’ individual contributor developing and implementing high quality content which is on-brief and on-time; working collaboratively within a team environment and under direction to achieve outcomes and to support the delivery of games at the highest quality.
This role is suitable for a creative production environment professional with demonstrated development experience and credentials, who has the drive and ambition to advance and refine their skills and knowledge to become a subject-matter expert in their discipline. 

Over the course of their career it is expected that they would have contributed to the development and success of a range of commercially released products in a technical capacity within an aligned industry i.e. console game, online, mobile etc.

Roles & Responsibilities

Broad Understanding of Technical Issues:

• Focus: Master the intricacies of rendering, performance, streaming, and memory management to create visually appealing yet optimized assets.

• Approach: Stay updated with the latest industry trends and best practices in graphics optimization, ensuring the art remains both high-quality and performant.

Maintain Art and Animation Production Workflows:

• Focus: Ensure smooth, uninterrupted workflows across different departments, including art, animation, and engineering.

• Approach: Regularly audit and refine current production pipelines. Implement tools or techniques to streamline repetitive tasks and ensure the team can work efficiently.

Master Custom Toolsets and Engine Constraints:

• Focus: Learn the tools and engine constraints specific to the company to provide efficient solutions to common problems.

• Approach: Gain proficiency in the custom software tools used by the team, ensuring that workflows are optimized for those tools, and tackle issues related to their limitations.

Problem-Solving and Innovation:

• Focus: Proactively tackle any art-related technological challenges, from rendering issues to animation performance problems.

• Approach: Cultivate self-starting problem-solving skills. Collaborate with the engineering team to develop creative, feasible solutions within technical constraints.

Proof of Concept Presentations:

• Focus: Contribute to the creation of proof-of-concept presentations for innovative and experimental game features or ideas.

• Approach: Work closely with cross-functional teams to bring concepts to life, blending creativity with technical feasibility to generate prototypes that demonstrate potential game concepts.

Supporting Art Team with Tools & Assistance:

• Focus: Provide technical assistance and develop tools that will make art production more efficient.

• Approach: Actively engage with artists to understand their pain points and create or improve tools that enhance their workflow.

Support and Maintain After Effects "Mercury" Export Pipeline:

• Focus: Ensure that the After Effects pipeline is maintained and functional to allow seamless integration into the game engine.

• Approach: Regularly test and optimize the export pipeline, addressing issues quickly to avoid delays in the production process.

Desktop Support and Troubleshooting:

• Focus: Provide technical assistance to artists, ensuring smooth workflow without technical interruptions.

• Approach: Be proactive in troubleshooting and ensuring that artists can focus on their creative tasks, without being hindered by technical issues.

Artwork Modifications to Meet Technical Requirements:

• Focus: Ensure that all art assets meet the necessary technical specifications for implementation in the game engine.

• Approach: Regularly communicate with the engineering team to stay up-to-date with evolving requirements, modifying assets quickly and efficiently as needed.

Simplify Art Data Production:

• Focus: Optimize the art production process to ensure ease of use for artists across the project’s lifecycle.

• Approach: Develop efficient workflows and documentation to ensure artists can focus on the creative aspects of the project without technical disruptions.

Meticulous Organization of Project Data:

• Focus: Maintain a consistent and organized system for files, naming conventions, and storage.

• Approach: Implement clear file management practices and documentation to ensure consistency, efficiency, and easy access to data across the team.

Asset Quality Assurance:

• Focus: Ensure all art assets meet the required technical standards and quality expectations.

• Approach: Conduct regular checks on artwork and assets, reviewing them against the game’s technical specifications and industry standards.

Quality Control and Team Critique:

• Focus: Contribute to and engage in quality control, offering constructive feedback to team members.

• Approach: Participate in regular reviews and critique sessions to improve the quality of the work produced by the team.

File Structure and Naming Conventions:

• Focus: Ensure all assets follow the project’s file and naming standards to maintain organization and avoid confusion.

• Approach: Set up and enforce file naming conventions and structure from the outset to avoid issues as the project progresses.

Essential Skills:

• Technical Art Expertise: Understanding of both creative and technical aspects of game production.

• Problem-Solving & Troubleshooting: Ability to identify problems early and come up with efficient solutions.

• Strong Collaboration Skills: Ability to work closely with artists, engineers, and other departments.

• Tool Development: Experience with building or maintaining tools for art production.

• Pipeline Optimization: Continuous improvement of existing workflows to enhance efficiency.

• Attention to Detail: Ensuring all assets meet technical specifications and are appropriately organized.

What We're Looking For

    Degree or Diploma qualifications in animation or related discipline.  
    5 years + in professional animation/technical-art role.
 

Why Aristocrat?

Aristocrat is a world leader in gaming content and technology, and a top-tier publisher of free-to-play mobile games. We deliver great performance for our B2B customers and bring joy to the lives of the millions of people who love to play our casino and mobile games. And while we focus on fun, we never forget our responsibilities. We strive to lead the way in responsible gameplay, and to lift the bar in company governance, employee wellbeing and sustainability. We’re a diverse business united by shared values and an inspiring mission to bring joy to life through the power of play.

We aim to create an environment where individual differences are valued, and all employees have the opportunity to realize their potential. We welcome and encourage applications from all people regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, cultural background, disability status or LGBTQ+ identity. EEO M/F/D/V

• World Leader in Gaming Entertainment

• Robust benefits package

• Global career opportunities

Our Values

• All about the Player

• Talent Unleashed

• Collective Brilliance

• Good Business Good Citizen

Travel Expectations

Additional Information:

Depending on the nature of your role, you may be required to register with the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) and/or other gaming jurisdictions in which we operate.