Senior Technical Artist (Gamedev)

TL;DR

Senior Technical Artist (Gamedev): Establishing and maintaining project art pipelines for AAA titles with an accent on tool creation, shader development, and performance profiling. Focus on optimizing in-game assets, building in-house toolsets, and mentoring the technical art team to ensure high visual fidelity within hardware constraints.

Location: Hybrid (UK: Daresbury or Newcastle). Must work 3 days per week in the studio (Wednesday, Thursday, and one other day).

Company

A leading co-development studio providing high-end technical and creative services to major AAA game developers worldwide.

What you will do

• Establish and maintain project art pipelines from inception through the entire project life-cycle.
• Create and integrate in-house toolsets, materials, and shaders to support art and animation requirements.
• Perform performance profiling to ensure all artwork meets memory and frame rate guidelines.
• Collaborate with artists to optimize in-game assets without sacrificing visual fidelity.
• Mentor other members of the Technical Art Team, promoting a culture of collaborative innovation.
• Manage deliverables via Jira, track progress, and advise leadership on production risks.

Requirements

• Proficiency in Maya and/or 3DS Max.
• In-depth knowledge and proficiency in Python.
• Strong experience with modern game engines such as Unreal Engine or Unity.
• Deep understanding of PBR workflow, modern rendering, shading, and lighting techniques.
• Excellent knowledge of current console hardware technical limitations.
• Must be based in or able to commute to UK studio sites (Daresbury or Newcastle).

Nice to have

• Knowledge of C++, C#, or the Maya API.
• Experience with Photoshop, Substance, or Houdini.
• At least 4 years of experience in game development with three published titles.
• Experience in an Intermediate Art position across at least two full project cycles.

Culture & Benefits

• Anti-crunch ethos with a focus on work-life balance and flexible working hours.
• Private Medical Insurance (BUPA) including dental and eye care.
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays and additional days for length of service.
• Company pension scheme and discretionary annual bonus.
• Tech, Bike, and Console schemes.
• Social events, monthly lunches, and high-quality breakout areas with games and snacks.

Hiring process

• Initial screening via video call.
• Second stage interview conducted on-site.