Associate Technical Director

Sumo Digital Ltd; Newcastle upon Tyne; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible benefits

Salary sacrifice pension

Benefits hub

Annual gaming subscription

Care packages

Studio social activities

Job summary

Atomhawk is seeking an Associate Technical Director to lead the technical delivery across Tech Art, UI/UX and Engineering services in a leadership capacity. You will work closely with the Studio Director to shape strategy and scale the technical offering, while acting as the primary technical contact for clients and partners.

You will guide tooling, pipelines and implementation on client projects using Unreal Engine 5, mentor a growing team, and help raise the studio’s profile through thought

Qualifications

• Proficient in C++ with Unreal Engine 5
• Experience implementing UI in UE5 (UMG)
• Strong technical leadership and people management
• Ability to engage clients and translate requirements into scope
• Experience building tools and pipelines for art/engine teams
• Mentor and develop junior engineers and artists
• Background in high-end AA/AAA games is valued

Responsibilities

• Lead technical delivery for Tech Art, UI/UX and Engineering services
• Define technical standards and best practices across service lines
• Partner with leadership to shape service offerings and growth
• Act as technical point of contact for clients and participate in scoping/estimates
• Review approaches, assess risks and communicate mitigations
• Write/review code and guide tooling and pipeline decisions
• Support and guide artists and engineers across projects
• Contribute to hiring plans and staff development

Skills

C++ (Unreal Engine 5)

UI programming (UMG)

Technical leadership

Client engagement

Tooling & pipelines

Mentoring

AA/AAA games experience

Job description

The Associate Technical Director will be responsible for leading the technical delivery and supoorting growth of Atomhawk's Tech Art, UI/UX and Engineering services. As a member of the Leadership Team, you will define the direction for Technical Services across the studio.

To start you will work directly on client projects, supporting Technical Artists and UI/UX teams with tools, pipelines and implementation, and setting the technical standards they work to. You will partner with the Studio Director to develop the strategy for our technical offering and, as the service line grows, build and lead a technical team to deliver on client projects.

Externally, you will be a key client-facing voice for Atomhawk technical services. You will act as the technical point of contact for clients, support business development with pitches, proposals and technical scoping, and help raise Atomhawk's profile through thought leadership and attendance at industry conferences and events.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to studio direction and priorities as a member of the Atomhawk Leadership Team.
• Partner with the Studio Director and Creative Operations Director to develop a compelling service offering across Tech Art, UI/UX and Engineering.
• Supporting Studio Director and Creative Operations Director to explore, define, grow and develop new service lines.
• Act as the technical point of contact for clients, agreeing scope and setting clear expectations on approach and delivery.
• Support pitches and proposals with technical scoping, estimates and solution design alongside Creative Operations Director.
• Write and review code and set technical direction on client projects in Unreal Engine 5 and other common and proprietary game engines.
• Support Technical Artists, UI/UX, 3D, Animation and Concept team teams by building & guiding tools, pipelines and implementation, bridging art and engineering.
• Review technical approaches, identify risks early and recommend mitigations to Production and clients.
• Define and share technical best practice and standards across the service lines.
• Represent Atomhawk through thought leadership, talks and attendance at industry conferences and events.
• Contribute to hiring plans and interviews

What you'll bring with you:

• A programming background, with experience as a generalist programmer in a technical leadership role on high-end AA or AAA games.
• Able to write good quality C++ in Unreal Engine 5 and other gaming engines, with hands-on UE5 experience on AA or AAA projects.
• Exposure to UI programming, such as implementing UI in Unreal Engine using UMG.
• Experience supporting Technical Artists, for example with tools, pipelines, materials and shaders, or performance.
• Able to design and review technical solutions, tools and workflows, and set technical direction on a project.
• Experience working directly with clients or external partners to understand requirements, scope and estimate work, and manage expectations.
• Clear, confident communication with both technical and non-technical audiences, including presenting to clients.
• Experience mentoring or guiding others, with the ambition to build and lead a team.
• Experience in an art services, outsourcing or co-development environment (Desired not essential).
• Experience speaking at industry events or producing thought leadership content (Desired not essential).

What's in it for you?

Atomhawk understands the importance of having control over your benefits. That's why we offer a flexible, personalised benefits package designed to meet your unique needs, no matter where you are in your career.

Money: Flexible benefits allowance, salary sacrifice pension, benefits hub, payroll giving, an employee referral scheme (up to £1,000), financial/home buying consultations, workplace ISA and other schemes for tech loans, car loans and bicycles.

Lifestyle: Flexible working, 21 free choice days holiday, bank holidays, birthday day off, Christmas shutdown (Christmas Eve to New Year) and options to buy or sell up to a week of annual leave*.

Health and Wellbeing: Dental insurance*, income protection, life assurance, BUPA private healthcare*, leading EAP programs (remote GP, mental health, physio, nutrition, lifestyle coaching and medical second opinions), critical illness cover*, health cash plan* and funded flu vaccines/eye tests.

Development: Structured Personal Development, regular appraisals and 5 learning days per annum.

Extra Perks: A variety of in-studio perks, regular care packages, studio days out (family welcome), studio-led social activities (game jams, yoga, quizzes, life drawing and more), sabbaticals (at 10 years service) and annual gaming subscription.

*Opt-in benefits (part of our flexible benefits options).