Technical Artist

Keywords Studios Plc; Daresbury; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

d3t is seeking a Technical Artist for a 12-month fixed-term contract at its UK sites (Daresbury or Newcastle) on a hybrid basis. The role focuses on establishing art pipelines, tooling, shaders, and performance profiling within a world-class game-art team.

You will collaborate closely with environment, character, VFX and animation teams, ensure memory and frame-rate targets are met, and contribute to scalable pipelines while mentoring others in the studio culture and anti-crunch ethos.

Qualifications

• Experience with real-time game art pipelines and performance profiling.
• Strong knowledge of Maya and/or 3DS Max and Python.
• Good communication and organisation within a multidisciplinary art team.
• Understanding of current console hardware limitations.
• Ability to mentor others and adapt to change.

Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain project art pipelines from inception through project life-cycle.
• Support art and animation team requirements and resolve technical issues.
• Assist with creating and integrating in-house toolsets and materials/shaders.
• Ensure artwork hits memory and frame-rate guidelines via profiling.
• Collaborate with artists to improve performance while maintaining visual fidelity.
• Adhere to naming conventions, texture layering structures, etc.
• Stay up to date with industry advancements and share knowledge with the team.
• Add tutorials, documents and technical guides to improve efficiency.
• Advise Senior Technical Artist on resourcing and production risks.
• Mentor other Technical Art Team members.

Skills

Performance and quality focus

Strong communication

Multidisciplinary collaboration

Time management

Problem solving

Tools

Maya

3DS Max

Python

Unreal Engine

Unity

Photoshop

Substance

Houdini

Maya API

C++

C#

Job description

d3t is at the forefront of videogame technology and creativity, delivering experienced co-development services to some of the biggest AAA clients in the world. Our studio, part of the global Keywords Studios Group, works on multiple exciting projects at any one time, offering plenty of variety and involvement.

Our studio projects have included EA SPORTS FC 26, Hogwarts Legacy, Exoborne, Mafia: The Old Country, Alan Wake Remastered, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Vampire The Masquerade - Blood Hunt, Mafia II: Definitive Edition, and Assetto Corsa Competizione. We also work in partnership with our global clients including: Playground Games, EA and Archetype Entertainment.

The d3t studios are based near Daresbury (Cheshire), Newcastle (Tyne & Wear) and Madrid where we offer an amazingly professional and supportive working environment. We are passionate about what we do and pride ourselves on our anti-crunch mentality, mentoring ethos and have been awarded 'Best Places to Work' multiple times by gamesindustry.biz. In addition, we won 'Best Creative Service Provider' at Develop 2022 and were nominated in 2023 & 2024.

This Technical Artist opportunity will be a 12 month fixed term contract (with possible extension) based in either of our UK studio sites (Daresbury or Newcastle), on a hybrid working basis. Working pattern - 3 days per week in the studio: Wednesday, Thursday and another day of your choice.

d3t's art team blends technical excellence with a passion for the craft of game development. Our expertise spans the full development cycle-from co-development on features and content to benchmark creation and work on remakes / remasters. We deliver world-class content across Environment, Character, VFX, and Animation. We don't just create art; we build the tools and pipelines that power it. We are expanding our studio and looking for a Technical Artist to help us redefine what's possible.

The Role - Technical Artist

What are we looking for?

• Responsible for helping to establish and maintain project art pipelines from inception and throughout the project life-cycle.
• Support the art and animation team requirements and assist with resolving technical issues.
• Assist with creating and integrating in-house toolsets and be involved in creating materials/shaders.
• Ensure all artwork hits memory and frame rate guidelines/restrictions by means of performance profiling.
• Collaborate with the artists and feedback on how they can improve the performance of the in-game assets while maintaining visual fidelity.
• Ensure all artwork adheres to guidelines regarding naming conventions, texture layering structures etc.
• Keep up to date with industry advancements and technologies and share knowledge with the art team.
• Add to our library of tutorials, documents and technical guides to improve efficiency in the art pipeline and be proactive in finding solutions to technical issues.
• Advise the Senior Technical Artist of resourcing concerns and production risks.
• Encourage and mentor other members of the Technical Art Team.

Essential skills

• Enjoy the technical challenge and constraints of real-time game art and have some understanding of modern rendering, shading and lighting techniques.
• Must be performance and quality focused.
• Must have an excellent working knowledge and proficiency in Maya and/or 3DS Max and an excellent in-depth knowledge in Python.
• Strong communication and organisation skills and confidence working within a multidisciplinary art team.
• Good understanding of the technical limitations of current console hardware.
• Practical and methodical approach to technical and creative problem-solving.
• Demonstrate dependability and commitment to projects and tasks, and a hunger to learn and improve as a Technical Artist.
• Flexible and calm approach with the ability to adapt to change.
• Ability to deliver quality work within fixed time constraints.
• Good knowledge of current game development practices and terminology and a passion for staying up to date with latest technology and embracing new game art techniques

Desirable skills

• Knowledge of other scripting languages is advantageous.
• Knowledge of the Maya API and programming in C++ or C# is advantageous
• Some understanding of various other tools and software used in development, Photoshop, Substance, Houdini etc is also advantageous.
• Knowledge of Unreal Engine or Unity is advantageous.
• Knowledge of materials/shaders and a good understanding of a PBR workflow.
• At least 1 published title.

We work flexibly, but value in-person collaboration: this position is offered on a hybrid basis only at either of our UK sites (3 days per week in the studio: Wednesday, Thursday and another day of your choice). We value work/life balance and have a discretionary flexible hours system and operate a no-crunch policy as a studio.

d3t Studio Benefits & Perks

22 days holiday +3 Festive Studio Closure + B