Senior Technical Artist

Placements24; Willows (CA); On-site; USD 48,000 - 67,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Health benefits

Performance bonuses

Career advancement opportunities

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Technical Artist for a prominent game development studio in Welkom, SA. You will bridge art and technology, building pipelines, shaders, and VFX while ensuring asset performance across platforms.

You will work with Unreal Engine or Unity, develop automation scripts (Python, MEL, C#), and optimize assets in a collaborative, on-site, full-time setting. Excellent portfolio and 6+ years in the field are required.

Qualifications

• Minimum 6 years of experience as a Technical Artist in the video game industry.
• Strong portfolio showcasing shaders, materials, optimization, pipeline tools, and VFX.
• Proficiency with Unreal Engine or Unity, including their material editors and optimization tools.
• Experience with scripting languages (Python, MEL, C#) for tool development.

Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain, and improve art pipelines, tools, and workflows for game development.
• Create, optimize, and implement high-quality shaders and materials using engine-specific editors (Unreal Engine, Unity).
• Optimize 3D assets, textures, and scenes for maximum performance across target platforms.
• Develop and integrate visual effects (VFX) and special effects that align with the game's art direction and technical constraints.
• Collaborate closely with artists, designers, and programmers to solve complex technical art challenges.
• Create custom scripts and plugins (e.g., Python, MEL, C#) to automate tasks and enhance artistic efficiency.
• Provide technical support and training to the art team.
• Research and implement new technologies and techniques to improve art quality and performance.
• Conduct performance profiling and identify areas for optimization.
• Ensure artistic assets meet technical specifications and quality standards.

Skills

Shader authoring

Asset optimization

Pipeline tools

Scripting languages

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Graphics or related field

Tools

Unreal Engine

Unity

Maya

3ds Max

Blender

DirectX/OpenGL

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a prominent game development studio known for its immersive open-world experiences, is seeking a highly skilled Senior Technical Artist to join their talented team in Welkom, Free State, ZA. This role is crucial in bridging the gap between art and technology, empowering artists with efficient tools and workflows while ensuring optimized asset performance. You will be instrumental in developing and maintaining the art pipeline, creating shaders, implementing complex visual effects, and troubleshooting technical art challenges. The ideal candidate possesses a deep understanding of game engines, scripting, and artistic principles, with a passion for problem-solving and enhancing the creative process. This position requires full-time dedication on-site, fostering strong collaboration and team synergy.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain, and improve art pipelines, tools, and workflows for game development.
• Create, optimize, and implement high-quality shaders and materials using engine-specific editors (e.g., Unreal Engine, Unity).
• Optimize 3D assets, textures, and scenes for maximum performance across target platforms.
• Develop and integrate visual effects (VFX) and special effects that align with the game's art direction and technical constraints.
• Collaborate closely with artists, designers, and programmers to solve complex technical art challenges.
• Create custom scripts and plugins (e.g., Python, MEL, C#) to automate tasks and enhance artistic efficiency.
• Provide technical support and training to the art team.
• Research and implement new technologies and techniques to improve art quality and performance.
• Conduct performance profiling and identify areas for optimization.
• Ensure artistic assets meet technical specifications and quality standards.

Requirements

• A minimum of 6 years of experience as a Technical Artist in the video game industry.
• Strong portfolio showcasing expertise in shaders, materials, optimization, pipeline tools, and VFX.
• Proficiency with game engines such as Unreal Engine or Unity, including their material editors and optimization tools.
• Experience with scripting languages (e.g., Python, MEL, C#) for tool development.
• Solid understanding of 3D modeling, texturing, and animation principles.
• Experience with performance profiling and optimization techniques.
• Familiarity with DCC tools (e.g., Maya, 3ds Max, Blender) and graphics APIs (e.g., DirectX, OpenGL).
• Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Strong communication and teamwork abilities.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Graphics, Game Development, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Benefits

Our client offers a competitive salary, comprehensive health benefits, performance bonuses, a supportive work environment, and ample opportunities for career advancement.

Join a passionate team in Welkom, Free State, ZA, and contribute to the creation of groundbreaking gaming experiences.