Senior Technical Artist (Houdini Specialist)

Placements24; Willows (CA); Remote; USD 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote-first company

Occasional team meetups

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Technical Artist with strong Houdini expertise to drive procedural asset creation and pipeline tooling for a Welkom-based game studio. You will build and maintain tools, shaders, and assets while collaborating with art, design, and engineering teams to ensure real-time performance and visual fidelity.

The role is remote-first with occasional team meetups; you will mentor junior artists and help shape our art standards and workflows while advancing technical

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years as technical artist with Houdini focus.
• Proficient in Python scripting and HDAs.
• Experience with Unreal or Unity and real-time pipelines.
• Strong problem-solving and team collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain procedural assets and systems using Houdini for environments, characters, and effects.
• Create and optimize tools, scripts, and plugins to enhance the art pipeline (Maya, Unreal Engine, Unity).
• Collaborate with art, design, and engineering teams to understand needs and develop solutions.
• Optimize assets and shaders for real-time performance and visual fidelity.
• Troubleshoot technical issues within the art pipeline and support artists.
• Research and implement new technologies to improve workflows.
• Mentor junior technical artists and share knowledge across the team.
• Document tools, workflows, and technical processes.
• Contribute to defining and refining art standards and best practices.
• Test and validate new tools and pipeline changes before wider deployment.

Skills

Houdini

VEX

HDAs

Python scripting

Unreal Engine

Unity

Shaders

C++

Art pipeline

Team mentoring

Tools

Maya

Unreal Engine

Unity

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a forward-thinking game development studio based in Welkom, Free State , is seeking a highly skilled Senior Technical Artist with a specialization in Houdini. This crucial role bridges the gap between art and technology, empowering artists with tools and workflows to create stunning visuals efficiently. You will be instrumental in developing procedural generation systems, custom tools, and pipeline enhancements that directly impact the quality and performance of our games. This is an exceptional opportunity to join a dedicated team, contribute to ambitious projects, and influence the technical direction of our art pipeline. We are committed to innovation and efficiency in game development and seek a candidate who is passionate about problem-solving and empowering creative teams. The ideal candidate will possess a strong foundation in both artistic principles and programming/scripting.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain complex procedural assets and systems using Houdini for environments, characters, and effects.
• Create and optimize tools, scripts, and plugins to enhance the efficiency of the art pipeline (e.g., Maya, Unreal Engine, Unity).
• Collaborate closely with art, design, and engineering teams to understand their needs and develop effective solutions.
• Optimize assets and shaders for real-time performance and visual fidelity.
• Troubleshoot technical issues within the art pipeline and provide timely support to artists.
• Research and implement new technologies and techniques to improve workflows and asset creation.
• Mentor junior technical artists and share knowledge across the team.
• Document tools, workflows, and technical processes.
• Contribute to defining and refining art standards and best practices.
• Test and validate new tools and pipeline changes before wider deployment.

Requirements

• Minimum of 5 years of experience as a Technical Artist, with a strong focus on Houdini for game development or VFX.
• Demonstrated expertise in Houdini, including VEX, HDAs (Houdini Digital Assets), and procedural workflows.
• Proficiency in scripting languages such as Python.
• Experience with game engines like Unreal Engine or Unity, and understanding their technical constraints.
• Strong understanding of 3D art principles, including modeling, texturing, and shaders.
• Experience with C++ is a strong asset.
• Excellent problem-solving and debugging skills.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts clearly.
• A portfolio showcasing technical art skills, Houdini projects, and pipeline tools.
• A passion for technology and its application in creative industries.

Benefits

Our client offers a competitive salary, excellent health benefits, and ample opportunities for professional development and skill enhancement in the field of technical art. As a remote-first company, you’ll have the flexibility to work from anywhere, contributing your expertise to exciting projects from the comfort of your home, though occasional team meetups may occur. We are committed to fostering a culture of innovation and providing the resources needed for our team to excel. This is a remarkable chance to shape the technical artistry of groundbreaking games.