Lead Environment Artist

Placements24; Benoni; Hybrid; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Life insurance

Generous vacation policy

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Our client, a renowned game development studio, seeks a Lead Environment Artist to shape immersive worlds from their Benoni, Gauteng studio. The role leads a team of environment artists, defining art direction, asset pipelines, and world-building approaches for ambitious game projects.

You will mentor artists, drive architectural silhouettes, textures, lighting, and shaders while ensuring optimal performance across engines like Unreal or Unity.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in environment art for games, with lead or senior supervisory experience.
• Portfolio showing leadership in environment art, world-building and shipped titles.
• Strong understanding of asset pipelines, architecture, color theory, lighting.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of environment artists through development cycles.
• Set artistic style and quality standards for all environments.
• Collaborate with level designers to translate design needs into environments.
• Oversee creation of high-quality 3D assets: props, architecture, terrain, foliage.
• Ensure performance without sacrificing fidelity.
• Develop environment art pipelines, tools, and workflows.
• Give constructive feedback and art direction to the team.
• Work with technical artists on shaders, lighting, post-processing.
• Stay current with environment art trends and tech.
• Manage schedules and assist in project planning.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Communication

Problem solving

World-building

Team motivation

Architectural design

Education

Degree in Fine Arts/Digital Art/Game Design/Architecture

Tools

Maya

3ds Max

ZBrush

Substance Suite

Photoshop

Unreal Engine

Unity

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a highly acclaimed game development studio renowned for its immersive and expansive game worlds, is seeking an experienced and visionary Lead Environment Artist to join their talented team in Benoni, Gauteng. This leadership role is crucial for guiding the art direction and execution of all in-game environments, ensuring they are visually stunning, technically sound, and consistent with the overall artistic vision. You will be responsible for mentoring a team of environment artists, establishing best practices for asset creation and world-building, and collaborating closely with level designers and art directors. The ideal candidate possesses a deep understanding of environment art pipelines, architectural design, world-building principles, and game engine technology, along with strong leadership and communication skills. This is a unique opportunity to shape the visual identity of ambitious game projects and contribute to the studio's legacy of artistic excellence. We are looking for an artist who can inspire a team to create breathtaking and memorable game worlds.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and manage a team of environment artists throughout the development cycle.
• Establish and maintain the artistic style and quality standards for all game environments.
• Collaborate with level designers to translate game design needs into compelling environmental layouts.
• Oversee the creation of high-quality 3D environment assets, including props, architecture, terrain, and foliage.
• Ensure environments are optimized for performance without sacrificing visual fidelity.
• Develop and implement efficient environment art pipelines, tools, and workflows.
• Provide constructive feedback and art direction to the environment art team.
• Work closely with technical artists to implement shaders, lighting, and post-processing effects.
• Stay current with emerging trends and technologies in environment art and game development.
• Manage environment art schedules and contribute to project planning.

Requirements

• A compelling portfolio showcasing leadership in environment art for shipped video games, with a strong emphasis on world-building and artistic quality.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in environment art for games, with at least 2 years in a lead or senior supervisory role.
• Expertise in 3D modeling, texturing, and material creation software (e.g., Maya, 3ds Max, ZBrush, Substance Suite, Photoshop).
• Proficiency with game engines such as Unreal Engine or Unity, including lighting and scene composition.
• Strong understanding of architectural design, composition, color theory, and lighting principles.
• Experience with world-building tools and techniques.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage team dynamics and motivate artists.
• A degree in Fine Arts, Digital Art, Game Design, Architecture, or equivalent professional experience.

Benefits

• Our client offers a competitive salary, a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and life insurance, a generous vacation policy, and opportunities for professional development.

The role is fully remote, offering flexibility. We believe in fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment where talent can thrive.