Lead Environment Artist

Placements24; Polokwane; Hybrid; ZAR 1,157,000 - 1,818,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Fully remote

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Professional development access

Global distributed team

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Environment Artist to shape immersive game environments in a fully remote studio. You will lead a team of environment artists, define visual style, and mentor peers across continents.

The role requires 7+ years in environment art, strong skills in Maya, ZBrush, Substance, and Photoshop, plus deep knowledge of Unreal Engine or Unity and lighting. Remote collaboration with a globally distributed team is essential.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in environment art for games
• At least 2 years in a lead or senior role
• Proficiency with Maya, ZBrush, Substance Suite and Photoshop
• Strong understanding of game engines (Unreal Engine and Unity) and their lighting/rendering systems
• Excellent leadership, communication and problem-solving abilities within a remote team

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of environment artists, setting artistic direction and quality standards.
• Create high-quality 3D environment assets, including architecture, props, and foliage, adhering to project style guides.
• Develop and maintain environment art pipelines, tools, and workflows.
• Collaborate with level designers, lighting artists, and technical artists to realize compelling and performant game spaces.
• Oversee asset creation from concept to final implementation in the game engine, ensuring technical constraints are met.
• Champion innovative techniques and tools to enhance quality and efficiency of environment art production.

Skills

Environment Art

Leadership

Communication

Problem-Solving

Unreal Engine

Unity

Remote Collaboration

Art Direction

Tools

Maya

ZBrush

Substance Suite

Photoshop

Job description

About the Role

Our client is looking for an experienced and inspiring Lead Environment Artist to shape the worlds of their upcoming projects from their fully remote studio. You will lead a team of talented environment artists, defining the visual style, establishing best practices, and ensuring the creation of immersive and detailed game environments. This role demands a strong artistic vision, exceptional technical skills, and the ability to mentor and guide a team towards achieving outstanding results. Join a forward-thinking company dedicated to pushing the boundaries of interactive storytelling.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of environment artists, setting artistic direction and quality standards.
• Create high-quality 3D environment assets, including architecture, props, and foliage, adhering to project style guides.
• Develop and maintain environment art pipelines, tools, and workflows.
• Collaborate with level designers, lighting artists, and technical artists to realize compelling and performant game spaces.
• Oversee asset creation from concept to final implementation in the game engine, ensuring technical constraints are met.
• Champion innovative techniques and tools to enhance the quality and efficiency of environment art production.

Requirements

• 7+ years of experience in environment art for games, with at least 2 years in a lead or senior role.
• Expertise in 3D modeling, sculpting, texturing, and set dressing.
• Proficiency with industry-standard software such as Maya, ZBrush, Substance Suite, and Photoshop.
• Strong understanding of game engines (e.g., Unreal Engine, Unity) and their lighting and rendering systems.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and problem-solving abilities within a remote team structure.

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary and performance-based bonuses.
• Fully remote position offering maximum flexibility and work-life balance.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage.
• Opportunities for professional development, including access to online courses and conferences.
• Be part of a globally distributed, innovative, and supportive creative team.