Lead Technical Artist (Unannounced Project) - ArenaNet
Bellevue, WA
About the Job
At ArenaNet, we've always believed that games are art. They have the power to communicate ideas and tell stories. They can change the way we think, reflect our cultures, and move us. As the developer of the award-winning Guild Wars game series, we're proud to share our passion for the online worlds we've created with over 11 million players worldwide.
ArenaNet develops and publishes games for every kind of person, which means our games need to be built by every kind of person. We believe the best experiences come from working together, celebrating differences, and helping each of our team members shine.
We are looking for a highly skilled Technical Art Lead to join our dynamic team. The ideal candidate will have a strong technical art background and a deep understanding of Unreal Engine. As the Technical Art Lead, you will play a crucial part in connecting art and technology, ensuring our artistic vision is executed effectively while optimizing performance and workflow.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
- Lead and mentor a team of technical artists in creating high-quality art assets and visual effects for our games.
- Collaborate closely with artists, designers, and engineers to define and implement art pipelines and workflows that maximize efficiency.
- Develop tools and techniques to enhance the art production process, ensuring high-quality output while meeting project deadlines.
- Work with the art team to establish and maintain visual standards and best practices for asset creation and implementation in Unreal Engine.
- Optimize assets for performance, ensuring that visual quality is maintained across various platforms and hardware.
- Provide technical guidance on shading, lighting, and rendering techniques to enhance the visual fidelity of our games.
- Stay current with industry trends and emerging technologies to integrate new techniques and tools into our workflow.
- Participate in the planning and scheduling of art-related tasks to ensure project timelines are met.
- Troubleshoot and resolve technical issues related to art assets and workflows.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL
- Bachelor's degree in Art, Computer Science, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
- 8+ years of related experience
- Experience in leadership or mentorship roles within a creative team.
- Proven experience as a Technical Artist in the gaming industry, with a focus on Unreal Engine.
- Strong knowledge of 3D modeling, texturing, and shading workflows.
- Proficiency in Unreal Engine, including Blueprints, materials, and rendering techniques.
- Experience with performance optimization techniques for real-time rendering.
- Familiarity with game engines, rendering pipelines, and asset management tools.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
- Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work under tight deadlines.
- A passion for video games and a keen eye for detail in art and visual storytelling.
NICE TO HAVE
- Knowledge of animation systems, particle systems, and visual effects in Unreal Engine.
- Familiarity with scripting languages (e.g., Python, MEL) for tool development.
We are open to remote work from the following states: AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, ID, IL, MD, NC, NY, OR, TX, UT, WA and WI or onsite/hybrid/flex at our office in Bellevue, WA.
Please note that the pay range listed in this job posting reflects the full salary range for this position. While we provide this range to offer transparency, our target hiring range typically falls between the minimum and the midpoint, allowing for growth potential within the role.
Total compensation is salary plus an annual bonus potential. When determining an offer amount, many things are taken into consideration such as qualifications, experience, internal equity and work location. We strive to provide competitive and equitable compensation packages to all our employees.
This role is also eligible for medical, dental, vision and life insurance, short and long term disability, 401(k), flexible and dependent care spending accounts, PTO, paid holidays and parental leave.
Don't meet every single requirement on this job post? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At ArenaNet, we believe diversity in culture, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and backgrounds make us a better team – we celebrate it. So, if you're excited about this role, but your experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification listed, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.