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Sr. Character Artist

Sr. Character Artist

Electronic Arts Inc. is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. EA delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, personal computers, mobile phones and tablets.

Creativity, Collaboration, and Communication are what make Maxis tick as we prepare ourselves for massive amounts of growth and an incredible amount of fun. We want to engage our players and create the most entertaining titles in the world. Come and see for yourself, the future is here.

At Maxis we’re pushing the boundaries on every front, so you’ll get a chance to stretch beyond your comfort zone and learn while you contribute. Our team culture is collaborative and high-performance oriented. We expect everyone to think like game makers and approach development with a Player First perspective.

Maxis in Austin, Texas is looking for a Senior Character Artist to join our successful development team working on a new IP.

The Role

The Senior Character Artist works closely with the Art Director and Technical Leads to define visual standards and technical specifications of character assets for the project. In addition to creating high quality character models and materials, the Senior Character Artist guides junior members of the team and external partners to deliver work that meets the project standards. The ideal candidate proactively seeks opportunities to elevate the game, embraces constructive feedback, and thrives in a highly collaborative environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Work with art director and technical partners to refine the look and feel of characters for the project.
• Work with Technical Art, Engineering and other artists to develop the character creation and integration pipeline.
• Create high quality character models and materials (textures), including in-game and cinematic assets.
• Create 3D props and architectural elements as needed.
• Update style and technical documents for the character art team.
• Collaborate with Technical Artists to create and improve tools and workflows.
• Actively participate in milestone planning and reviews.
• Work within deadlines and display strong time management skills.
• Provide mentorship for junior team members.
• Review work from external partners and provide feedback.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of production experience as a character artist.
• Have served as a Senior or Lead Character Artist on a published title and have shipping experience on multiple game titles.
• Mastery in industry standard software like Maya, ZBrush, Substance Painter/Designer and Photoshop.
• Strong understanding of scale, proportion, surface properties, and human anatomy.
• Knowledge of character setup and rigging.
• Experience working with Unreal Engine and implementing 3D work into the pipeline.
• Ability to create textures/materials using painting and node-based techniques (e.g. Substance Painter and Designer)
• Strong ability to create stylized interpretations of characters in accordance to the project art direction
• Knowledge of high-poly to low-poly surface baking
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Experience working with remote teams (outsourcing)
• Passion for making and playing games

Materials required for Application

• Portfolio and/or Reel (via website, blog, or online gallery)
• Resume/CV

Benefits include relocation, extended health and dental, group RRSP & bonus program