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Studio Technical Art Director - Technical Art and Animation

Firesprite
GBR-Liverpool-Vanilla Factory
1 year ago
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Why Firesprite?

Founded in 2012 by a group of creative and management veterans with years of industry experience, Firesprite is a visionary game development studio based in the heart of Liverpool’s vibrant game development hub with over 200 team members.

Creating a number of showcase games for PlayStation console and peripheral launches over the years, Firesprite’s core focus is developing innovative and memorable experiences for players on cutting edge gaming hardware. At Firesprite, the end player experience always comes first and the team is passionate about how to best combine the disciplines of design, art and code to deliver games that surprise and delight.

A visionary game development studio founded in 2012, Firesprite builds innovative showcase titles for PlayStation platforms as part of the PlayStation Studios family.

Would you enjoy the freedom to create AAA games working from anywhere in the UK, including our Liverpool studio?

We are seeking an exceptional Technical Artist to join at Director level with the aim to develop and mentor the Tech Art Team across the studio.

You will be responsible for oversight of both studio-wide and project-specific content pipelines and investigate new technology and workflow ideologies.

You will be part of the Core Technology Team along with the Tools & Tech Director and Studio Technical Animation Director. Additionally, you will work with project Art Directors, Technical Directors, and Designers, to identify possible risks and provide solutions to overcome them.

Come and join our successful, stable, and expanding studio and create games that are guaranteed to be massive hits across the globe!

Key Responsibilities:

  • Make critical art pipeline and process decisions.
  • Direct efforts of the Technical Art staff to identify and develop necessary art tool chains and documentation.
  • Maintain clear lines of communication with each project's art, design, and engineering teams.
  • Work with Production to ensure that timeframes and technical constraints are effectively determined or estimated to meet the project's requirements.
  • Work with production staff to ensure effective and efficient deployment of technical art staff across multiple projects.
  • Work with the project Art Directors, project Technical Directors, and the Core Technology Team to ensure technical art efforts meet visual goals, efficiency goals, and technical requirements.
  • Provide mentorship to the technical art staff and facilitate training efforts to develop the technical art discipline within the studio.
  • Oversee project and studio staffing needs, identifying hiring requirements, skillset shortfalls, and supporting ongoing recruitment efforts to grow the Technical Art department as required.
  • Create and maintain documentation standards and practices for tools, pipelines, and technical specifications.
  • Work closely with the Core Technology Team to maintain a manifest of tools and technologies and manage the deployment of these tools to projects in a consistent, predictable, and timely manner.
  • Maintain a holistic view of Tech Art across the studio, working with Production to reshape and redeploy depending on project needs.
  • Keeping up to date with current industry trends and their practical application on products.

Requirements:

  • Proven experience as a Technical Artist within the Games Industry, including at least one AAA project.
  • At least one shipped title as Technical Art Director or Lead Technical Artist.
  • Expert-level experience with Python, including Maya/Python.
  • Technical proficiency across the entire art pipeline (modelling/DCC, baking, PBR/Shaders/Materials, animation, rigging, procedural modelling techniques, VFX).
  • Robust understanding of Unreal workflow and art systems.
  • Practical understanding of Houdini (simulation, proc-gen, mesh processing etc).
  • Previous experience managing central tool development and distribution.
  • Previous experience managing a team of 4+ technical art staff.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Additional Desirable Skills:

  • Practical experience with Unreal blueprints.
  • Practical experience with Houdini Engine for Unreal.

Firesprite is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, with a commitment to a culture of inclusion and mutual respect for all employees from every walk of life, reflecting the community we make games for. We welcome and encourage applications from all suitable applicants regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.

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