Environment Artist

Company Overview

Mad Head Games is a creator of action games for PC and consoles. The company has pioneered the local game dev scene for over a decade and aims to become a regional game dev leader. Current projects include the 3rd-person sci-fi shooter Scars Above, the first-person action horror survival game Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival, and an unannounced AAA title set in a famous and beloved IP. The company operates in offices in Novi Sad, Belgrade, and Sarajevo, with remote work options available. They operate in collaboration with Saber Interactive.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the Art Director, Design, Tech, and Art Leads to align production with Art Direction and project priorities.
• Work closely with the Level Design Lead from initial ideas through blockout and final polished delivery, ensuring gameplay, technical, and art direction goals are met.
• Act as the Environment Art point of contact across the project, representing the discipline in reviews, meetings, and contributing to key features and cross-functional deliveries.
• Guide Environment Art production across the full pipeline, from blockout and concept interpretation through lookdev, asset creation, set dressing, and final in-game delivery.
• Develop and present lookdev proposals, art documentation, style guides, and visual solutions that support Art Direction and project goals.
• Resolve challenging visual and technical areas, ensuring concept intent is maintained while delivering functional and visually consistent in-game environments.
• Own the quality of the team's output, providing regular and timely feedback and approvals throughout production to ensure the required visual quality is achieved.
• Test and iterate on levels in lookdev and in-game, regularly play builds, and identify visual, material, and performance issues.
• Establish and continuously improve Environment Art pipelines, workflows, and technical standards, including technical documentation and art guidelines.
• Work with Tech Art and Rendering to resolve technical issues, manage materials/shaders, and improve tools and workflows.
• Manage outsource teams and their delivery, ensuring quality and alignment with project requirements.
• Lead, mentor, and support the Environment Art team through clear direction, feedback, 1:1s, and coaching.
• Plan and schedule the team's work with the Producer, including estimates, priorities, task and level distribution, capacity, risks, and scope, and monitor progress against the planned roadmap.
• Collaborate with HR on recruitment, team structure, and performance-related decisions, including promotions and role changes based on individual performance and project needs.

Candidate Requirements

• Native or fluent English speaker.
• Experience building and leading a world-class Environment art team on a project where environments are central to the game experience and achieved the highest quality standards.
• Experience working with outsource teams.
• Strong understanding of art, architecture, and Level Design and its principles.
• Strong knowledge of 3D software such as 3ds Max, Maya, Blender, and ZBrush.
• Strong understanding of PBR workflows and texturing software such as Substance Designer and Substance Painter.
• Strong experience with Unreal Engine 5 and environment workflows.
• Experience creating photorealistic, game-ready environments, including set dressing and beautification.
• Experience creating and maintaining art style guides and technical documentation and guidelines.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working as a lead as part of a larger team of environment artists.
• Strong painting skills for providing artistic feedback.
• Deep knowledge of standard UE5 technologies such as Nanite and Lumen.

Benefits and Perks

• Competitive industry-standard salary.
• Hybrid work model with options for regular office attendance or remote work.
• Referral program.
• Flexible working hours.
• 25 days of vacation.
• Additional leave: company-wide annual leave in January, short-term sick leave, additional remote days, and time off for significant life events (childbirth, wedding, bereavement).
• 4-hour workdays for one month for employees returning from maternity leave.
• Ongoing education and training (conferences, classes, workshops, courses).
• Opportunity to work with senior professionals and teams.
• Upbeat workplace environment.
• Collaboration with international teams across 16+ countries.
• Professional connection with Saber Interactive (Space Marine, Warhammer, WWZ developers).
• Premium private medical insurance.
• Team-building events and personalized team-bonding.
• Involvement in startup, tech, and gaming ecosystems.
• Fitness support (gym/pool/sport allowances).
• In-office coffee, fruits, and snacks.
• Merch and gifts.