About the role
Company Overview
d3t is at the forefront of videogame technology and creativity, delivering experienced co-development services to some of the biggest AAA clients in the world. As part of the Keywords Studios Group, the studio works on multiple projects including EA SPORTS FC™ 26, Hogwarts Legacy, Exoborne, Mafia: The Old Country, Alan Wake Remastered, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Vampire The Masquerade - Blood Hunt, Mafia II: Definitive Edition, and Assetto Corsa Competizione. Partners include Playground Games, EA, and Archetype Entertainment.
The studio operates with an anti-crunch mentality, mentoring ethos, and has been awarded Best Places to Work by gamesindustry.biz. It won Best Creative Service Provider at Develop 2022 and was nominated in 2023 and 2024.
The Role
This Technical Artist opportunity is a 12-month fixed-term contract (with possible extension) based in Daresbury (Cheshire) or Newcastle (Tyne & Wear). The role follows a hybrid working pattern (3 days per week in the studio: Wednesday, Thursday, and another day of choice).
Responsibilities
- Establish and maintain project art pipelines from inception throughout the project life-cycle.
- Support art and animation team requirements and assist with resolving technical issues.
- Create and integrate in-house toolsets and assist with material and shader creation.
- Ensure artwork meets memory and frame rate guidelines through performance profiling.
- Collaborate with artists to improve in-game asset performance while maintaining visual fidelity.
- Ensure artwork adheres to naming conventions and texture layering structures.
- Keep up to date with industry advancements and share knowledge with the art team.
- Add to the library of tutorials, documents, and technical guides to improve pipeline efficiency.
- Proactively find solutions to technical issues.
- Advise the Senior Technical Artist of resourcing concerns and production risks.
- Encourage and mentor other members of the Technical Art Team.
Requirements
Essential Skills
- Enjoy the technical challenge and constraints of real-time game art.
- Understanding of modern rendering, shading, and lighting techniques.
- Performance and quality focused.
- Excellent working knowledge and proficiency in Maya and/or 3DS Max.
- Excellent in-depth knowledge of Python.
- Strong communication and organisation skills.
- Confidence working within a multidisciplinary art team.
- Good understanding of the technical limitations of current console hardware.
- Practical and methodical approach to technical and creative problem-solving.
- Dependability and commitment to projects and tasks.
- Hunger to learn and improve.
- Flexible, calm approach with the ability to adapt to change.
- Ability to deliver quality work within fixed time constraints.
- Good knowledge of current game development practices, terminology, and latest technology.
Desirable Skills
- Knowledge of other scripting languages.
- Knowledge of the Maya API and programming in C++ or C#.
- Understanding of tools such as Photoshop, Substance, and Houdini.
- Knowledge of Unreal Engine or Unity.
- Knowledge of materials/shaders and a good understanding of a PBR workflow.
- At least 1 published title.
Benefits and Perks
- 22 days holiday + 3 Festive Studio Closure days + Bank Holidays.
- Company Pension Scheme.
- Flexible Working Hours.
- Private Medical Insurance Scheme (BUPA).
- Anti-crunch ethos.
- Free Parking.
- Company Socials, Monthly Lunches, and Annual d3t Events.
- Breakout Areas (games, BBQ area, complimentary snacks).