Lead Environment Artist

Would you like to work on one of the greatest franchises in gaming history? How about more than one? Certain Affinity is an exclusive Austin studio; we’re a tightly-knit group of experienced industry veterans working at an entirely independent company. We’ve co-developed games in the Call of Duty, Halo, and Left 4 Dead franchises, and we’ve launched a few of our own games as well.

As a Lead Environment Artist at Certain Affinity, you’ll lead a small team of environment artists in creating highly detailed game environments. You’ll have opportunities to help define visual goals, as well as work with other teams, and leads to set standards for those areas.

Responsibilities:

• Work with Art Director and other artists to build and integrate 3D assets, lighting, materials, and decorators, into a visually consistent and highly immersive world that runs within performance guidelines.
• Work collaboratively across departments to establish visual bars for environments based on global style guides.
• Direct art reviews with the ability to critique big-picture elements as well as individual assets.
• Work closely with other departments to ensure art supports the overall game experience
• Lead/direct activities and implementation of environment art assets
• Mentor artists on technique and process
• Provide leadership, one on ones, and direction to a group of environment artists
• Carry out key department responsibilities that include interviewing, hiring, and training employees, reviewing work for quality, appraising performance and resolving issues

Experience:

• 6+ years experience in the game industry, specifically modeling and texturing environments
• Experience using Ureal or proprietary editors, software, and tools
• Experience establishing and driving new workflows for content creation
• Shipped 2+ titles as an environment artist
• Experience mentoring other artists

• Experience managing, scheduling, and critiquing work for multiple artists
• Shipped 1+ AAA title in last 3 years

Requirements:

• Strong foundation knowledge in traditional arts, including but not limited to: graphic design or illustration, life drawing, environmental and/or architectural illustration or similar.
• Solid understanding of color theory, and the ability to create balanced & appealing color palettes through lighting, texturing, and material work
• Demonstrated grasp of scale, proportion lighting, and form
• Solid understanding of the aesthetics of environment, function vs. form relationships, as well as what makes a game level fun and engaging
• Excellent collaboration and communication skills to bridge the gap between art, design, and tech.
• Ability to work within a style and effectively communicate with the rest of the team
• Expert-level knowledge of MAX, Maya, or other 3D software packages
• Proficient with Z-Brush or other high-resolution sculpting tools
• Experience using proprietary editors, software, and tools or other similar experience with Unreal, Radiant, Source Engine, etc.
• Solid grasp of performance requirements and constraints of current generation console and PC development
• Understanding of the construction and application of PBR materials and material software such as Substance Designer
• Excellent understanding of art pipelines and workflow
• Must be punctual, diligent, articulate, and organized
• Easily manages time constraints and multiple priorities
• Can initiate visual direction without specific concept or design

Certain Affinity is authorized to do business in many, but not all, of the states in the US and the Canadian provinces. If you are not located in or able to work from a state where Certain Affinity is registered, you may not be eligible for employment as a fully remote employee. Please speak with your recruiter to learn more about where we are registered.

Certain Affinity or its partners or affiliates run background checks on candidates or employees with written authorization from the candidates or employees. These may be done for the purposes of offering employment or determining eligibility to work on a specific project. Multiple searches may be required.