Tech Artist

Company Description

Tantalus Media is a well regarded video games studio founded in the mid 90's. We've worked on and continue to work with awesome titles likes Age of Empires, Cities Skylines and more. In more recent times Tantalus expanded its Australian footprint with studios opening in Adelaide and Brisbane.

Two years ago we joined the Keywords Studios global family. This family is over 12,000 people strong, spread over 70+ studios in over 20 countries. We provide video game services across Console, Nintendo and PC.

Our Tantalus South Studio (Adelaide) is currently hiring for an experienced Technical Artist.

**Job Description**:
As a Technical Artist, your role is to help build and deliver key tools, pipelines and workflows to support art creation, while also contributing to the art on projects in your domain of expertise.

**Responsibilities**
- Create or re-invent art assets in your area of expertise (eg: shaders, lighting, VFX, rigging).
- Confidently communicate with other disciplines, in particular engineering, to facilitate solutions that push the project forward.
- Support art content production by advancing art pipelines, workflows and methodologies.
- Develop tools and processes that facilitate content authoring with an emphasis on user experience, quality and productivity.
- Asset optimisation, integration, performance profiling and validation.
- Collaborate with other Technical Artists to maintain and further improve on project / studio tools and workflows.
- Create and maintain technical documentation.
- Assist with asset creation or re-invention in domains outside your area of expertise if needed.

**Expectations**
- Proactively identify problems and propose, test and document solutions.
- Research and explore new technologies and techniques and keep up-to-date with the latest trends in game development.
- Share learnings and best practices, workflows and new tools with the wider team.
- Be available for technical support for the art team.
- Actively demonstrate a desire to learn and grow professionally.
- Contribute towards a positive and supportive company culture.

**Qualifications**:

- Approx. 5+ years of Feature Film or Games Industry experience (for mid and senior levels).
- Experience in art content creation.
- Strong attention to detail, able to multi-task and adapt to change.
- Artistic eye and solid understanding of art or animation pipelines.
- Proficiency in scripting and coding in one or more of the following - Python, C#, C++, HLSL, MEL, MaxScript.
- Knowledge of industry DCC packages - Maya, 3DS Max, Blender, Adobe Suite - with strong foundational knowledge in at least one.
- Current development experience with Unity, UE4 or UE5.
- Skills and interest in one or more areas - Shader development, Character rigging, Pipeline and tool development, Procedural asset generation, VFX / Particles, Lighting, Real-time physics simulations, Real-time rendering and post-effects, Asset optimisation and performance profiling.
- A passion for games, an interest and awareness in the latest trends, tools, technology and approaches in creating content.
- Strong time management and problem-solving skills.
- Effective communication skills.

**Bonus Skills**
- Experience in AAA game development
- Familiarity with Maya API
- Experience with Houdini and Substance Designer
- Experience with console development - Nintendo Switch, PlayStation and
- XBox
- Traditional art / drawing / painting / photography skills

Additional Information
**Benefits**
- Competitive Market Rate Remuneration.
- Employee Assistance Program.
- We offer a range of flexible working arrangements including - full-time, compressed week, hybrid and remote.
- Benefits and discounts through our employee portal, Employment Hero.
- Best of both worlds - perks of a global business with the intimacy of a small business.
- Opportunity to work on a diverse range of next generation games and collaborate with some of the best in the industry.
- Wellbeing reimbursement for purchases relating to your health.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and are committed to
fostering a work environment that is inclusive, supports flexibility, and welcomes
diversity. Women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and other minority groups
are encouraged to apply.

Applicants must be eligible to work in Australia

We are recruiting this position directly and not seeking recruitment agency support for this role.

(Internal data below)

Role Information: EN

Studio: Tantalus

Location: Asia Pacific, Australia, Adelaide

Area of work: Art Services

Service: Create

Employment Type: Full Time, Permanent

Working Pattern: Hybrid, Remote