Lead 3D Artist

System Era is searching for a Lead 3D Artist to join our creative team and help shape the vibrant worlds of Astroneer!
As Lead 3D Artist you will be navigating a sea of possibilities alongside a team of artist all working together to bring exciting new worlds and features to life within Astroneer. Requiring a balance between advanced content creation, team leadership, and feature management, this role lives at the heart of the modeling team and provides the opportunity to truly guide Astroneer into the future. You will be responsible for creating a wide variety of artwork while supporting the production and planning of new features across every stage of development. Covering things such as prop and vehicle modeling all the way through environment planning and design. Discipline leads from across the team will be your close collaborators as you work together to leverage the unique procedural tools and experiences of Astroneer to create meaningful experiences for the player. A keen eye for detail and excellent communication skills will be critical as you work with your team of artists to maintain the games iconic style with each new feature or update.
And the creative sandbox of Astroneer is not just limited to our players, as part of the System Era art team you will have the opportunity to blaze new trails when it comes to the modeling tools and techniques used in the creation of new content. The beautifully unique art style was born out of a desire to keep the art creation process fun and efficient, and that still holds true today. On this journey you will be collaborating with a highly motivated team of individuals who are each responsible for contributing to the growth and well-being of the project and studio through open and honest discussion.
For this position, we prefer to hire a candidate willing to work in a hybrid model, spending regular time onsite at our office in Seattle, WA and relocation assistance is available for the move to Washington state. However, as System Era supports a variety of work routines to match the needs of our team, for an exceptional candidate we would consider permanent remote work within the US and Canada.
Compensation package includes salary, benefits with full medical and dental coverage for employee and dependents, 401k with company match, participation in profit sharing, equity plans, and discretionary bonuses. The base salary range for this position is $125,000-$135,000 depending on the skills and experience of the candidate. We look for candidates who value joining a team with diverse backgrounds, experiences, interests, and viewpoints, so we encourage you to apply even if you don't meet every qualification, as long as you believe you have something positive to contribute.
Applications for this position will close at 9am PDT on 10/16/2023 We will notify candidates of their application status shortly after that date.
Responsibilities:

• Internalize the project's visual direction and work to maintain a cohesive style across all relevant game assets
• Create and implement a wide variety of complex props, vehicles, environments, and other supporting assets
• Share map or level ownership responsibilities with with the design team
• Lead a small team of artists and help establish strong collaborative relationships with other disciplines

• Manage art content needs across the project in close collaboration with the production team
• Help maintain a high standard of asset quality and efficiency through team reviews and feedback sessions
• Drive new feature development in collaboration with other discipline leads to ensure that art content meets gameplay, narrative, and performance goals
• Work with Art Director to establish visual systems and guidelines for the creation of new content families that extend the visual language of the project
• Create documentation or proposals for new techniques or systems to help increase art quality and efficiency

• Support ongoing development by actively participating in design reviews, playtests, and feedback sessions
• Work directly with external partners on the creation of specialized or supplemental outsource game assets

• 8+ Years of game industry experience as a 3D artist
• 3+ Years of experience in a leadership role

• Online portfolio with high quality examples that showcase an array of different asset types with a focus on hard surface sci-fi aesthetics or heavily stylized content
• Demonstrated ability to own and manage large areas of content or feature development
• Experience managing a team of artists or collaborators working on a shared feature set
• Excellent understanding of 3D game asset pipelines including modeling, texturing, material construction, optimization, and engine integration
• Strong understanding of artistic fundamentals and a solid use of color, composition, and form

• Expert proficiency with 3D Studio Max, Photoshop, and Unreal Engine 4 or 5 (or equivalent programs)
• Self-motivated, excellent communication skills, and the ability to provide mentorship and instruction
• Experience working with offsite team members or outsource partners
• Ability to quickly iterate and adapt when in collaborative work scenarios

• Solid understanding of Astroneer's art style
• Animation skills and an ability to create assets with final animation in mind
• Experience with VFX pipelines and asset creation
• An interest in science fiction, aerospace, and space exploration