Lead Technical Artist

Orange Comet is seeking a Lead Technical Artist with expertise in Unreal. Our ideal candidate will have shipped multiple titles on mobile and will be able to work with artists to produce a beautiful game working within the tight constraints of the platform. We are open to filling this position with a Global Contractor.

• Develop, maintain, and improve art pipelines, tools, and scripts that streamline content creation workflows, from modeling and texturing to animation and lighting.
• Collaborate with artists and engineers to identify and address technical challenges related to art production, such as optimization, rendering, and asset integration.
• Implement and optimize materials, visual effects, and post-processing techniques to achieve the desired artistic style while adhering to performance targets.
• Develop art budgets and target metrics to ensure good game performance.
• Profile and implement solutions for improving performance and optimization of art assets without sacrificing artistic vision or exceeding technical limits of minimum specification mobile devices.
• Continually seek new technologies, tools and techniques to improve the production process, art pipelines, and the visual quality of the game.
• Provide support to the art team for day-to-day production issues.
• Create detailed, easy to read documentation of toolsets and workflows.
• Assist with task creation, scheduling and time estimations.
• Mentor and guide team members.
• Act as a liaison between Art, Design, Engineering, and Production.
• Be aware of potential risks to the project and bring them to the attention of management.

Requirements

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in game development.
• Demonstrated proficiency in Unreal.
• Experience with Unreal blueprints.
• Experience with Unreal lighting, postprocessing, and Niagara.
• Experience with Unreal materials.
• Experience in creating efficient workflows for artists.
• Experience writing tools to aid environment, object, or animation artist workflows.
• Strong understanding of real-time rendering, shaders, lighting, and post-processing effects.
• Familiarity with art asset creation tools and techniques.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to diagnose and resolve technical issues related to art and graphics.
• Proven track record of optimizing graphics and gameplay performance to meet the demanding constraints of mobile platforms.
• Proficient with profiling tools in the examination & diagnosis of performance issues.
• Basic knowledge of all art disciplines including concept, character, animation, environment, VFX, UI, lighting, shading, and rendering.
• Ability to work remotely and independently.
• Exceptional communication skills facilitating effective collaboration across teams and time zones.
• Willing to take on responsibilities outside of core duties in line with the needs of the studio.

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant visual art or technical field such as Computer Science, Engineering, Graphic Arts, Art or a related field.
• Experience with mobile game development.
• Understanding of the full game production cycle, from conception to launch and live ops development.
• Interest in working on stylized rendering.
• Familiarity writing tools in Python or C++ for DCC applications.
• Knowledge of artist tools and workflows for asset creation, rigging and animation.
• Understanding of graphics rendering techniques

Benefits

• Awesome company culture along with a fully remote position (best of both worlds!)
• A rewarding role with opportunities to see yourself and the company grow.
• We’re proud to be a Great Place to Work-Certified™ company!
• Orange Comet is full of passionate and highly skilled individuals. We dream together, learn from each other, have fun and make a difference every day. Our culture is based on deep trust, individual freedom, and personal responsibility.

About the Company

Orange Comet is a next-generation gaming and entertainment company creating immersive games in partnership with the biggest entertainment properties in the world. By blending super-creative content and cutting-edge technology, our mission is to revolutionize the gaming landscape for the fanbases of our clients. We are powered by a passionate group of people who believe the future of all entertainment and media is on the verge of a revolution, and our diverse backgrounds, experiences, and industries, work to help our clients shape their businesses for the next generation of gaming opportunities that awaits.

Additional Information:

The base salary range for a full-time position is $65,000-$200,000 USD+ benefits. Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position across all US locations. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Our team can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process. Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only, and do not include bonus, equity, or benefits.