Technical Artist

Summary

Pipeworks is a game development studio creating cross-platform games and digital entertainment experiences. The Technical Artist will support technical art needs by developing tools, scripts, and workflows, integrating and optimizing art assets, resolving visual-system issues, and providing technical support to animation and content teams.

Responsibilities

• Partner with artists and engineers to develop efficient, reliable workflows for creating and implementing game content
• Build, maintain, and document tools, scripts, and pipeline improvements that reduce repetitive work and improve content quality
• Support the integration of art assets into the game and help ensure they function as intended
• Investigate and resolve technical issues involving assets, materials, animation, lighting, visual effects, user interface content, or other visual systems within the role’s assigned scope
• Profile and optimize art content to meet established performance, memory, quality, and platform targets
• Establish and communicate technical art guidelines, validation practices, and content standards in partnership with project leadership
• Create prototypes and technical examples that demonstrate production-ready approaches to visual challenges
• Evaluate proposed art workflows and recommend solutions that balance visual quality, production efficiency, and technical constraints
• Work with QA and development teams to identify, reproduce, prioritize, and resolve content-related defects
• Provide technical support, training, and documentation for artists and other content creators
• Participate in planning and estimation by identifying technical dependencies, risks, and implementation needs

Skills

• Working knowledge of Maya, specifically the ability to create custom script tools (MEL / Python) that streamline artist workflow and/or increase efficiency
• Unreal experience is a must; Unreal 5 a benefit
• A focus on animation support from rigging to pipelines to tools for animation
• A strong understanding of animation and all the steps involved in creating strong animations
• Technical support for the animation team on any given project
• Overall strong software development and programming skills
• Understanding of "artistic concepts," e.g. modeling, lighting, and shading
• Ability to assess sometimes contradictory technical and artistic needs, and come up with creative compromise solutions
• A readiness to explore multiple solutions to multiple problems simultaneously, and a willingness to - occasionally - have work discarded
• Working knowledge of C# and Python/MEL required
• Overall attention to detail, both visually and technically
• Strong interest in the industry and a desire to make games
• Ability to work as part of a game team
• Make quality decisions within a project that improved the animation process
• Work effectively with other artists and engineers to achieve project goals
• Solve problems to the benefit of the project/team
• 3+ years of experience in a similar role
• Any degree or certification in both Art and Engineering or equivalent work experience
• Familiarity with C++ or other high-level languages beneficial
• General knowledge of programmable shaders helpful
• Understanding of 3D art
• Understanding of Unity

Qualifications

Must Haves

• Working knowledge of Maya, specifically the ability to create custom script tools (MEL / Python) that streamline artist workflow and/or increase efficiency
• Unreal experience is a must; Unreal 5 a benefit
• A focus on animation support from rigging to pipelines to tools for animation
• A strong understanding of animation and all the steps involved in creating strong animations
• Technical support for the animation team on any given project
• Overall strong software development and programming skills
• Understanding of "artistic concepts," e.g. modeling, lighting, and shading
• Ability to assess sometimes contradictory technical and artistic needs, and come up with creative compromise solutions
• A readiness to explore multiple solutions to multiple problems simultaneously, and a willingness to - occasionally - have work discarded
• Working knowledge of C# and Python/MEL required
• Overall attention to detail, both visually and technically
• Strong interest in the industry and a desire to make games
• Ability to work as part of a game team
• Make quality decisions within a project that improved the animation process
• Work effectively with other artists and engineers to achieve project goals
• Solve problems to the benefit of the project/team
• 3+ years of experience in a similar role
• Any degree or certification in both Art and Engineering or equivalent work experience

Nice to Haves

• Familiarity with C++ or other high-level languages beneficial
• General knowledge of programmable shaders helpful
• Understanding of 3D art
• Understanding of Unity

Benefits

• Remote, in-office, or hybrid work arrangements
• Medical, Dental, and Vision
• 401K with employer match
• Employer Paid Life Insurance Policy
• Generous Paid Time Off
• 20 Paid Company Holidays
• Relocation
• Paid Parental Leave
• Employee Assistance Program
• Fitness Club Discounts
• Sports Team Sponsorship
• Annual Company Events
• Project Wrap Parties