Crystal Dynamics is looking for an experienced and talented Senior Technical Artist to join its shared technology staff at its studio in Menlo Park at the heart of northern California’s Silicon Valley.
Title Description
The Senior Technical Artist will work directly with the Director of Technology as part of the studio’s shared technology group and is responsible to evaluate, initiate and drive processes or features needed to improve or streamline production of game content across multiple teams. Senior Technical Artist acts as liaison between art, design, and programming departments and teams to oversee and enhance the studio?s next generation production pipeline and workflow.
Essential functions
[ul]
[li]Design and creation of custom scripts and plug-ins to build art centric toolsets focusing on increasing productivity, aiding workflow, and reducing human error
[/li][li]Communicate and troubleshoot technical art issues with an emphasis on studio wide global solutions
[/li][li]Assist in educating art staff from a technical, workflow, and efficiency standpoint
[/li][li]Mentor and train other technical and production artists in studio
[/li][li]Research and develop software that may assist in improving efficiency and raising the visual quality of the art department
[/li][li]Build art for testing purposes and develop R&D demonstrations for other teams to use as learning tools.
[/li][/ul]Essential skills
[ul]
[li]Must have a thorough understanding of general game production, and every aspect of the art, animation, and design creation process
[/li][li]Exceptional problem solving, analytical, organizational skills
[/li][li]Able to self motivate, prioritize tasks, track and deliver technical solutions while managing multiple requests from different departments
[/li][li]Strong understanding of MEL scripting and an expert level Maya user
[/li][li]Thorough understanding of all standard art tools and plug-ins in that include Maya, Photoshop, 3DMax, and Perforce
[/li][li]Must have a full understanding of all aspects of game art and animation production and have worked though at least one production cycle in an artistic capacity
[/li][li]Must show a portfolio that demonstrate both artistic and technical knowledge
[/li][li]Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present ideas, concepts, and approaches, to both peers and studio management
[/li][li]Service and client oriented, driven to improve the environment and process for art content creation for all artists within studio
[/li][li]Next generation experience, and the capability to foresee future tools needs based on this knowledge
[/li][/ul]Preferred skills
[ul]
[li]5+ years in the game industry
[/li][li]Arts related degree
[/li][li]Prior leadership experience a plus
[/li][/ul]Please apply through our recruiting site - http://tbe.taleo.net/NA4/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=VAM&cws=1&rid=118, and include a link to your work samples. Alternately, mail samples to our office Attn: Recruiting, Crystal Dynamics, 64 Willow Pl., Menlo Park, CA 94025. Samples can also be emailed to jobs@crystald.com.
Crystal Dynamics has consistently pursued excellence in third-person action adventures, earning critical acclaim for setting new standards in visuals, game design, animation, storytelling, soundscape and character development utilizing internally developed state-of-the-art technology and tools. Successful games developed at Crystal include the Tomb Raider: Legend (www.tombraider.com), the Legacy of Kain series, Project: Snowblind, Whiplash, Mad Dash Racing and the GEX series. Crystal Dynamics was founded in 1992 and acquired in 1998 by Eidos Interactive (www.eidos.com), the well known publisher of Tomb Raider series, Deus Ex, Thief, and the Hitman series.