Role Overview
This role first and foremost bridges art and engineering, building the asset pipeline that gets an external data source into our game as efficiently as possible while delivering high-end visual fidelity with Unreal Engine within constraints.
You are accountable for the pipeline that brings external data into our game cleanly and efficiently, and to make sure the game looks its best where that matters most whilst staying within technical constraints.
You are a proactive hands-on tech artist who picks up new technology quickly and works ahead of problems rather than reacting to them to ensure technical art issues get caught early. You will work closely with the team in assisting with the technical implementation and management of in-house and outsourced assets.
Key Responsibilities
1 - Asset Pipelines
You design and build the pipeline that takes an external data source and places it into the game in the most efficient way possible. As the amount of updates in the game grows, you keep the pipeline steady and clear of any snags that slow down the time from source to player.
You use emerging tools as a practical aid, writing scripts, automating repetitive jobs, and integrating new services into Unreal Engine where they genuinely help, without letting quality or budgets slip. This builds on real experience running asset pipelines across a full game.
Success looks like:
- External data source comes in quickly and to a high visual and realistic standard
- You ensure integration and validation of the data source is automated and efficient
- You prototype early to avoid risks
- Custom tools and scripts cut repetitive work and keep everyone to the same standard
- You use validators to ensure assets meet requirements before submission
- Emerging tools and automation are used sensibly to speed up regular updates to players
- You work collaboratively with the team to build and maintain the pipeline
2 - Real-Time Content, Shaders, and Performance
You help bring the game to the desired visual standard whilst remaining within budget and constraints. You build shaders and materials, support VFX, rigging and animation, profile and optimise assets and scenes for performance and minimal load times.
When materials, collision, or rendering have issues, you fix them without losing the visual fidelity our game demands.
Success looks like:
- The game meets the visual expectations where needed and stays within constraints
- Shaders and materials hit the intended look and are performant on the target hardware
- VFX, rigging, animation, and simulation get solid technical support
- Profiling catches performance and load-time problems before they land, not after
- Rendering, material, and collision issues get resolved quickly
3 - Working with The Team and Setting Standards
You are the person the team comes to with technical art questions. You tell them what is realistic, flag risks early, and work closely with the whole team, and our external partners so that ambition and what the engine can actually do stay in step.
You set the technical standards and keep people to them, coach the team on the tools and good habits, and give everyone an honest, current picture of how the pipeline and the content are doing, so decisions get made in good time.
Success looks like:
- Team and external partners are pulling in the same direction, with trade-offs raised early
- Assist organisation, planning and implementation of editor, game features and tools
- The team works to clear, consistent technical and art standards
- Quick help is on hand to unblock when the pipeline has bugs or performance issues
- Technical risks are spotted early and brought up with practical options and mitigations
- Leadership trusts the state of the pipeline and the content going into the game
Overall, you are doing the job well when:
- External data flows into the game efficiently and to standard, with automation
- The game looks high-end where it matters without impacting performance
- Content ships at the visual and performance bar we set, and regularly post release
- Technical risks get caught and dealt with early
- Art, engineering, and outside partners stay aligned on the technical trade-offs
Requirements
- Proven experience as an Unreal Engine Technical Artist in the games industry
- Strong experience owning pipelines and workflows in a team environment
- Excellent technical knowledge and competencies creating scripts and workflows
- Excellent knowledge and understanding of the video game development process
- A rapid prototyping and iterative approach with strong analytical skills
- Excellent collaboration and communication skills cross discipline
- Excellent ability to organize and prioritize work aligned to project goals
- A great ability to think creatively to overcome technical challenges
Please note: This is a remote-working position, open to anyone within the UK & Europe.
Benefits
Our benefits include a 2-week company summer break and a 2-week winter break to rest and recharge, in addition to your normal holiday allowance.
