Lead Technical Artist

We have an excellent opportunity for a passionate game developer to join our Total War team as a Lead Technical Artist.  
Based at our well-established studio in the heart of Sussex in the UK, you will be working as a key member of the art team on our next unannounced Total War title. In this role, you will be able to make a real impact on our games. You will bring your knowledge and experience to help push the boundaries of the strategy genre by collaborating with the wider development team - striving to make our titles better than ever before. Our team operates with a hybrid working model, and there is an expectation for this role of 3 days a week in our Horsham studio for in-office collaboration with the rest of the team. This role cannot offer fully remote working. Further details can be discussed during the recruitment process. Key Responsibilities

Developing, designing and maintaining art pipelines, solving complex content creation problems and keeping art teams at optimal productivity. 
Own the work delivered by your team and are responsible to ensure the scope of work fits the team capacity and delivery times are achievable.
Plan pipeline requirements to support all TW franchise titles with a unified set of tools and workflows.

On a day-to-day basis, this role will:

• Support the wellbeing of your team as a priority
• Foster the career development of your team in skills and behaviours for all levels of technical artist under your management.
• Build a comprehensive understanding of in-house tools, technical art codebase, engine and workflows.
• Strategically plan and deliver professional quality tools and scripts for art packages and game engine.
• Lead by example in collaborating with key pipeline stakeholders in all departments of the Total War team.
• Communicate clearly the status of work from the tech art team to stakeholders consistently.
• Motivate the team to be productive and prioritise work accordingly.
• Follow up task work blocking team progress to ensure consistent delivery of commitments.
• Attend the pipeline standups and tech art team meetings
• Own and organise documentation of the teams' progress to onboard artists and contractors to tools and pipelines your team manages.
• Set coding and quality standards of work and encourage the same in others.
• Support artists in pipeline issues and rapid prototyping and keep art teams productive.
• Work with Technical Art director and project directors to keep aligned on franchise priorities for your area.
• You will be involved in the quarterly planning process, and you will have the opportunity to solve development productivity problems and make a real difference for content creators.

Knowledge, Skill and Experience 
Essential

• Has experience writing code in any language. (python/C#/C++)
• Extensive experience of shader creation HLSL and/or node-based.
• Experience in designing pipelines for games that have been released.
• Working knowledge of 3d content creation package(s) e.g. 3dsmax, Maya, Blender.
• Excellent problem-solving skills.
• Team focused with strong communication skills.
• Be the technical expertise point of contact to streamline communication between programmers and artists.
• Positive attitude and desire to collaborate.
• Experience as a Lead technical artist in at least 1 game development cycle to title release
• Profiling tools experience such as render doc/ PIX
• Experience in multi-platform shader development
• Investigate and champion new techniques that push visual innovation within considerations of art direction and game engine parameters.

Desirable

• Procedural content creation / Houdini knowledge.
• Working knowledge of Substance Designer/Painter.
• Having completed game jams, tools and/or personal projects.
• Art background or training.

About Creative Assembly
Creative Assembly crafts deep and detailed games that last, entertaining millions of players across the globe for decades.
 
We are all game makers and we care deeply about the experiences we create. We empower our teams to make significant contributions to our games, supported by skills development and growth opportunities.
 We are located in Horsham, UK in Newcastle, UK and Sofia, Bulgaria.
We offer many benefits to support you and your family including:

• Work from Anywhere for a temporary period each year (restrictions apply such as VISAs)
• Enhanced holiday allowance, maternity and paternity breaks, flexibility with our core hours, and no-notice holidays
• Bespoke relocation package for you and your dependents
• Private medical and dental insurance, life insurance, permanent health insurance, critical illness cover and free health care screening
• Generous holiday allowance plus full studio closure over the Christmas and New Year period, and all Bank holidays
• Join our Diversity and Inclusion Network – an employee-led group
• Season ticket travel loans and cycle to work scheme with free bike servicing and discounted car valet service on site
• Wellbeing support and virtual confidential counselling
• Community activities including parties, football and more.
• Our studio sites have disabled access.

 
We are an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief.
 Note to Recruitment Agencies: SEGA Europe Limited and our studios do not accept unsolicited candidate introductions from unauthorised third parties. For the avoidance of doubt, SEGA Europe is not liable for any fees, compensation or any other costs associated with the introduction of a candidate or recruitment services unless and until an agreement has been duly executed. Further details can be found here.