Lead 3D Character Artist

Description

Leading the industry in mobile data acquisition for the last decade, Pixelgun Studio specializes in 3D scanning and performance capture for video games, specifically with high-profile athletes, actors, and musicians. We are looking for an exceptionally skilled Lead 3D Character Artist to direct and advance how we process those data streams for our clients. The ideal candidate has strong foundational art skills, as well as experience developing rigging pipelines and tools.

Responsibilities

• Work with production to organize, schedule, and manage character art team

• Work with outsourcing partners as necessary

• Sculpt high-resolution characters from photogrammetry data

• Create clean game retopology, UVs and textures

• Develop tools and define best practices for character rigs and hair grooming, working with internal teams to implement high quality finished character assets

• Interpret photographic reference and scan data to create convincing real-time 3D hair

• Drive the adaptation of new technology, tools, and workflows with a forward-looking goal of delivering industry-leading animation

• Troubleshoot and QC entire character build, identifying and fixing issues with model, texture, topology, rigging, animation, and rendering

• Produce animation ROM playblast movies for client asset review

Requirements

• At least 1 published video game as Lead or Senior Artist (AAA preferred)

• 5+ years experience in the video game industry

• 5+ years of experience with Maya and MotionBuilder

• Experience with facial anatomy, rigging, and FACS

• Experience with organic modeling

• Experience with in-engine hair grooming techniques - XGen or similar tools

• Knowledge of scripting with MEL and Python

• Ability to research and develop forward-thinking grooming technology and tools

• Ability to self-manage and meet deadlines while setting a professional and collaborative tone

• Excellent communication skills, coordinating and working with multiple departments to achieve set goals

• Willingness to accept direction and redo/reiterate work until it is right

• Active, passionate interest in current video games and technology to help drive our products to the next level

• Portfolio/website demonstrating technical skills

Pixelgun Studios, LLC is an equal opportunity employer and considers all candidates for employment regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, marital status, military or veteran's status (including protected veterans, as may be required by federal law), sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other category protected by law.