Environment Artist [Contract] (Retro Studios)

Nintendo•Austin, TX

4d•Onsite

About The Position

Retro Studios is seeking an Environment Artist for a contract position. This role involves creating compelling environments, props, models, and textures in-engine for Switch 2. The artist will be responsible for modeling and texturing high-fidelity assets using tools like Zbrush, Maya, and Substance Suite, as well as utilizing and planning for environment creation kits. The position requires constructing organic and hard-surface environments in proprietary software, focusing on environmental storytelling and standard world-building. Collaboration with art direction and leads is essential to achieve desired goals, while also working within performance constraints such as poly counts, draw call limits, and texture memory. The artist will take ownership of environmental assets and scene layout, fostering collaboration across disciplines to produce high-quality, innovative environment art. This job description outlines primary duties and requirements and may be subject to modification.

Requirements

Portfolio that demonstrates strong environment art executed in game.
Comfortable receiving and giving constructive criticism and making artistic adjustments.
Understanding of scale, proportion, attention to detail and composition is a must.
Ability to texture and execute in game assets is a must.
Proficiency in organic and hard surface modeling.
At least 4 years’ experience working as an environment artist in game development.
AAA game development experience.
Driven to learn and develop new methods and techniques for creating game art.
Advanced knowledge of Maya, Substance Suite, Zbrush and PBR pipeline.
Thrives working in a collaborative development environment.

Responsibilities

Create compelling environments, props, models and textures in engine for Switch 2.
Modeling and texturing high fidelity assets utilizing Zbrush, Maya, Substance Suite and various other tools.
Utilizing kits for environment creation and planning out kit needs.
Constructing organic and hard surface environments in proprietary software that meets quality standards.
Create compelling environments with an emphasis on environmental storytelling.
Standard world building/set dressing of environments.
Work closely with art direction and leads to capture desired goals of look and play space.
Work within performance constraints. Strong technical ability to manage assets to fit poly counts, draw call limits, texture memory, gameplay space.
Takes ownership of environmental assets and scene layout while encouraging collaboration across multiple disciplines to achieve high quality, innovative environment art.