Lead Environment Artist
About The Position
ILM’s Interactive team advances the studio’s legacy of innovation by developing original immersive experiences across virtual reality, augmented reality and location-based platforms. Known for blending best-in-class visuals, sound and narrative, the team has delivered award-winning projects such as What If…? – An Immersive Story, Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series and the Oscar-winning CARNE y ARENA. Our work continues to push the boundaries of immersive entertainment and redefine how audiences engage with story. We are seeking a Lead Environment Artist who reflects the innovative spirit, creative talent, production excellence, and passion for great storytelling that defines ILM.
Requirements
- 7+ years of experience in game environment art, with at least one shipped AAA title in a Senior or Lead capacity (or equivalent).
- Expert-level proficiency in industry-standard tools like Maya/3ds Max/Blender, ZBrush, Substance 3D Painter/Designer and Quixel Suite
- Deep knowledge and experience using Unreal Engine 5 (or equivalent game engine) and associated world-building tools
- Exceptional understanding of form, shape, structure, and silhouette in regard to modelling
- Great eye for light, shade, color, and detail in creating texture maps of different material types
- Strong paint skills, multi-layered materials and effective texture layout.
- A strong understanding of PBR (Physically Based Rendering) workflows, vertex painting, trim sheets, and custom shader creation.
- Collaborative, team-player attitude: open & receptive to new ideas, constructive criticism, direction and changes.
- Deep knowledge of optimization techniques, including draw call management, LOD (Level of Detail) strategies, and texture density.
- The ability to articulate complex visual and technical concepts to both artistic and non-artistic stakeholders.
- A portfolio / reel submission - including a detailed breakdown of your work in each section - is required with all artist applications.
Responsibilities
- Translate 2D concepts and art direction into expansive 3D environments that maintain visual consistency and high fidelity across the entire project.
- Lead a team of environment artists through regular feedback and reviews to ensure the team is performing at a world-class level.
- World building of levels with a multitude of varying styles and an ability to be flexible to design changes.
- Define and optimize environment art workflows, including modular building systems, photogrammetry integration, and procedural world-building tools.
- Create benchmark assets that set the quality bar for internal artists and external outsourcing partners.
- Partner with Level Designers to ensure environments support gameplay flow and with Technical Artists & Engineers to ensure the world runs smoothly within memory and frame-rate budgets.
- Establish a thorough understanding of the existing tools and pipelines; experiment / champion opportunities for improvement
- Proactively identify production bottlenecks and technical constraints, finding creative solutions that don't compromise artistic integrity.
- Able to generate art task lists, estimates, schedules, milestones and overall project goals as necessary
- Actively participate in the QA process to identify and fix bugs
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
Number of Employees
5,001-10,000 employees
