Senior Art Designer

Konami Gaming•Las Vegas, NV

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Konami Gaming is looking for a Senior Art Designer to join our team! This onsite position is responsible for researching, designing, and developing illustration and animation for casino slot games, including game theme, characters, UI and symbols. This includes determining and implementing the style, technique and medium best suited to produce desired effect while conforming to production requirements. Mentors and trains other art staff. Is a specialist in at least one artistic area. This position works directly with the Game Design and Software Engineering teams and works with direction and guidance from Art Design Management. This position also requires the flexibility to act autonomously at all times while adhering to overall department and company policies and procedures.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Art, Animation or similar field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
8-11 years art development experience working with game designers and developers in the slot gaming industry (5-7 years if Master’s Degree).
Expert life drawing skills and experience.
Fluent understanding of slot game art standards (theme, color, and gaming symbols).
Ability to communicate professionally and efficiently, both verbal and written with all levels of the business.
Must be able to obtain and maintain Gaming licensure(s).
Expert technical understanding of game development and art pipeline.
Photoshop experience required.
Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods.
Position must attend monthly Field Research trips to casinos, tradeshows, or as needed.
Must be able to tolerate areas containing secondhand smoke.
Must possess a valid driver’s license.

Nice To Haves

Master’s Degree and art-related certifications or awards desirable.
After Effects, Illustrator, Animate, Maya, and Unity experience desirable.

Responsibilities

Creates and/or enhances drawings, illustrations, game themes, characters, symbols, and effects.
Creates computer-generated animation of UI, symbols, effects, and/or characters.
Using strong graphic design skill, provides 2D and/or 3D user interface screens and information/instruction graphics for incorporation into final games.
Provides high-resolution art assets for print teams’ utilization.
Collaborates with Game Designer and Manager to finalize artwork for each project.
Provides artwork for review at appropriate stages, and applies feedback accordingly with quick turnaround.
Prepares data for in-game implementation, working within production requirements in collaboration with other artists, tech artists, and engineers.
Modifies game art under tight deadlines.
Understands full range of game types products, and platforms.
Can complete complex data setup of complex game art parts, and use new techniques, products, and platforms.
Follows company art direction and production pipeline.
Directly contributes to improving both.
Highly proficient in development process for game art development, and can initiate process improvements.
Can handle large projects in relatively short timeframe.
Aligns each game’s art creation with the functional spec/graphic proposal, including conceptual art and storyboards.
Creates graphics visually reinforcing game rule and game flow.
Identifies and executives cost effective, effort maximizing use of tools/techniques.
Analyzes Konami and competitor products and field performance in the field from a player’s perspective to find industry trends, consider players in art design, and discern which art approaches are most effective to appeal to gamblers.
Expert in art and game rule of many competitors’ and Konami’s hit titles, and what makes successful/unsuccessful game art that supports game rule.
Understands and applies industry art design standards and art requirements.
Can project future trends, and drive Konami’s art to lead the way.
Initiates and leads individual and group field research.
Attending field research trips to casinos monthly or as required.
Researching via online methods (e.g., YouTube) to build familiarity with the industry.
Attends and provides input on follow-up team analysis discussions.
Attend G2E and other tradeshows or conferences as needed.
Motivates, guides, and trains other art designers in fine art, technique, and industry knowledge building.
Can avoid direction leading to repeat trial and error.
Supports others’ problem-solving.
Reports to Manager any discrepancies or problems requiring resolution.
Performs other related duties as assigned.