Senior Environment Artist

Velan Studios•Troy, NY

3d•$80,000 - $140,000•Hybrid

About The Position

At Velan Studios, we foster a culture of curiosity. Our games embrace diversity and are fueled by the adventurous spirit of our team. We are the creative minds behind titles like Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, Knockout City, Hot Wheels Rift Rally, Midnight Murder Club as well as the VR game Bounce Arcade, and our journey continues! Our studio's mission is to pioneer groundbreaking gaming experiences and reimagine play in new ways. We're committed to pushing the boundaries of traditional gaming, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy, and revolutionizing the industry one game at a time. We are looking for a Senior to Specialist level Environment Artist to join our growing team on an unannounced title. You should enjoy managing and leading a small team of other Environment Artists towards a singular goal. You will be actively collaborating with the Art Director to match the set style of the game and work with those in house and work coming in from outsourcing. If you are a 3D Environment Artist with the passion and curiosity to make amazing, eye-catching visuals, please apply! What is expected of a Senior Artist at Velan Studios? A Senior Artist is someone the team can rely on for strong craft, clear communication, and steady guidance. Senior Artists at Velan Studios collaborate with a variety of partners, help keep projects on track, and contribute to deep discipline knowledge. Senior Artists take part in feedback sessions - both offering thoughtful critique and being open to feedback on their own work. Senior Artists work with a high degree of independence. They identify what needs to be done, are competent in our required tools, and generally need little oversight to reach goals. Senior Artists also keep an eye on industry trends and new tools, sharing or integrating them when they can elevate our work. Senior Artists may support or mentor other artists through regular check-ins, clear communication, and knowing when to raise concerns. Senior Artists may help organize team workflows, meetings, or pipelines, always keeping things efficient and focused.

Requirements

7+ years of industry experience as an Environment Artist, 2+ years as a lead, or other relevant experience, creating realistic AAA environments.
Expertise in asset creation and level layout.
An expert understanding of art principles and techniques such as lighting, composition, color theory, and staging.
Strong understanding of physically-based rendering and NPR shader techniques.
Expert in 3d modeling with Maya (or equivalent 3d modeling software).
Proficiency in both Substance Designer and Painter.
Familiarity with ZBrush (or equivalent sculpting software)
Experience working in Unreal, Unity or other AAA Game Development Engines.
Strong communication and organizational skills.
Self-directed, passionate, and creative with your work.
Able to give and receive feedback at all levels in a clear and concise manner.

Nice To Haves

Comfortable creating realistic as well as stylized artwork.

Responsibilities

Build high definition, game ready models, materials, and world geometry.
Create large scale assets that work at distance and up close.
Hard surface modeling
Terrain and Foliage
Populate and decorate environments with a strong understanding of composition/layout skills.
Collaborate with the Art Director, producers, and game designers to ensure work is created accurately and on time.
Function autonomously and remain organized for the lifespan of the project.
Comfortable and confident working with game designers, and programmers to ensure art assets are high-quality, support the artistic direction of our projects, and are fully optimized on target platforms.
Collaborate with the Art Outsource Manager by generating aesthetic and technical feedback for 3D outsource team.
Engage in R&D efforts on new techniques to implement into our production pipeline.
Receive feedback and modify work based on direction.