2K Games - Technical Art Graduate Program - Novato

2K Early Careers • Novato, CA

8d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Technical Art Graduate Program at 2K Games is a 21-month program designed to train recent graduates in the field of Technical Art. Technical Artists are crucial for empowering art teams by building the tools, rigs, shaders, and pipelines necessary for content creation and integration into games. This program provides foundational training and strategic rotations across various 2K studios and central technology teams, allowing participants to develop skills in pipeline and tools, character and animation, rendering and visuals, and environment and world creation. The program utilizes industry-standard software and engines such as Unreal Engine, Maya, Python, and Perforce.

Requirements

• An outstanding portfolio showcasing work and the process behind it (can be tools, scripts, rigs, shaders, etc.).
• Comfort in at least one content-creation package or game engine (e.g., Maya, Blender, Houdini, Substance, Unreal Engine).
• Some scripting ability, including the ability to read code and have written something.
• Curiosity to understand how things are made.
• Persistence to overcome challenges and find solutions.
• Strong communication skills.
• A recent degree in Game Art, Animation, VFX, Technical Art, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or an unrelated degree with a relevant portfolio.
• Eligibility for graduates from January 2025 to June 2027 (exceptions may be made).

Nice To Haves

• Experience in areas where you are weakest.
• Mod work, game jams, university projects, and freelance work are considered relevant experience.
• Ability to clearly identify your contributions if work was made with others.

Responsibilities

• Build the tools artists use to create content.
• Develop rigs that make characters move.
• Create shaders that define the visual look of a world.
• Establish rules for scattering landscapes with vegetation.
• Develop pipelines for carrying art assets into the game.
• Participate in foundation training covering all four specializations: Pipeline and Tools, Character and Animation, Rendering and Visuals, Environment and World.
• Complete three strategic rotations, each lasting six months, across different studios and central technology teams.
• Collaborate with engineering and publishing graduates on shared projects.
• Work with art teams to understand their problems and priorities.
• Deliver functional tools and assets based on briefs and deadlines.

Benefits

• Full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits (for regular roles).
• Potential for bonus and/or equity awards (for regular roles).
• Details of participation in compensation and benefit plans will be provided upon offer of employment.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level