Technical Unreal Artist

We are looking for a  mid technical unreal artist to join the Squint 3D team.  The role aims to elevate the visual excellence Squint Opera pursues in its real-time interactive applications and linear renders using unreal engine. The candidate will be reporting to the head of 3D and support the 3D and digital team by creating bespoke tools, systems and look dev and support with the linear render pipeline.

Responsibilities will be to tackle the most challenging aspect of our unreal graphic pipelines in and out of unreal. The artist must have a thorough knowledge of real-time pipelines and deep understanding of VFX workflows. The focus will be unreal, but not exclusively, a working knowledge of 3D and VFX production tools will be required. Additionally the role will need strong communication and coordination skills to liaise between teams and their particular skill sets. Finally the artist will have responsibility for final look dev and ensuring everything has been put in place to achieve the highest visual quality of graphic rendering and smooth delivery.

Responsibilities

• Developing content guidelines and workflows to ensure best practices
• Reducing scene complexity 
• Analysing content using profiling tools and/or spreadsheets to find ways to optimise memory/perf
• Adjusting project graphics settings
• Negotiating between art/code to find best compromises  
• Pioneer new asset creation techniques for environment assets
• Test and prototype new graphics or content creation methods
• Artist tools creation for visual procedural scattering, geometry creation etc
• Aid with tool development when writing scripts in 3D rendering software such as 3ds Max, Maya, and Python
• Create technical prototypes and mock-ups for the art team to use as a reference
• Propose pipeline and technology improvements to Art and Core Pipeline Teams
• Collaborate with the art team to create and apply PBR materials and texture maps on assets, ensuring they align with the project's art direction
• Demonstrate flexibility by working on both stylized and realistic projects
• Maintain consistency and quality across all textures and shaders created for characters and/or environments
• Understand memory and frame-rate budgets
• Stay up-to-date with current technologies used in and Unreal and applicable DCCs
• Project specific graphic tools and systems 
• Production forsite on potential issues
• Overseeing render exports on our linear projects
• Work closely with other artists, creatives, and developers to ensure the seamless execution  of the lead creative vision

Required 

• Bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university, or five to seven years related experience and/or training in AAA console games, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Advanced knowledge of Unreal Engine
• In-depth understanding of Physically Based Shading and Lighting.
• Experience using node-based shader networks in Unreal Editor.
• Experienced in one or multiple DCCs such as :
• 3DS max
• Cinema 4D
• Blender
• Perforce
• Advanced knowledge of cutting-edge content creation pipelines.
• Basic understanding of CgFX, HLSL, or Cg from a technical artist’s perspective.
• Editor Scriptable Tools
• Blueprint
• USF/HLSL
• Experience with Unreal MRQ, and setting up cameras for cinematic rendering
• A strong portfolio showcasing a range of Unreal Engine projects
• A willingness to stay updated with the latest unreal feature releases and our softwares pipeline ecosystem

Desirable: 

• VP experience
• Houdini
• VR/XR experience
• Realtime asset/pipeline creation
• Experience in model rigging, motion and facial capture.
• Basic understanding of Python
• Basic understanding of  photography

 

 

Hours

This is a full-time position. 

Our working hours are 9:30am – 6:00pm  [Monday through Friday, with one hour for lunch]

We currently have a hybrid approach to working with a mixture of in-house and remote days.

Benefits 

• Unlimited holiday
• Medicash health scheme 
• Company pension scheme 
• Weekly masterclasses 
• Cyclescheme 
• Medical insurance 
• Secondments between our London and New York studios 
• Life and AD&D insurance
• Access to FSA, HSA, and pre-tax commuter benefits
• Training and development opportunities 

This is just a snapshot of some of the perks you can expect at Squint. 

About Squint/Opera 

Squint/Opera is a leading creative studio which bridges the worlds of architecture, design, media, and technology to create compelling, narrative-driven experiences. As experts in blending digital media with physical reality, we help our clients craft digital content to immerse their audiences and communicate big ideas.

Squint was founded in London in 2001, by four young friends who wanted to help visionary thinkers and institutions make the radical a reality. For more than 20 years, we have delivered projects in every corner of the globe and for a wide range of clients across architecture, government, real estate, museums, and attractions.

Squint/Opera is now part of Journey, a leading innovation and design agency who specialise in crafting compelling experiences across the physical and digital realms. Together, Squint/Opera and Journey create the first agency with proven expertise blending the physical and virtual worlds at a global scale.

Our Values 

We seek employees who inherently represent our values:

• Embrace change 
• Seek invention 
• Increase our knowledge 
• Say it simply 
• Ego-free

Apply Now

We want to create a positive impact on a global scale. And to do that, we know that the people at Squint/Opera have to reflect all global lives and identities. No matter your background, identity, or even if your experience doesn’t exactly match but you think you could still be successful in this role — we’d love to hear from you!

We work flexible hours, we support remote working, and if that doesn’t quite work, we will definitely listen to what will. We’re striving to create a place where all feel valued and welcome — and would love to hear how we could do that for you. 

#LI-Hybrid