Tech Artist - Animation

Keywords Studios is one of the largest go-to technical and creative services providers to the global video games industry. We provide integrated art production, engineering, audio services, testing, localization, and player support services for PC, Playstation, Nintendo, Xbox video games. How big are we? 17,000 employees. 80+ Studios. 20+ Countries. EUR$650M+ Revenue. Best of all, we continue to grow in a sustainable way. 

Keywords Studios Australia, consists of Wicked Workshop (Vic), Tantalus Media (SA, Qld, Vic), and Mighty Games. In 2023 we added over 70 new, talented individuals surpassing 250 employees in Australia. We're anticipating similar growth for 2024. Whilst we're backed by a highly successful parent company, we still enjoy the intimacy and independent studio feels. If you're a passionate, collaborative, can-do, delivery focused individual, we'd love to hear from you. 

Tantalus South is located in Adelaide and employs some of the best talent in video games South Australia has to offer. Some would even say in Australia. With over twenty staff members, 2024 will see us continue to add to this high achieving, quality driven, fun loving team. Experienced professionals with prior experience in shipping AAA games across Console, PC, or Nintendo, we're keen to speak with you. 

Job Description

Tantalus South are looking for a Technical Artist with a strong background in animation, to join our team in our Adelaide CBD Studio. 

As a Technical Artist (Animation), your role is to help build and deliver tools, pipelines and workflows to support art and animation creation. You will be responsible for rigging characters and ensuring the assets and animation teams can achieve the best results for the project. 

Responsibilities 

• Create or re-invent rigs and skinning of assets. 
• Apply your depth of experience to take rigs and animation pipelines from one software or format to another, to best support the creative team and project needs.   
• Confidently communicate with other disciplines, including 3D art, animation and engineering, to facilitate solutions that push the project forward. 
• Support art content production by advancing art pipelines, workflows and methodologies. 
• Develop tools and processes that facilitate content authoring with an emphasis on user experience, quality and productivity. 
• Asset optimisation, integration, performance profiling and validation. 
• Collaborate with other Technical Artists to maintain and further improve on project / studio tools and workflows. 
• Create and maintain technical documentation. 
• Assist with asset and animation creation or re-invention if needed. 

Expectations 

• Proactively identify problems and propose, test and document solutions. 
• Research and explore new technologies and techniques and keep up-to-date with the latest trends in game development. 
• Share learnings and best practices, workflows and new tools with the wider team. 
• Be available for technical support for the art and animation team. 
• Actively demonstrate a desire to learn and grow professionally. 
• Contribute towards a positive and supportive company culture. 

Requirements 

• Approx. 5+ years of Feature Film or Games Industry experience (for mid and senior levels). 
• Experience in art and animation content creation. 
• Strong attention to detail, able to multi-task and adapt to change. 
• Artistic eye and solid understanding of art and animation pipelines. 
• Proficiency in scripting and coding in one or more of the following - Python, C#, C++, HLSL, MEL, MaxScript. 
• Knowledge of industry DCC packages – Maya, 3DS Max, Blender, Adobe Suite – with strong foundational knowledge in at least one. 
• Current development experience with Unity, UE4 or UE5. 
• Skills and interest in Character rigging, Pipeline and tool development, Asset optimisation and performance profiling. 
• A passion for games, an interest and awareness in the latest trends, tools, technology and approaches in creating content. 
• Strong time management and problem-solving skills. 
• Effective communication skills. 

Bonus Skills 

• Skills and interest in one or more areas - Shader development, Procedural asset generation, VFX / Particles, Lighting, Real-time physics simulations, Real-time rendering and post-effects. 
• Experience in AAA game development. 
• Familiarity with Maya API. 
• Experience with Houdini and Substance Designer. 
• Experience with console development – Nintendo Switch, PlayStation and Xbox. 
• Traditional art / drawing / painting / photography skills. 

 Benefits 

• Competitive Market Rate Remuneration. 
• Employee Assistance Program. 
• We offer a range of flexible working arrangements including - full-time, compressed week, and hybrid work. 
• Benefits and discounts through our employee portal, Employment Hero. 
• Best of both worlds - perks of a global business with the intimacy of a small business. 
• Opportunity to work on a diverse range of next generation games and collaborate with some of the best in the industry. 
• Wellbeing reimbursement for purchases relating to your health.