Art Director

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Malta.

📋 Description

• Take charge of the art direction for Heptic Arena, encompassing environment art, character/species art, animation, modeling, rigging, texturing, shader development, concept art, 2D, and UI/UX.

• Ensure a cohesive visual language across playable species, new roster additions, skins, and cosmetics.

• Collaborate with the Creative Director, Game Designers, Technical Leaders, and Product Owner to harmonize gameplay, design, and art.

• Develop and sustain 3D art pipelines within Unreal Engine.

• Address technical challenges by working closely with cross-functional teams.

• Enhance workflows for live-service content, new arenas, seasonal updates, and post-launch releases.

• Monitor progress, track milestones, and offer regular feedback using Jira and Confluence.

• Initiate, plan, execute, and oversee the development of art content.

• Establish artistic vision and guide the art team.

• Remain engaged in production from initial concepts through to live content updates post-release.

⛳️ Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Art, Design, or a closely related field.

• At least seven years of professional experience in the gaming industry.

• Experience covering the entire game development lifecycle, from pre-production to live operations.

• Practical experience delivering stylized games utilizing hand-painted textures.

• Proven ability to maintain a unique and cohesive visual identity across characters and environments.

• At least one AA or AAA title shipped with the candidate's leadership or direct contribution.

• Knowledge and capability to guide large-scale production through to release.

• Strong portfolio showcasing traditional art, 3D art, animation, UI, and concept art.

• Excellent managerial and communication abilities.

• Experience leading and managing 2D, 3D, and animation disciplines within an agile production environment.

• Familiarity with Jira and Confluence for tracking milestones and providing feedback.

• Demonstrated success in solving technical challenges with cross-functional teams.

• Ability to streamline production workflows and enhance efficiency and creative output.

• Proficiency in Maya and Substance Painter.

• Practical production experience, preferably within a distributed or globally remote team.

• Experience with Jira Advanced Roadmaps or Jira Plans is a plus.

🏝️ Benefits

• Remote work opportunities within Europe.

• A self-managing work environment.

• Open and friendly collaboration as part of a global team.

• The chance to work on a PvPvE multiplayer game set for Steam Early Access and the Epic Games Store.

• Full-time contractor engagement.