Remote Principal Technical Artist

Summary

Join T-Minus Zero, a remote-first studio, as an experienced Principal Technical Artist to drive initiatives bridging art and technology. Oversee technical aspects of art and animation production, optimize workflows, and ensure artistic vision is realized through efficient technical solutions.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in a technical artist role with a focus on rigging within the game industry and at least one shipped AAA title
• Proficient scripting/programming skills in Python
• Proven experience with Unreal Engine, including Control Rig, post-animation Blueprints, IK setup, and secondary deformation
• Experience developing and working with mo-cap pipelines and software such as MotionBuilder and animation retargeting in Unreal Engine
• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to work in a self-directed manner, plus a willingness to jump into the unknown and solve new problems; the ability to think creatively to resolve technical challenges and limitations
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively in a team environment

Responsibilities

• Develop tools for creating complex rigs and the rigs themselves for characters, creature, and weapons in various DCC software
• Help to develop and maintain scripted rigging modules to meet the needs and standards of our animation team
• Delivery of in-game physics assets for ragdolls, secondary animation, hair, and cloth
• Partner with the Lead Tech Artist, artists, and engineers to develop and refine the art production pipeline and workflow best practices
• Develop and maintain tools and scripts to streamline art processes and improve team efficiency and empower creativity
• Ability to effectively communicate, collaborate, and be a liaison with design, engineering, and production teams to execute on tasks within the technical constraints of the project
• Train and support artists on new tools and techniques and create documentation
• Troubleshoot and solve technical issues related to animation and rigging from DCC to in-engine

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Unreal Chaos physics especially for cloth and secondary animation elements. Experience with Chaos as it applies to destruction is a bonus
• Ability to build a complex facial rig from scratch. Knowledge of FACS and joint-driven facial rigs as they apply to runtime content
• Experience with Unreal shader creation and optimization