Technical Artist (Contract)

At ArenaNet, we’ve always believed that games are art. They have the power to communicate ideas and tell stories. They can change the way we think, reflect our cultures, and move us. As the developer of the award-winning Guild Wars game series, we’re proud to share our passion for the online worlds we’ve created with over 21 million players worldwide.

ArenaNet develops and publishes games for every kind of person, which means our games need to be built by every kind of person. We believe the best experiences come from working together, celebrating differences, and helping each of our team members shine.

We are looking for a Technical Artist to help build and improve tools and pipelines that enable artists to create efficiently while meeting our game’s high-quality standards.

This role focuses heavily on tooling and day-to-day artist support. You will primarily work with animation, cinematics, and other technical artists to establish robust content pipelines both in and out of the engine and build powerful suites of tools to help artists succeed.

You will listen to artists’ needs and do your best to make sure their voices are heard. The rest of the technical art team’s diverse skillset will be there for you to utilize, so don’t hesitate to pull in support and collaborate across disciplines.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Work with animation and cinematics to create and maintain tools that enable smooth content creation and iteration.
• Build out and develop code libraries for other technical artists to use as they develop tools with you.
• Assist in troubleshooting and refining tool workflows with both artists and engineers.
• Collaborate with multiple disciplines to extend your tools into areas that would benefit from them.
• Maintain clear and up-to-date documentation.
• Assist with DCC and engine version upgrades to keep our pipelines running smoothly with minimal interruptions.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL

• Bachelor’s degree in Art or related field or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• 2+ years of experience as a Technical Artist in the game industry.
• Strong understanding of Python, UMG, and Qt (or a similar UI library).
• Experience working with and scripting in Maya.
• Experience working with Unreal Engine 5.
• Experience working with sequencer.
• Familiarity with Maya to Unreal pipelines and asset deliveries, including batch scripts, retargeting, and rigging setups.
• Strong communication and organizational skills; the ability to parse feedback into actionable tasks.
• Self-motivated, with excellent time management and the ability to balance multiple tasks.
• Service-oriented with a passion for providing artists with the best tools they’ve ever worked with.
• Collaborative mindset; someone who enjoys working with a variety of different disciplines to achieve shared goals.
• Knowledge of Houdini and PCG is a plus.

This is a 1+ year remote-friendly contract, but we are currently prioritizing candidates who are local to the Bellevue, WA area and open to occasional onsite collaboration.

Pay Range: $42.26 - $61.28

This is an hourly contract role with overtime pay when applicable. While we share the full range for transparency, typical offers fall between the minimum and midpoint.

The role is benefits-eligible through our third-party employer, including medical, dental, vision, 401(k), and flexible/dependent care accounts.

Applications will be accepted until Monday, September 14th at 10am PT. If the deadline is extended, the posting will be updated accordingly. If the position is filled before this date, the posting will be removed.

Don’t meet every single requirement on this job post? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At ArenaNet, we believe diversity in culture, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and backgrounds make us a better team – we celebrate it. So, if you’re excited about this role, but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification listed, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.