Outsourcing Lead Artist

The Position
Avalanche Studios are looking for a passionate and a Senior Outsource Artist to join a top-tier, experienced team to help craft cutting-edge game worlds for our next AAA game title. In this role you will work with a collection of key personnel to establish and maintain the art oursource effort for the project with main focus on strategy and execution.


Outsourcing Strategy:
Establish strategy together with Art Leads of what content can and will be outsourced.
Creates and maintains comprehensive brief templates and best practice documentation throughout production. 
Works closely with the Outsourcing Manager, providing insight on vendor estimates; communicating instances of pipeline congestion, internal or external; relaying insight on quality, timeliness and professionalism of vendors work; and maintaining an efficient, navigable task tracking platform that enables easy use for developers not invested in the daily outsourcing process.



Outsourcing Execution:
Manages day to day communication with outsourcers on behalf of Lead Artists, seeking clarification from Leads when necessary. This includes kickoffs, updates, inquiries and feedback.
Accountable for the OS packages sent to external Vendors. Ensures briefs are executed to the established standards and includes the correct supplementary content such as: greybox models, reference imagery and concept art is provided.
Acts as gatekeeper of content quality, making sure content is delivered at specification and meets creation guidelines. Responsible for first pass evaluations of outsourced assets on behalf of lead artists.
When content passes first evaluation, works with the lead to distribute deliveries to the right people for feedback.
Acts as gatekeeper of feedback quality, making sure that  feedback to our vendors is consistent and adheres to set standards.
Accountable for delivering actionable feedback to vendors in a timely manner at key stages of asset creation, such as: Low poly, high poly/sculpt, material bake and final delivery phases.



Content Knowledge:
Helps direct vendor work on multiple asset types including but not limited to hard surface, organic, vegetation, vehicles, materials, under guidance and direction from the Art Director, and Lead Artists.
Can coordinate optimization and polishing of assets after external delivery including UVs, baking, material and texture adjustments and optimization.
Maintains up to date experience and knowledge of content creation and quality bars across multiple asset types.





Required Qualifications
5+ years of AAA experience and with at least one shipped title
Experience in game art asset creation in a variety of software packages including Maya, Zbrush, Substance and Photoshop
Comprehensive experience working directly with outsource studios
Clear and concise communications and people skills
Must be highly organized, self-driven, customer focused
Experience creating style guides and briefs to be used by external vendors
Complete understanding of game production process, end to end
Developed communication skills, able to work with a range of stakeholders
Team player able to work with and without direction
Comfortable providing art feedback
Passion for playing and making games



Desired Qualifications
Experience working on Open-world games
Experience across multiple Art Departments such as Props, Structures, Organic,  Hard Surface and Vegetation.
Strong understanding of physical based rendering and texturing pipelines



We can offer you a varied job where you work closely with a fun and experienced team with extremely competent people in a highly specialized and unique development environment. Since Avalanche Studios is Sweden’s biggest independent studio you will have unique possibilities to have a big influence on today’s and tomorrow’s game development.
 
To apply for this position please register below with a detailed resume, link to a portfolio and cover letter. A portfolio is required demonstrating all aspects of your skills. Apply as soon as possible as we review applications continuously. All further information is provided under non-disclosure agreement only. This is a fixed-term contract position.
 
Our Values
At Avalanche Studios, we believe in worlds without limits, and we are committed to developing a diverse and inclusive workplace. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. Being part of our world is not contingent on where you’re from, your gender, or sexual orientation. It’s all about your passion, courage and craftsmanship.  
 
Stockholm Studio
Our state of the art studio is located in the beautiful area of Södermalm, in the center of Stockholm and the Game industry Hub. Our studio is a beautiful place inspired by our catalog of games. We hope you’ll come to think of this place as your home turf and creative foundation.
 
Avalanche Studios
Avalanche Studios is the original creator of the award-winning Just Cause franchise (published by Square Enix) and the developer of Mad Max (published by Warner Bros. Interactive) and Rage 2 (published by Bethesda Softworks). As a publisher, Avalanche Studios has released theHunter: Call of the Wild, Generation Zero and the free-to-play service theHunter Classic which has reached more than 8 million players across 190 countries. Avalanche Studios was founded in 2003 and is based in Stockholm, New York City and Malmö. The studio develops games using its proprietary Apex technology, enabling huge open worlds filled with emergent gameplay. Learn more at www.avalanchestudios.com.