Sr Texture Artist

General Summary
The Sr Texture Artist is responsible for the creation, delivery, and maintenance of high-level textures and texture templates for digital characters, organic assets, hard surface assets, and environments within LAIKA’s VFX department. This position works closely with Asset Leads and the Asset Supervisor to provide technical and aesthetic assistance with  a high degree of technical expertise and artistic skills to achieve the desired result.  

Job Functions 

• Responsible for creating complex textures for a variety of surface qualities needed in the creation of high-quality CG characters and hard-surface models used in production. 
• Proactively report issues and solutions for technical and artistic problems. 
• Assess references and reproduce textures with great attention to detail and efficiency while translating concept art into photo-real surface properties 
• Help create and improve workflows, templates, specifications and the quality of textures through constant research and implementation of procedural workflows and consistent organized frameworks. 
• Help maintain the texture library and training documentation as per guidance of the Asset Leads and Supervisor. 
• Work closely with all disciplines within the Asset department to troubleshoot creative and technical issues. 
• Perform basic modeling, look dev, and rendering tasks for texture development, as needed. 
• Communicate effectively with Production, Asset Leads and the Asset Supervisor to consistently produce high-quality work while meeting deadlines.  
• Assist Asset Leads with mentoring, training, and developing team members within the VFX department.

Qualifications 

• 10+ years’ of CG/Visual Effects high-end texturing experience on theatrically released films. 
• Strong knowledge of Maya, Mari, Substance Painter, ZBrush, and Photoshop. 
• Knowledge of USD, Substance Designer, Katana, Renderman, and Nuke.
• Great expertise in delivering high-end textures for photo-real characters and complex surfaces.  
• Experience building a wide variety of templates based on procedural and non-destructive workflows.
• Experience in managing texture variants and different LODs.
• Strong knowledge of UVs and texture density.  
• Knowledge of Unreal, Houdini, Karma, and Solaris, a plus.
• Background in visual arts/design with a strong understanding of form and color.
• Able to navigate complex pipelines.
• Proficiency working in a Linux environment.
• Extra asset skills such as modeling, look dev, and groom a plus.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to multi-task and prioritize

Physical Demands and Work Environment
The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

• Physical demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to walk; stand; sit; use hands to operate standard office equipment; reach with hands and arms; balance; stoop; talk or hear both in person and by telephone. The employee must lift and/or move up to 15 pounds. Vision abilities include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. 
• Work environment: While performing the duties of this job, the employee works under typical office conditions and is exposed to variable indoor temperatures. The noise level is usually quiet or moderate. 

Location 
On-site in Hillsboro, OR, and also eligible for hybrid or remote work. 

Salary 
Salary is commensurate with skills and experience. 

Disclaimer 
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified. 

Please review our EMPLOYMENT DISCLAIMER and MATERIALS SUBMISSION AGREEMENT.