Technical Art Director

PLAY, GROW and WIN

To be a part of Virtuos means to be a creator.  

At Virtuos, we harness the latest technologies to make games better and more immersive than ever before. That is why we pride ourselves in constantly pushing the boundaries of possibility since our founding in 2004. 

Virtuosi is a team of experts – people who have come together to share their mutual passion for making and playing games. People with the same enthusiasm for exploring new ideas and the constant drive to excel in their field. People who believe in earning success through dedication.

At Virtuos, we are at the forefront of gaming, creating exciting new experiences daily. Join us to Play, Grow and Win – together.

ABOUT THE POSITION

Report to: General Manager

Sparx* is looking for an experienced and passionate Technical Art Director to join our Technical Support team. At Sparx*, we are looking for an experienced Technical Art Director to bridge the gap between creative ambition and technical reality. In this pivotal role, you will define the technical art vision and architect robust pipelines that empower our artists to achieve world-class visual fidelity. You will not just manage workflows; you will drive R&D, spearhead the adoption of new technologies, and act as a strategic partner to our clients. As a leader, you will mentor the team, foster a culture of technical excellence, and ensure our projects set new benchmarks for performance and aesthetics.

ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategic Leadership & Innovation

• Champion the Technical Art Vision: Define and drive the technical art standards and visual benchmarks, ensuring they align with creative goals and push the boundaries of visual fidelity across all art disciplines.
• Drive R&D: Spearhead the research and adoption of emerging technologies to give Sparx* and our clients a competitive edge in aesthetics and performance.
• Executive Collaboration: Serve as a strategic partner to Art Directors, Producers, Studio leadership, and other Virtuos studio, influencing high-level decisions to balance visual ambition with technical feasibility.
• Strategic Planning: Lead pre-production planning and technical assessments to anticipate risks early, designing robust mitigation strategies that protect the project schedule and quality.

Team Development & Culture

• Mentor and Empower Talent: Go beyond simple guidance by actively mentoring team members, fostering their career growth, and cultivating a culture of technical excellence and continuous learning.
• Build Knowledge Sharing Culture: Establish professional standards for documentation and knowledge sharing, ensuring that "best practices" actively adopted across the studio.
• Facilitate Problem Solving: Lead the team in solving complex architectural challenges, encouraging autonomy and critical thinking within the team.

Pipeline Architecture & Execution

• Architect Scalable Workflows: Own the strategy for efficient, robust End-to-End (E2E) art pipelines. Ensure these workflows are scalable across multiple projects and optimized for platform performance.
• Optimize Global Operations: Collaborate with Art Leads and the wider Virtuos network to conceive and refine global pipelines, ensuring seamless integration between Sparx* and other Virtuos Studios.

Client Partnership & Business Value

• Cultivate Client Trust: Act as the primary technical liaison for clients, moving beyond "support" to become a trusted advisor who proactively identifies opportunities, offers solutions, and raises the quality bar.
• Elevate Deliverables: Ensure that all technical output meets a world-class standard that reinforces the studio’s reputation for excellence.
   

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Art, or related field, or equivalent work experience.
• At least 5+ years of experience as a Lead Technical Artist or Technical Art Director in the video game industry, with at least one shipped AAA title.
• Deep understanding of end-to-end game art pipeline, using art creation tools and software, such as Photoshop, Maya, ZBrush, Substance, etc.
• Proficiency in scripting and programming languages, such as Python, C#, C++, etc. sufficient to review, guide and prototype solutions.
• Strong understanding of game engine technologies and platforms, such as Unreal Engine, Unity, etc., with solid grasp of rendering, performance optimization and platform constraints.
• Experience collaborating closely with Art Directors, Producers, Technical Directors to influence strategic decisions and mitigate technical risk while pushing art quality. 
• Experience architecting scalable workflows and pipeline solutions that support multiple teams, projects, and platforms.
• Strong leadership and communication skills, with the ability to mentor and motivate the art/technical art teams.
• Passionate about video games and up to date with the latest trends and innovations in the industry.