Voice FX Designer

SIDE is looking for an experienced freelance Voice FX Designer to create distinctive, technically polished and character-driven voice assets for game projects.

This is not a standard dialogue-editing position. You will use creative audio processing, plugins, FX chains, automation and routing to transform recorded dialogue while preserving the quality and intent of the original performance.

The work may include robotic, creature, supernatural, masked, helmeted, distorted, layered, radio and communications-style voice treatments, alongside other character-specific effects.

You will collaborate with audio editors, sound designers, recording engineers, postproduction coordinators and project stakeholders to ensure each voice asset is creative, intelligible, consistent and technically ready for delivery.

SIDE is a multi-award-winning specialist in games dialogue and audio production.

For more than 20 years, our international teams of technical and creative experts have helped bring some of the games industry’s most ambitious characters, stories and worlds to life.

Our work is guided by a shared objective: to deliver the truest interpretation of each client’s creative vision across genres, platforms and languages.

This is an opportunity to contribute specialist creative work within an experienced, collaborative and fast-moving game-audio production environment.

• Design and process voice assets in line with the creative direction, character identity, gameplay context and technical requirements of each project.
• Build, apply and refine voice FX chains using plugins, sends, buses, automation and DAW routing.
• Create character-specific treatments, including creature, robotic, supernatural, radio, communications, helmet, mask, monster, distorted and layered voices.
• Automate pitch, formant, modulation, distortion, filtering, delay, reverb, dynamics, panning and other creative parameters.
• Balance creative processing with clarity, intelligibility, performance quality and consistency.
• Adapt established processing chains across multiple lines, characters, languages or production batches while maintaining a consistent sonic identity.
• Create reusable presets, templates, routing configurations and supporting documentation where required.

• Import audio into DAW sessions and work within the required timing, naming and delivery constraints.
• Render and export processed assets according to project-specific formats, loudness standards, naming conventions and delivery instructions.
• Troubleshoot plugin, routing, automation, session and rendering issues.
• Maintain organised and repeatable processing chains that can be revised efficiently.
• Support alternate takes, pickup lines, revisions and re-deliveries while preserving the established voice treatment.
• Work with approved tools, scripts, trackers, templates and technical specifications.

• Work closely with sound designers, audio editors, recording engineers, postproduction coordinators and other project stakeholders.
• Interpret creative briefs, reference material, client notes and direction documents accurately.
• Ask for clarification when the creative direction, technical requirements or workflow instructions are unclear.
• Communicate promptly about any issue that could affect quality, consistency, scope, timing or delivery.
• Apply feedback accurately and complete revisions within the required timeframe.
• Communicate your freelance availability, capacity and delivery estimates clearly.

• Organise, label, track and manage voice-design assets systematically.
• Maintain clean DAW sessions, plugin chains, rendered files, alternate versions and final exports.
• Follow the required naming conventions, folder structures, versioning and backup processes.
• Store and transfer deliverables in accordance with project instructions.
• Maintain the confidentiality of client projects, materials and assets at all times.

• Conduct critical listening checks to ensure all assets are clean, consistent, intelligible and technically correct.
• Identify clipping, unwanted distortion, excessive noise, over-processing, phase problems, synchronisation issues, incorrect renders, missing files and inconsistent plugin settings.
• Ensure final assets meet SIDE and client quality standards before delivery.

• Strong knowledge of voice design, dialogue processing, creative FX chains and audio postproduction.
• Proficiency with DAWs including Pro Tools and Reaper.
• Strong working knowledge of plugins used for pitch and formant processing, modulation, distortion, saturation, filtering, convolution, reverb, delay, EQ, dynamics, noise reduction and audio restoration.
• Proficiency with relevant tools such as iZotope RX, Adobe Audition, Pro Tools, Reaper and third-party voice-processing plugins.
• Understanding of plugin automation, routing, sends, buses, offline rendering, batch processing and session management.
• Familiarity with game audio, voice-over, localisation, creature voice design, character processing and postproduction pipelines.
• Knowledge of file naming, asset management, version control and digital-delivery workflows.
• The ability to work across both Mac and PC environments is desirable.

• Professional experience in voice design, dialogue design, sound design or audio postproduction.
• Experience creating processed character voices for games, interactive media, animation, trailers, cinematics, broadcast or comparable media.
• Experience developing and maintaining consistent voice treatments across high volumes of files.
• Experience working from character briefs, creative references and client direction.
• Experience delivering technically compliant audio assets under tight deadlines.
• Experience completing revisions quickly while maintaining an established sonic identity.
• Previous freelance experience, including reliable remote communication and clear availability management, is desirable.

• A strong creative and technical ear for voice quality, character, intelligibility and consistency.
• Excellent attention to detail, particularly when managing plugin chains, automation, renders and batch deliveries.
• Strong organisational and time-management skills.
• The ability to work independently and meet agreed deadlines.
• Clear, consistent and professional communication.
• Strong technical troubleshooting skills.
• The ability to adapt quickly to new tools, workflows, templates and project requirements.
• A self-directed, resourceful and reliable approach.
• A collaborative mindset and the ability to work effectively with production, postproduction and sound-design teams.

A degree or diploma in audio engineering, sound design, game audio or a related discipline is preferred.

Equivalent professional experience will also be considered.