Lead Environment Artist

Cloud Chamber is looking for an exceptional Lead Environment Artist to join our creative team to help define and implement BioShock’s Creative Vision. Under the guidance of the Art Director and Associate Art Director, you will lead a team of environment artists to create compelling, stylized, high-quality level art and world-building. As a leader, you foster a collaborative process and proudly share your knowledge of industry standard tools and best practices with your team.

As a Lead Artist, your years of experience in the games industry have given you a solid understanding of form, shape, structure, silhouette, and composition as well as the ability to work within time constraints, optimization restrictions, and harmoniously collaborate with Design. You have a deep knowledge of architectural structure, industrial design, and what specific details are needed to craft believable game environments. You are heavily invested in Gameplay and can balance the needs of both departments to create an immersive, compelling world. You delight in seeing a project come together, to see the world come to life from concept to reality through scene composition and environmental storytelling. 

At Cloud Chamber we ask for you to be courageous and kind, to have uncompromising ethics and unwavering integrity. Our goal is for you to model the behavior and qualities we like to see in our employees. We encourage you to champion high standards, push for progress, embrace change, and challenge the status quo. Above all else, we want you to foster a positive, proactive, and agile work environment that encourages innovation and collaboration on a stunning, immersive narrative and systems-driven experience. Come help us breathe life into this fantastical world. 

Job Details:

• Partner with other art Leads to manage, mentor, and inspire a team of world builders/level artists.
• Work closely with the Art Director, Associate Art Director, and other Leads to ensure artistic unity across the game.
• Collaborate with Design and Narrative Leads to create immersive and believable environments.
• Design and work out the details of modular systems of architecture for levels.
• Provide objective feedback, and establish development schedules.
• Manage the day-to-day activities of the World Environment Art Team.
• Mentor and help with career development to assigned team members.
• Create and manage asset lists in collaboration with internal partner teams.
• Coordinate workflow, support interdisciplinary communication, and facilitate efficient and effective building of the game world.

Skills, Experience and Qualifications:

• 5 or more years of experience in internal game development with an emphasis on environmental art or level architecture.
• At least 2 shipped titles, one shipped title in a leadership capacity. Experience with AAA titles preferred.
• Prior experience leading other artists and managing their goal-setting and performance.
• Ability to communicate and collaborate across multiple disciplines and locations effectively.
• Knowledge of current industry standard tools: 3D Studio Max / Maya, ZBrush, Substance, Photoshop, etc.
• Recent use of industry standard game editors (UE5/UE4 preferable).
• Experience with industry-standard asset management tools.
• Ability to inspire and bring out talent in others.
• Classic drawing or painting techniques with the ability to sketch out ideas on paper.
• Good sense of spatial composition and proportions.
• Understanding of basic architecture.
• Self-driven and a great-team player.
• Excellent organizational, time management, and communication skills.
• Work ethic focused on agility, dynamism, and collaboration.
• Ability to perform multiple tasks, set priorities.
• Outstanding problem solving abilities and capable of developing or optimizing new or existing pipelines. 
• Must be a team player and willing to incorporate ideas from other team members.
• Attention to detail.
• Ability to work with an iterative design process is a must.

We are Cloud Chamber: a collaborative team of inspired minds who create games together. We strive to make unique, entertaining, and thoughtful game experiences that engage the world. 

We believe in the beauty and strength of diversity, in both the makeup of the studio and the nature of our thinking. Our focus on open communication and overall well-being allows each of us to strive for excellence in our work, and happiness in our lives.

We’re currently making the next BioShock. Our love for this iconic franchise is what brought us together. The thrill and responsibility of creating the next iteration of such a beloved game is what keeps us going.

If all of this sounds as exciting to you as it is to us we’d love to meet you. Join us in creating worlds that move people.

Please note that 2K Games and its studios never use instant messaging apps or personal email accounts to contact prospective employees or conduct interviews. When emailing prospective employees we only use 2K.com accounts.

This is a fully remote role that may be based anywhere in the United States. Below are the expected salary and wage ranges for applicants based in locations where the pay transparency law is in effect:

Colorado: $115,000 and $150,000 per year
California: $145,000 and $170,000 per year
New York State (inclusive of New York City): $145,000 and $170,000 per year
Washington: $115,000 and $150,000 per year

Base pay offered is based on market location, and may vary further depending on individualized factors for job candidates, such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and other objective business considerations. Subject to those same considerations, the total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, including a bonus and/or equity awards and eligibility to participate in our 401(K) plan, in addition to a full range of medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance. Employees will also receive 14 paid holidays per calendar year, are eligible to earn a minimum of 15 days of vacation leave per year (subject to proration based on start date during the calendar year) and will receive 10 sick days per calendar year. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment. If hired, employee will be in an "at-will position" and the company reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation or benefit program) at any time, 4 including for reasons related to individual performance, company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.

#LI-Hybrid