Senior Technical Artist

Role Overview

• Hybrid role between artist and technical animator, requiring expertise in rigging and Python scripting.
• Must write robust Maya/Mobu scripts/tools and take direct ownership of interdisciplinary pipelines.
• Must frequently interact with stakeholders, guiding conversations around rigging, shaders and workflows.
• Must be proactive in identifying risks and proposing solutions at an early stage.
• You must be comfortable in a tools-focused environment where automation, reusability and scalability are essential.
• Effective communication is required: you must validate pipelines directly in-game without assistance.
• You must be able to find the right balance between quality and scalability for all archetypes and the conversion of existing assets.
• Maintain art direction and the quality of materials, shaders and assets.
• Create final materials for characters, environments and props/sets; support existing material systems.
• Develop efficient workflows and pipelines to support art and design teams.
• Research and implement new techniques to improve asset quality and performance.
• Collaborate closely with art, animation, design and engineering teams to resolve pipeline and asset-related issues.
• Propose automation tools and pipelines for iteration, optimization and procedural workflows.
• Debug and profile assets to ensure performance across all platforms.
• Provide technical feedback, documentation and mentor other artists.
• Occasionally support new hires during onboarding.

Requirements

• A strong portfolio demonstrating AAA-quality work in engine environments (proprietary engines, Unreal or Unity).
• Excellent knowledge of standard industry content creation tools (Maya, ZBrush, Substance Painter/Designer, Photoshop or equivalents).
• Proficiency in Python scripting (PyQt/PySide), with the ability to write clean, reusable and maintainable code.
• Comfortable creating new Maya/engine plugins, writing extensible pipelines and converting legacy formats to modern formats.
• Support automation in retargeting pipelines, material extraction/recovery, tessellation and mesh optimization.
• Act as a mentor: establish best practices for clean code, data hygiene and scalable workflows.
• Passionate about modern rendering techniques and procedural workflows; comfortable debugging shaders, shader inheritance and runtime profiling.
• Good knowledge of shader languages (HLSL/GLSL) and rendering techniques.
• Understanding of 3D mathematics, topology best practices, physically based rendering workflows and optimization strategies.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Excellent communication, collaboration and mentoring skills.
• Over 5 years of industry experience with at least one shipped title.
• Proficiency in English is required due to regular interactions with stakeholders and partners outside Québec.
• Nice to have: Experience with Houdini, MotionBuilder or other procedural tools.
• Deep knowledge of C++ and Maya/OpenMaya plugin development.
• Familiarity with modern rendering pipelines, particle systems, cloth/physics simulations and lighting.

Tech Stack

• Flux
• Python
• Unity
• Unreal Engine

Benefits

• A benefits package 100% paid by People Can Fly (PCF).
• Insurance reimburses claims at 100% (up to $1,000 of services per year, with family or individual coverage).
• Comprehensive dental coverage, including dental care.
• Employer RRSP contribution match of 4% pre-tax, 100% vested from day one.
• One week of paid time off during the winter holidays.
• 20 days of paid vacation and 5 paid sick days.
• Free virtual health and mental wellness sessions included in the plan for employees and their dependents.
• Opportunities for personal development and the chance to work in a global environment.
• The opportunity to work within a creative team of passionate people.