Senior Technical Artist (Animation tools) - Sledgehammer Games

Job Title:
Senior Technical Artist (Animation tools) - Sledgehammer Games
Requisition ID:
R026417
Job Description:
Your Platform
Sledgehammer Games is a leading developer in the video game industry, best known for its work on the Call of Duty franchise. Since its founding in 2009, the studio has delivered iconic titles like "Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare," "Call of Duty: WWII," and most recently, “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III.” We combine cutting-edge technology with creative vision to produce games that resonate with players worldwide. With a focus on creating high-quality multiplayer experiences and captivating single-player campaigns, we continue to shape the future of first-person shooters.

We are looking for passionate and talented individuals to join our studio team in Toronto, Canada. In this role you will partner closely with our teams at our other studio locations in the United States and Australia in the creation of epic content for some of the biggest games in the world. If you're ready to be part of a dynamic and collaborative environment where your skills can make a real impact, we invite you to explore career opportunities with us.
This role will be studio based at our Toronto, Canada location with flexible working support.

Sledgehammer Games is part of the Activision family and is wholly owned by Microsoft. To learn more about our studio, please visit us at www.sledgehammergames.com or search for Sledgehammer Games on your favorite social media platform.

Your Mission
As a Senior Technical Artist, you will work as part of our tech art team to build, deliver, and support art tools, workflows, and assets that enable artists and designers to quickly integrate quality content and features into our games. You will act as a bridge between art and engineering, demonstrating superior communication skills to facilitate problem-solving between departments. This role includes, but is not limited to, the following responsibilities:
Proactively identify problems, propose solutions, and work fluidly with other team members to improve animation workflow and quality of life.
Collaborate across disciplines and multiple studios to improve upon, add value and push the boundaries for rigging tools, rigging workflow and emerging AI technology for rigging.
Collaborate closely with engineering to develop creative product requirements for animation in both DCC tools and ‘in engine’.
Player Profile
Extensive knowledge and experience writing tools for artists in Maya using the Python and/or C++ APIs
Extensive knowledge and experience building and maintaining rigs, rigging tools and rigging pipelines for AAA games
Deep understanding of motion capture pipelines for AAA games, including facial actor performance capture, rig and skeletal retargeting and animation scene management
Deep understanding of at least one (or more) real-time engines
Experience diagnosing issues with animation, improving workflows for animators and other content creators across multiple disciplines
Experience with game export frameworks, asset pipeline and workflow design
Excellent communication skills, specifically with regards to documenting technical processes and clearly explaining technically complex issues across multiple disciplines and organizational hierarchies.
Self-directed and able to identify and tackle problems independently across multiple disciplines
Experience with P4, GIT, mercurial or other versioning tools

Bonus XP
Knowledge of how content impacts performance
AAA Mobile or Switch experience
Experience with live service games
C++, C# experience
Experience with node-based shader creation in Unreal or another engine
Experience with continuous-delivery game pipelines
Examples of professional work (e.g., art, scripts, tools, simulations, etc.)
Understanding of coding best practices and efficiency
Understanding of HLSL, GLSL, or other shading languages
Has trained or mentored others

Our World
At Activision, we strive to create the most iconic brands in gaming and entertainment. We’re driven by our mission to deliver unrivaled gaming experiences for the world to enjoy, together. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises, including Call of Duty®, Crash Bandicoot™, Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™, and Guitar Hero®. We have bold ambitions to create the most inclusive company, as we know our success comes from the passionate, creative, and diverse teams within our organization.

We love hearing from anyone enthusiastic about changing the games industry. Not sure you meet all qualifications? Let us decide! We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and strongly encourage you to apply.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status, among other characteristics.