COMPANY DESCRIPTION

SnackBar Studio is a newly formed indie video game studio composed of 4 veterans of the video game (Assassin’s Creed, Just Dance, Immortals Fenyx Rising…) and Tech industries (SparkToro, Moz) inspired by a shared vision: to create whimsical, wholesome, unique games telling powerful stories through tight, high-quality gameplay.

Our team (lead developer, writer, game designer, and creative director) is currently crafting our first game: a top-down, chill action RPG in which you play a chef in a magic-infused, 1960s Italy, foraging in dangerous, enchanted wilds around a hilltop town by day, and making delicious meals in your struggling restaurant by night.

The game is moving toward a Vertical Slice in Q2 2024, and we are recruiting for the artist who could bring their unique style and vision to make this game a truly one-of-a-kind masterpiece.

JOB DESCRIPTION

As the Art Director and Lead Artist of the studio, you will be responsible for developing the unique art direction of all the games we produce and will be at the center of the captivating, meaningful worlds our players will enjoy. As a member of the core team, you will have a direct impact, not only on the visual direction of the studio but on every decision the studio takes on an everyday basis. You will be a key pillar of the studio's success.

What you will do:

• Define the Art Direction of our first game and those to come: techniques, colors, lighting, ambiance, emotional contrasts, characters, environments, etc.
• Work closely with the other members of the core team to define the vision of the studio and our games.
• Create the assets used for the Vertical Slice of the game: environments, characters, UI, animations, extras (VFX, shaders…), etc.
• Develop and improve the Art pipeline: reusability, efficiency, and flexibility.
• Drive and coordinate the recruitment of the future artists of the studio, as well as mentor and guide them.
• Find the balance between artistic vision and technical requirements.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum of 3 years of proven experience as an Art Director, or Principal Artist in the video game industry (or other relevant experience).
• Mastery of common 2D assets production techniques and software: Photoshop, Illustrator, Animate, Spriter, or equivalent.
• Experience producing visual assets for game engines, preferably Unity.
• Relevant knowledge of video game creation pipelines and technical constraints.
• Strong understanding of art fundamentals and excellent drawing skills.
• Ability to rally people around your vision, present your ideas, serve the story through visuals, and provide constructive criticism.

Nice to have:

• UI Design knowledge.
• 2D Animation experience.
• Assets optimization know-how.
• Direct implementation of assets in Unity.
• Shaders and Lighting work in Unity.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The position is fully remote: members of the team are located across the globe (USA, Spain, Romania, France). We usually meet in person 1-3X/year for a week or two of collaboration.

This position is full-time: 35-40 hours per week, with flexible hours to accommodate your situation. We are also flexible on the form the contract can take, be it a long-term freelance contract or through an employee hiring process (Europe & US).

Compensation: We offer a salary (or contract pay, your choice) on-par with major studios and will customize a package to fit your experience and benefits needs (e.g. healthcare plans in the US). Much as we’d like to include a salary range, every candidate will be different, so we’ll just say: we can meet your expectations, and we lean generous on compensation :-)

SUBMISSION

Please send us an email with your application, along with your portfolio and resume. Applications without a portfolio will not be considered.