Local Projects, LLC - Technical Artist (Freelance)

Animator is needed in New York, United States.

Client: Local Projects, LLC

Location: New York, NY

Contract: Contractor

Job Description

As a Technical Artist at Local Projects, you will play a crucial role in designing interactive media for permanent exhibition projects. You will utilize your expertise in game engine production (Unity and/or Unreal) and 3D art generalist skills to create technical art packages that inform and describe the 3D artwork pipeline from concept to production for both interactive and linear media. Your responsibilities will include transforming design intent from concept to a buildable “game-ready” design through creating concept art, 3D modeling, texturing, rigging, and animation, as well as collaborating with software development teams to design custom software and integrate the art assets and pipeline.

Requirements

Qualifications:

• Must be able to work on-site in our NYC Studio / Flexible Hybrid.
• Must be eligible to work in the United States.
• Must hold a primary residence in one of these states: NY/NJ/CT/DC/VA/MD.
• Degree in Digital Arts, Motion Graphics, Game Design, Animation, or a related field.
• Experience designing and developing interactive media for exhibitions, with a strong understanding of its application in visitor engagement.

Skills:

• Proficient in authoring 3D assets and integrating them into game engines (Unity, Unreal, etc.).
• Proficient in UV texturing and texture authoring (Substance, etc.).
• Familiar with rigging models for animation, animating, and exporting animations for integration into game engines.
• Familiar with authoring visual effects, including flipbooks/sprite sheets and procedural graphics.
• Proficient in 3D modeling with industry-standard tools (Maya, Blender, C4D, etc.).
• Experience in other motion design pipelines (After Effects, C4D/Redshift), a plus.
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to troubleshoot technical issues.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Detail-oriented with a keen eye for quality and creativity.
• Knowledge of programming languages and photogrammetry is a plus.

Responsibilities

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Designing concept art for 3D assets including characters, creatures, and environments.
• Performing in-engine look development, including authoring models, materials, shaders, and environments.
• Modeling 3D art assets for integration into a game engine.
• Texture mapping 3D models and developing texture sets for stylized and PBR approaches.
• Rigging and animation for prototyping and specifying character motion.
• Designing and authoring visual effects systems in-engine.
• Applying optimization techniques to make 3D art “game-ready”.
• Producing production-ready 3D art assets for integration into production software.
• Troubleshooting technical issues related to interactive media and 3D art assets.
• Staying updated on industry trends and emerging technologies in technical art for game engines.
• Performing research and technical demos of new technologies.

Compensation and Benefits

Hourly Rate: $75.00 to $100.00 (Commensurate with Experience). Local Projects offers full-time staff Health/Dental/Vision, FSA, 401k, access to short-term and long-term disability insurance and life insurance, as well as a generous PTO package.

Additional Information

Local Projects is committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce where everyone is valued and respected. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates, including those from historically underrepresented communities. Local Projects is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on any characteristic protected by law.