Senior 3D Artist Jobs

Senior 3D ArtistPinnacle Solutions is seeking an experienced and highly motivated Senior 3D Artist to join our virtual development team. The Senior 3D Artist will be responsible for creating high-quality, photo-realistic 3D assets and environments for serious games, virtual training applications, and other interactive experiences. This position will work closely with artists, game developers, software engineers, project leadership, and Subject Matter Experts in a collaborative and fast-paced development environment. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong technical and artistic expertise, sound judgment, and the ability to independently manage assignments from concept through final implementation. The Senior 3D Artist will create and optimize mechanical, environmental, and other real-world assets for use in Unity and Unreal Engine. Assets will be developed using a variety of source materials, including photographs, technical drawings, schematics, sketches, and Subject Matter Expert input. In addition to producing high-quality artwork, this position will contribute to the development and continuous improvement of 3D production processes, workflows, and standards, and serve as a technical resource for the broader development team. The Senior 3D Artist will be expected to provide guidance and mentorship to less-experienced artists and could have 4-5 direct reports.ResponsibilitiesCreate accurate, photo-realistic, low-poly 3D models and textures based on photographs, technical drawings, schematics, sketches, and other reference materials.Develop optimized, production-ready assets for real-time applications using Unity and Unreal Engine.Create and configure materials, lighting, scenes, and other visual elements within real-time game engines.Apply established principles of materials, lighting, composition, color theory, and visual design to achieve accurate and consistent results.Collaborate with artists, software developers, engineers, production personnel, and Subject Matter Experts to support the development of virtual training applications.Translate technical information and Subject Matter Expert feedback into accurate and visually compelling 3D assets.Create high-quality assets and environments, including aircraft, vehicles, mechanical systems, facilities, and other technical subjects.Review and optimize models, textures, materials, and scenes to meet established visual quality and real-time performance requirements.Contribute to the development and maintenance of 3D art standards, workflows, processes, and best practices.Identify and resolve technical and artistic issues throughout the development process.Provide constructive feedback, technical guidance, and mentorship to junior and intermediate artists as appropriate.Collaborate with project leadership and technical leads to establish project priorities, production approaches, and deliverables.Maintain awareness of emerging tools, technologies, and industry practices relevant to real-time 3D content development.QualificationsBachelor's Degree in Digital Art, Game Art, Animation, or a related technical discipline.10+ years of professional experience in 3D art, game development, simulation, visualization, virtual training, or a related field.Professional experience creating high-quality 3D models, UVs, and textures for real-time applications.Advanced proficiency with Autodesk Maya, including modeling, UV unwrapping, and UV layout/packing.Professional experience creating realistic, physically based (PBR) textures using Adobe Substance Painter.Professional experience with Unity and Unreal Engine.Proficiency with Adobe Photoshop.Strong understanding of real-time 3D production principles, including polygon optimization, texture resolution, materials, lighting, and asset performance.Demonstrated ability to independently manage assignments, prioritize work, and meet established deadlines.Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively within multidisciplinary teams and incorporate feedback from project leadership, technical leads, and Subject Matter Experts.Strong verbal and written communication skills.Strong attention to detail and commitment to producing high-quality work.Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance.U.S. Citizenship is required.A professional portfolio demonstrating relevant 3D modeling and real-time development experience is required.Strong leadership skills, experience providing mentorship, peer reviews, or technical guidance to other artists.Experience with 3D animation, mechanical rigging, constraints, and/or technical animation.Experience creating shaders, procedural materials, and advanced PBR material workflows.Experience with photogrammetry, 3D scanning, or other techniques for creating accurate real-world assets, including the ability to travel to customer sites to collect visual and technical reference materials.Experience optimizing 3D assets and environments for real-time applications.Experience establishing or improving 3D production workflows, standards, or pipelines.Experience with Jira or other project planning and tracking tools.Experience with version control systems such as Git, SVN, or Perforce.Experience with scripting, tools development, or workflow automation.Experience developing content for VR, AR, or other immersive technologies.Experience supporting military, aerospace, defense, industrial, or technical training applications.Any clearance requirements for this position are established by the government contract.