Technical Artist

Values Value is a recruiting company with expertise in game development and is currently looking for an experienced Technical Artist for the world's first conversational AI tutor for children. This gamification mobile app/ game lets children practice spoken English by conversing with a virtual AI-powered cartoon character. With its engaging virtual character, speech technology, and adaptive learning, this product is making speaking practice affordable for 500 million children around the globe. It is the second largest kid’s language app globally, which is featured in 50+ countries on the App Store and Google Play every week. 

As a new Technical Artist you will help to elevate product's engagement to the gold standard of top mobile games for children. You will work directly with developers and the art team to prototype and optimize game performance across all target devices and platforms. All together you will bring the vibrant and engaging world of the product, a promising IP poised to become a pop culture phenomenon, to life. Your work will lay the foundation for product’s expansion into toys, books, and cartoons.

What are you working on?

• Genres: Casual, Kids Games, Puzzle, Arcade
• Platforms: Mobile, iOS, Android

For which tasks (responsibilities)?

• Elevate Visual Quality: Partner with content production art teams to ensure the delivery of exceptional visual quality.

• Drive Innovation: Develop and implement cutting-edge prototypes, experimental features, and technical benchmarks that align with the artistic and game vision.

• Technical Artistry: Collaborate in the development of 3D models, animations, rigs, scripts, and shaders. Seamlessly integrate animations, VFX, graphics, audio, video, and other visual assets into the game engine and across diverse devices.

• Explore Future Horizons: Conduct R&D into XR/AR/MR, transmedia experiences, and multiplayer functionalities to expand the product IP universe.

• Optimize Performance: Develop technical and artistic tools and solutions to proactively address performance bottlenecks. Profile and optimize memory and application performance within project constraints.

• Champion Best Practices: Improve workflows and establish best practices. Create and maintain clear technical documentation in collaboration with production teams to ensure efficient and high-quality output.

What kind of professional are we looking for?

• Broad Game Expertise: Possess a strong understanding of mobile and console game development pipelines, enabling you to contribute to a wide range of technical and creative tasks, including effective bug diagnosis and resolution. Experience with AR/MR/XR technologies gameplay specificities is a significant plus.

• Proven experience with shader languages (GLSL, ShaderLab, HLSL) and a strong understanding of game/real-time profiling and optimization methodologies.

• Data-Driven Insight: Value and utilize data and analytics to inform your decisions. Find inspiration and generate innovative ideas and solutions through the interpretation of quantitative data.

• Version Control & Project Management Proficiency: Experienced with distributed version control systems (e.g., Git, Perforce) and familiar with project management tools (e.g., Jira, Trello, Cloud CMS).

• Generative AI Awareness: Experience with generative AI tools and practices to automate repetitive art tasks and improve efficiency.

• Proactive Problem-Solver: Take initiative, propose solutions, and act decisively without needing constant detailed instructions. Follow through on commitments and ensure complete resolution of issues.

• Collaborative Team Player: Value and foster collaboration. Actively solicit feedback from peers and provide constructive support. Consider the perspectives of diverse stakeholders, including educators and marketers.

• English proficiency at Upper-Intermediate level or higher.

Why do we enjoy working here?

• Unique product: A first-of-its-kind conversational AI tutor for children. Virtual tutors are an emerging technology that leverages AI-powered virtual agents and adaptive learning systems to teach independently or in collaboration with human teachers. Currently, this app/ game helps children learn to speak English by conversing with a cartoonish AI-powered character in a mobile app, much like they would with a human tutor over Zoom.

• Successful product: The second-largest kids' language app globally, it has reached №1 in the Kids and Education categories in Latin America, Europe, and MENA. Every week, Buddy is featured in 50+ countries on the App Store and Google Play.

• Mission-driven project: The app/ game aims to help not only children who want to learn a language but also those for whom English is their native language. It also focuses on working with children with speech development delays.

• Top-tier professionals team with experience at successful international game development companies.

• High-level position: Directly report to the company’s Art Director. 

• Agile startup environment: High degree of autonomy and dynamic priorities. Lean operations, rapid prototyping, and continuous testing before large-scale development investments.

• Small team with high capital efficiency: Focused on the company’s product, business, and mission. There are no unnecessary layers of decision-making. Everything you create quickly goes into production.

• Openness: The team works collaboratively and shares everything. At All Hands meetings, all product and financial metrics are openly discussed.

• Contribution and growth: A small team means a large individual contribution.

• Remote work

• Flexible schedule

• Paid sick leave and vacation days