Senior UI Artist

About Sumo Newcastle

We build ground-breaking games and content for some of the world’s biggest publishers including Microsoft, Sony, Apple and Sega. Sumo Newcastle joined the Sumo Digital family in January of 2018. As a former CCP Games studio, we have a solid history of cutting-edge development, and now with Sumo, a spectacular future of ‘AAA’ game development for some of the biggest and best publishers in the world.

It’s an exciting time to be part of Sumo, winners of the Develop: Star Awards 2019 Best Studio and GI Biz 2020 Best Places to Work; big things are on the horizon and we want you to be part of our continued journey.

Sumo Newcastle is made up of a diverse mix of fantastic and talented people, and we embrace all the elements that make our team unique! We are an inclusive studio and welcome applications from all qualified applicants of any background, regardless of race, age, disability, gender identity or neurodiversity.

The role @ Sumo Newcastle
 
Sumo Digital is looking for a Senior UI Artist to come and join a highly experienced team in the Newcastle studio.  This person will have a passion and drive to create engaging and functional 2D and 3D graphics, including menu screens, HUD, along with all additional user interface graphics required.
 
Reporting to the Head of Art, you will work within our UI team to aide the delivery of all areas of UI to a high standard within budgetary and memory constraints. You will be an integral part of the UI team with support from the wider team around you.

The ideal candidate will be self-driven and passionate about consistently pushing the quality of the UI to create the best visuals possible to enhance the user’s experience.

Within this role you will:

  • Work alongside the UI Team to develop, explore and style the games user interface and develop icons, buttons, frames and panels etc
  • Create user interface concepts and motion graphics to demonstrate transitions and interactions as well as execute them within the game engine
  • Explore and assemble visual material to define and improve the visual style of the game.  
  • Solve problems effectively and creatively with an ability to scale quality when time or deadlines require it. 
  • Collaborate closely with UX designer to iterate and consider the gameplay implications of the design and the overall player experience
  • Approach problem solving from the players perspective first
  • Collaborating with others in the studio to make improvements to the games/processes

    • We need you to have:

  • Diverse UI style portfolio from casual friendly games through to mature titles (Experience in the Adobe graphics suite essential) 
  • Great illustration skills to develop the UI from freehand sketch to accurate vectors
  • Clear consideration of colour theory, shape, scale, form, silhouette
  • Basic understanding of 3D packages and using them as part of a concept workflow
  • Can do attitude with confidence in your ability to work to a design spec / brief whilst able to use your own intuition to fill in the gaps
  • Keen attention to detail in order to push the visual and technical barriers further
  • Knowledge of game engine UI systems such as UMG is a bonus
  • An open approach to collaboration and feedback from others
  • Excellent communication skills never afraid to ask questions

    • We'd also ideally like you to have (although it's not a deal breaker):

  • Shipped at a least 1 AAA title
  • Around 5 years of experience in games UI
  • Unreal Engine 4/5 experience
    • What we offer:

    . Defined Annual Bonus Scheme
    . ULEV car scheme
    . Monthly allowance to spend on enhancing benefits        
    . Salary Sacrifice Pension
    . Flexible Working  
    . 21 days free-use holiday
    + your birthday off
    + 5 learning days including 1 volunteer day
    + a duvet day
    + Christmas shutdown from Christmas Eve to New Year
    + Bank Holidays
    + extra allowance accrued for longer service
    . Free dental insurance 
    . Life Assurance 4x Salary
    . Income Protection of 75% for 5 years           
    . Enhanced Mat/Paternity & Adoption pay
    . Employee Assistance Programme:
    . Help at Hand - Remote GP, Mental Health & Physio appointments
    . Free financial & home buying support consultations
    . Cycle to Work Scheme
    . Payroll Giving Scheme
    . Access to 4,000 Udemy Courses
    . Career Development Pathway  
    . Wrap Parties.
    . Project Completion Awards
    . Game/Creative Jams
    . Big Family Events
    . Studio social activities, e.g. running, board games, film, yoga, life drawing…
    . Prism – Sumo’s employee diversity focus group 
    . Free fruit and drinks in our studios
    . Employee Referral Bonus     

    Where do we stand on diversity?

    At Sumo Digital, we know that diversity and inclusivity will make our teams (and the amazing work that they do) better! We encourage and welcome ALL applications.

    More About The Sumo Newcastle Studio:

    Sumo Digital is one of the UK's most prolific game developers, enjoying over fifteen years of stability and growth. We have UK studios in Sheffield, Newcastle, Nottingham, Leamington Spa, The Chinese Room in Brighton and Red Kite Games in Leeds, along with Sumo Video Games in Pune, India.

    We offer a superb benefits package including generous holidays and flexi-time. We care about our people, with an emphasis on the work/life balance and out of office events such as our legendary annual Sumo ‘Big Day Out’, plus epic Christmas parties and much more! Our regular studio Game Jams are a highlight - winning concepts can go on to commercial release, so far including Snake Pass and Spyder for Apple Arcade.

    We are proud to be in the North-East of England, in our new, purpose-built, state-of-the-art facilities in Riga. Newcastle was voted the number one place that travellers should visit in 2018 by Rough Guide and has everything that a major European city has to offer; culture, heritage, lively bars and fantastic retail. It is an exciting cosmopolitan city while also boasting plenty of beautiful outdoor space including several beaches less than an hour’s drive away.

    Our environment is relaxed, friendly and built on every team member having the opportunity to shine and have real, meaningful input into the games that we create. We pride ourselves on our positive atmosphere and sociable team who regularly partake in shared interest groups, lunchtime and after-work clubs, and charity fundraising events.
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