At a Glance
- Tasks: Bridge the gap between artists and programmers to solve creative challenges.
- Company: Join Coatsink, a multi-award-winning indie game developer with a vibrant culture.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, inclusive environment, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Dynamic studio atmosphere with a focus on creativity and collaboration.
- Why this job: Be part of a team creating engaging games that make an impact in the industry.
- Qualifications: C# programming skills and experience with Unity or Unreal Engine are essential.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 £ per year.
Coatsink is a multi-award-winning video game developer, recognised for its expertise in creating polished indie titles across all formats, including VR. Incorporated in 2012, Coatsink has achieved global recognition, building a diverse portfolio of acclaimed games such as Jurassic World Aftermath, Men in Black: Most Wanted, Phogs and the Esper series. Coatsink is also a premier co-development partner and has provided production support for major titles such as Gang Beasts, Gorilla Tag and Batman Arkham Shadow. Now a studio within the Atari family, Coatsink has become a central pillar of the North East UK's gaming hub, delivering engaging entertainment to players everywhere.
As a Technical Artist you’ll be creative, driven, and a problem solver. You will be working within a team to address the technical challenges faced with achieving the performance and look of our games. You will play an essential role in establishing best technical practices to develop our tools, pipelines and systems. We expect you to be a bridge between the Artists, Programmers, and often other departments, ensuring art assets can be easily integrated into the game without sacrificing the artistic vision or exceeding the platform’s technical limits.
What You’ll Do
- Act as a bridge between the Artists and Programmers.
- Work with your Art Director and leads to research techniques, tools and provide solutions to visual challenges.
- Work alongside programming to develop tools, scripts, pipelines and workflows, and communicate this within the wider technical and art team, where appropriate.
- Be quick and effective in prototyping, and visually demonstrating ideas.
- Be involved in pre-production to help plan and work around any hardware limitations and constraints.
Requirements & Qualifications
- C# programming skills, essential
- Proven experience working with game engines, specifically Unity and/or Unreal Engine
- Shader development experience (essential), including complex or bespoke rendering solutions (e.g. Kex-style projects)
- Experience using debugging and profiling tools, such as RenderDoc, to diagnose rendering and performance issues
- Hands‑on experience with Unity debugging and profiling tools
- Solid understanding of optimization techniques across rendering, assets, and runtime performance
- Knowledge of 3D art pipelines and workflows, including tools such as Substance, Photoshop, 3ds Max, and Maya
- Art‑driven mindset with a strong visual eye, able to balance creative intent with technical constraints
- Strong programming and problem‑solving skills within a technical art context
- Experience developing custom tools
Preferred / Nice‑to‑Have
- Experience creating VFX (shaders, particle systems etc.)
- C++ programming skills
- Experience with proprietary engines
- Experience developing art pipelines and workflows
- Background as a hands‑on artist or technical generalist
- Strong understanding of art workflows and content production pipelines
- Experience supporting artists through tooling, documentation, or technical guidance
- Familiarity with additional profiling, debugging, or engine‑level tools
Required personal skills and approach
- Ability to interact and communicate across all disciplines and with colleagues effectively.
- Strong problem‑solving skills.
- Ability to plan tasks and inform leads of the best approach to technical art solutions.
Company Values
- A passion and enthusiasm for Coatsink games.
- A straightforward and open approach to the team and leadership.
- A focus on quality.
- An openness to others’ ideas and challenges around quality issues.
- An eye for the well‑being of project team members.
- Resilience to learn from mistakes and encounter new tasks and responsibilities.
- A willingness to maintain continuous professional development.
EEO Statement
Coatsink is an equal opportunity employer and we are committed to providing a workplace free from harassment and discrimination. We are committed to equal employment regardless of race, religion or lack thereof, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, medical condition, veteran status, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, parental status, genetic information, political affiliation, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.
Technical Artist (Coatsink) in Gateshead employer: Coatsink
Coatsink is an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant and inclusive work culture that fosters creativity and collaboration within the dynamic gaming industry. Located in the heart of the North East UK's gaming hub, employees benefit from opportunities for professional growth, access to cutting-edge technology, and the chance to work on acclaimed titles alongside passionate colleagues. With a commitment to quality and continuous development, Coatsink provides a supportive environment where technical artists can thrive and make a meaningful impact on the future of gaming.
