Technical Director jobs in Pasadena, CA

Summary 

We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Technical Director to join our dynamic team. As the Technical Director, you will be responsible for overseeing the technical aspects of our game development projects. You will provide strategic direction, leadership, and technical expertise to ensure the successful execution of our games, while driving innovation, optimizing performance, and ensuring the highest level of quality. This is a key leadership role where you will collaborate with various departments to deliver cutting-edge gaming experiences. 

Core Responsibilities 

• Provide technical vision, strategic direction, and leadership in the development of our games, ensuring technical excellence and innovation. 
• Collaborate closely with the game director, art director, and other stakeholders to define the technical goals, requirements, and constraints of the project. 
• Lead and manage the technical team, providing guidance, mentorship, and support to ensure the successful execution of technical tasks and projects. 
• Define and enforce coding standards, best practices, and development processes to ensure high-quality code, maintainability, and performance. 
• Oversee the development of game systems, tools, and frameworks, ensuring they align with project requirements and technical objectives. 
• Stay up to date with industry trends, advancements in technology, and emerging tools and techniques, integrating relevant innovations into the development process. 
• Evaluate and recommend technical solutions, platforms, and third-party tools to enhance the development process, optimize performance, and reduce development time. 
• Ensure compliance with platform-specific requirements and technical guidelines for various consoles and PC platforms.
• Collaborate with the art and design teams to optimize workflows and pipelines, enabling efficient creation and integration of assets into the game engine. 
• Collaborate with the QA team to identify and address technical issues and bugs, ensuring a smooth and bug-free gameplay experience. 
• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement within the technical team, promoting knowledge sharing and professional growth. 
• Collaborate with the production team to estimate technical requirements, identify risks, and plan resources for the successful delivery of projects. 
• Manage relationships with external technology partners, contractors, and vendors, ensuring effective collaboration and delivery of contracted services.  

Qualifications 

• A minimum of 7 years of professional experience in game development, with a minimum of 3 years of technical leadership and management. Must include at least one released title 
• Strong programming background with expertise in multiple programming languages such as C , C#, or equivalent 
• In-depth knowledge of game engines such as Unreal Engine (UE5), Unity or equivalent, including their features, capabilities and toolsets 
• Proven experience leading and managing technical teams, with a focus on driving innovation, performance, and quality 
• Excellent understanding of game development pipelines, processes, and methodologies 
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills, with the ability to find creative solutions to technical challenges 
• Familiarity with various platforms, console requirements, and PC specifications 
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams 
• Proven ability to consistently and positively contribute to a high-paced, dynamic work environment 
• Proven ability to take initiative and build strong, productive relationships with people at all levels 
• Ability to adhere to an expectation of complete confidentiality on all business matters 
• A passion for video games and a deep understanding of the gaming industry 

Plus if... 

• Knowledge of real-time rendering techniques, optimization strategies, and performance profiling.

Description  

• Full time job with benefits  
• Role is on-site in Santa Monica, CA 
• Office is located near downtown Santa Monica – near metro and freeways 

This is a rare and unique opportunity to join our brand new studio and team at the ground level. Join and play a crucial role in driving the technical excellence and innovation of our games. Together, we will create extraordinary gaming experiences that captivate players and push the boundaries of interactive entertainment. Apply now and lead the way as a Technical Director with Absurd Ventures. 

The base pay range for this position is $176,000 to $231,000 per year. Actual compensation is based on market location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. We also offer a competitive package of benefits including paid time off, sick time, company holidays, parental leave, medical/dental/vision insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, and 401(k) to regular full-time employees. Certain roles may also be eligible for bonus and equity. 

About Absurd Ventures 

Absurd Ventures is a media company creating new IP across all platforms and for all formats. Absurd Ventures is building narrative worlds, creating characters, and writing stories for a variety of genres, without regard to medium, to be produced for live-action and animation; video games and other interactive content; books, graphic novels, and scripted podcasts.