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Caution: Monkeys at Work
SockMonkey is an ambitious studio, looking to continue recent expansion, with a great work environment, and cool projects to work on. If you’re looking for a great challenge in a growing company, we’re looking for enthusiastic and talented people to join us.
We have a open structure, and encourage the whole team to get involved in every project when it comes to ideas and development. After recent successes, we’re looking to build the team further, working on high-profile IP’s and helping create our own original games.
SockMonkey is based in Teesside, on the North-East coastline, at the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors, and a short distance from major city hubs such as Newcastle, York and Leeds.
If you don’t see an exact match for you in the positions below, feel free to send through a speculative application.
Benefits of SockMonkey
Here’s just some of the benefits we offer for our staff to enjoy, with more being introduced throughout 2020.
Flexible Working Hours
Zero Crunch Culture
Nest Pension Scheme
Team Building Events
Staff Growth Plans
Free Drinks, Snacks & Refreshments
Office Pug
Check out all available roles at our Teesside HQ
Level Designers
SockMonkey are looking for LEVEL DESIGNERS to work on a number of exciting projects, including licensed IP, and original games. Working as part of a team, responsibilities include creating new content for titles, modifying and improving existing levels, and generating entirely new concepts from prototype to final product. The ideal candidates are passionate about design and games, work well as part of a team, and looking to join an exciting and growing studio.
REQUIREMENTS - 2+ years of game industry experience - Worked on at least two games titles - Experience of working with Unity - Ability to produce levels with a good sense of layout, pacing, visual interest, and fun - Work with programmer and artists to implement designs - Ability to test and balance games by modifying variables and level templates - Ability to blockout work in 3D with Unity, Blender or other 3D packages - Strong communication skills - Excellent attention to detail - Must be flexible and adaptable to react to feedback
DESIRABLE EXPERIENCE - Strong understanding of level design principles, pacing and mission flow - Experience with scripting - Experience working on a variety of game genres
Whilst prior industry experience is ideal, we will consider a promising candidate for an entry-level position.
SALARY Salary is competitive and negotiable depending on experience.
Senior / Lead Programmer
SockMonkey are looking for experienced SENIOR / LEAD PROGRAMMERS to work on a number of exciting projects, including licensed IP, and original games. Leading small teams, and reporting to the CTO, in addition to programming you will lead, mentor, train and set coding standards across your team. The ideal candidates are passionate about programming, are great communicators, and looking to have a significant impact on an exciting and growing studio.
REQUIREMENTS - 5+ years of games programming - Numerous Console / PC titles shipped - Experience of working with Unity or Unreal, preferably both - Familiar with source control systems - Excellent communication skills - Experience guiding and leading other programmers - To be able to establish best practices, development processes, documentation and coding standards - Work with other disciplines to understand their requirements and work proactively with them to ensure any limitations are clearly communicated and understood
DESIRABLE EXPERIENCE - Experience and understanding of console certification processes - Have worked with external contractors, development teams and publishers - Experience leading a team of 5+ programmers - Experience of tools development - Ability to estimate work project complexity and timescales
SALARY Salary is competitive and negotiable depending on experience.
Programmers
SockMonkey are looking for experienced PROGRAMMERS to work on a number of projects, including licensed IP, and original games. Working as part of a team, and reporting to the Lead Programmer, responsibilities include programming game systems, solving technical problems and debugging. The ideal candidates are passionate about programming and games, work well as part of a team, and looking to join an exciting and growing studio.
REQUIREMENTS - 2+ years of games programming - Worked on at least two games titles - Experience of working with Unity or Unreal - Work with other disciplines to implement gameplay and UI elements to their specification, and ensure clear communication - Write high-quality source code - Familiar with source control systems - Strong communication skills
DESIRABLE EXPERIENCE - Experience on multiple gaming platforms - Ability to assess task/timings to assist in schedule production - Experience assessing, working with, and debugging other programmers code - Ensure games are compliant with manufacturers guidelines - Liaise with QA to fix bugs
SALARY Salary is competitive and negotiable depending on experience.
Unreal Programmers
SockMonkey are looking for experienced UNREAL PROGRAMMERS to work on a number of projects, including licensed IP, and original games. Working as part of a team, and reporting to the Lead Programmer, responsibilities include programming game systems, solving technical problems and debugging. The ideal candidates are passionate about programming and games, work well as part of a team, and looking to join an exciting and growing studio.
REQUIREMENTS - 2+ years of games programming with Unreal - Worked on at least one game in a professional studio - Work with other disciplines to implement gameplay and UI elements to their specification, and ensure clear communication - Write high-quality source code - Familiar with source control systems - Strong communication skills
DESIRABLE EXPERIENCE - Experience on multiple gaming platforms - Ability to assess task/timings to assist in schedule production - Experience assessing, working with, and debugging other programmers code - Ensure games are compliant with manufacturers guidelines - Liaise with QA to fix bugs
SALARY Salary is competitive and negotiable depending on experience.
Lead Artist
SockMonkey are looking for a LEAD ARTIST to work on a number of projects, including licensed IP, and original games. Managing a team of artists, you will work on an exciting range of projects creating player characters, creatures and enemies for a variety of different game types and styles. The ideal candidates are passionate about art and games, work well as part of a team, and looking to join an exciting and growing studio.
REQUIREMENTS - At least 5 years of industry experience and 2+ years in a similar or leadership role - A fantastic portfolio of shipped titles - Able to lead a team consisting of both experienced and newly graduated artists - Excellent communication skills - Ability to create and lead new and different styles for new gaming titles, as well as direct existing styles - Ability to sculpt/model and texture both high-resolution and low polygon characters - Ability to produce meshes that have a good structure and are suitable for animation - Ability to work in a variety of styles - Good understanding of anatomy - Ability to create normal-maps using Maya/Max, Zbrush or Mudbox - Ability to map characters with high quality textures utilizing photo manipulation techniques - Excellent knowledge of Max/Maya, Zbrush or Mudbox - Experience with Substance Painter - Experience with shaders - A strong understanding of character design with respect to a target audience with the skills to create iconic characters
DESIRABLE EXPERIENCE - At least 2+ years in a similar role - Game engine experience (Unity or Unreal) - Hard Surface modelling experience - Technical art experience - Shaders and material creation ability - Scripting experience
SALARY Salary is competitive and negotiable depending on experience.