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Current vacancies (updated 2nd June 2009):


Want to know how you can become a Ninja without putting in years of martial art training on mountain tops?

 

Ninja Theory is currently embarking on an exciting new project and is looking for highly talented people to join us. We currently have vacancies within the Programming, Art, Animation, Design and Audio teams – see below for more details. To apply for any of the vacancies listed here or for any other queries please contact the HR Manager at jobs@ninjatheory.com



Senior Animator or Animator


PLEASE ENSURE YOU HAVE READ THE PARAGRAPH ON APPLYING FOR ANIMATION ROLES BEFORE SENDING YOUR APPLICATION IN


We’re looking for someone who will proactively take part in the artistic creation process of animation content - taking agreed action outcomes and ensuring animation content fulfils vision, quality expectations and time restraints.


If taken on at Senior level we’ll also look to you to support the Lead Animator in ensuring the overall animation requirements are met – to quality, schedule and vision – using knowledge of tool chain, assets and potential risks. Supporting and mentoring more junior members of the team is also important. We’d like you to take an active role alongside the Lead Animator in the initial planning stages and help drive direction (considering task/ assets etc) of work – both short and long-term. Develop tool chains and pipelines where appropriate ensuring day-to-day tasks remain on schedule and to agreed quality.


We work in 3D primarily with Maya and always hand-keyed – and to the highest quality.


At either level you’ll need to be able to build, maintain and manage strong working relationships with other disciplines within the studio to ensure clarity of vision is maintained across all teams and animation content is on target throughout the whole process. This is a great opportunity for a skilled animator that can also maintain a flexible working practice – showing the ability and willingness to adapt to various animation styles and to take advice from other disciplines and members of the animation team as required.


To apply you’ll need to demonstrate:


  • Good (advanced level if a Senior) knowledge of relevant 3D art & animation packages – in particular Maya, but also 3D Studio, XSI

  • The ability to adapt to various animation styles with emphasis on realistic, human driven animation

  • An understanding of game development – likely to be gained from at least two years relevant experience (four years if senior)

  • Creative thinking

  • Good communication skills – both with other animators as well as other disciplines

  • A demonstrable passion for animation

  • Ability to work as a positive, contributing team member

  • Problem solving skills

  • Demonstrable understanding of the requirements of cinematic sequences – camera positions, what looks good in shots etc

  • If considered at senior level – the ability to advise/train/mentor others in both the tangible (3d packages etc) and non-tangible; (communication skills etc)


Plus if you have the following it would be advantageous:


  • Demonstrable understanding of how 3D packages work – liaising with other 3rd party applications for example unreal or morpheme would be advantageous.

  • Experience / knowledge of skinning & rigging

  • Cinematic knowledge

  • Passion for games
  • Technical background e.g. basic/good scripting/coding abilities


Applying for Animation positions:


For all Animation roles you’ll need to send in a show reel (or link to a webpage) which demonstrates your work. We’re always looking for quality over quantity and the more relevant your work the better i.e. please look at the specific skills the role requires and use your show reel to demonstrate these.


 

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Senior Designer and Designer


We’re looking for both an extremely experienced Senior Designer as well as a talented and driven Designer to join our team. Please note the Designer position is to start from June 2009.


For both positions you’ll need to be comfortable with taking an active part in the wider design creation process as well as having day-to-day responsibility for areas of level design and specific game mechanics. If taken on at a Senior level we’ll be looking to you to support the Lead Designer in ensuring the overall design requirements are met – to quality, schedule and vision – using knowledge of game design development, software/hardware and potential risks. Additionally, an important aspect of your role will be supporting and mentoring more junior members of the team.


At either Senior Designer or Designer level you’ll be implementing sequences of level design ensuring your work is of the highest quality, to schedule and demonstrating understanding of the design vision throughout.


You’ll need to demonstrate flexibility in approach and style, taking on other areas of design – level design, game mechanics, documentation etc with enthusiasm striving for quality and originality at all times.


To apply you’ll need to demonstrate:


  • Knowledge of the game design development process gained from working on multiple shipped titles, ideally of a recognised AAA standard.

  • Strong world editor experience; for example Unreal or Hammer (at least 2-3 years experience at Senior Designer level)

  • Polished communication skills (both written and verbal)

  • Solid understanding of practical mathematics

  • Proven ability to work as an active and positive team member

  • Experience or interest in working with action adventure games

  • 3D experience – at least 1 year at Designer level, more at Senior

  • Strong problem solving skills


In addition to the above if you’d like us to consider you at Senior level you’ll need to demonstrate:


  • Good understanding of the game development process from conception to market

  • Solid understanding of the games development business model

  • Good spatial knowledge


And we'd really like to see at either level (though it's not essential):


  • Degree in Computer Science/English/Engineering/Architecture/Design

  • Scripting experience

  • Maya/Max/XSI experience

  • Experience of Visio

  • Experience of sketch-up


Of course the overriding factor we’ll be considering is each individual’s talent at design – so please ensure your application demonstrates this – additional literature/design documents (your own of course!) is always welcomed – let us see just how talented you are!

 

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Senior / Engine Programmer


We’re looking for an experienced Senior Engine Programmer to play a key role within the team in supporting the Engine system as well as supporting the Lead Engine Programmer in ensuring the overall programming requirements are met – to quality, schedule and within technical specifications – using extensive knowledge of programming development requirements, software/hardware and potential risks. We’re also interested in hearing from those that have some or part of the requirements below to join the Engine team in a less senior role – and if you’re an outstanding Graduate that aspires to work in this area and can demonstrate an understanding in some of the key areas we’d love to hear from you too!


You’ll need to liaise across numerous disciplines working in a demanding and busy environment that looks for the highest quality solutions. The ideal candidate will be both technically proficient and creatively-driven with a keen understanding of what makes a game fun and interesting.


To apply for this role you’ll need to demonstrate:


  • Good C++ background with the ability to rapidly prototype code as well as produce well engineered final code

  • In-depth understanding of working on a next generation platform (PS3 / 360 / DX9 PC / DX10 PC)

  • Good debugging, system design and 3d math skills

  • Great communication skills

  • Highly creative programming talent and love of games

  • Strong analytical abilities

  • Great understanding of the process of level creation

  • In-depth understanding of work requirements on story-driven action adventure games

  • The ability to be a great team-player


We’d also really like to see (though not as essential as the above)


  • Experience of Java / C#

  • Knowledge of PhysX

  • Knowledge of DirectX 9 / DirectX 10 / console graphics API’s

  • Assembly coding skills

  • Low-level console knowledge

  • Proficient with Visual Studio 2005/2008 and Alienbrain version 7.5

  • Unreal 3 experience


 

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Senior / Gameplay Programmer


We’re looking for a talented individual to take responsibility for a specific (major) area or areas of game-play, including designing the architecture, leading the development, documentation and maintenance. We’re also interested in hearing from those that have some or part of the requirements below to join the Gameplay team in a less senior role – and if you’re an outstanding Graduate that aspires to work in this area and can demonstrate an understanding in some of the key areas we’d love to hear from you too!


You’ll support the Lead Gameplay Programmer in ensuring the overall gameplay programming requirements are met – to quality, schedule and within technical specifications – using extensive knowledge of gameplay programming development requirements, software/hardware and potential risks. We’ll also expect you to support and mentor more junior members of the team to ensure team goals are met. The role will require development of code for given requirements of gameplay programming and via the Ninja Theory code review process look to you to guarantee that designs and implementation attain expected standards.


As a senior member of the team you’ll need to build, maintain and manage strong working relationships with other disciplines within the studio to ensure understanding of current requirements is maintained across all teams. This includes working with animation, art and audio to ensure that their output is transferred into the game as well as defining assets required for particular problems. We’ll also expect you to demonstrate a strong understanding of how the Design team fits within the development cycle and the importance of a close working relationship between the Gameplay and Design teams.


The successful applicant will also need to ensure they maintain both a detailed view of Gameplay programming tasks worked on as well as a bigger picture view of the whole pipeline to ensure problem solving when required is both adept and long-term in view. We’ll want you to take more complex/large/group wide problems and proactively test and troubleshoot both your own and more junior members of work and fix as required.


To apply for the role you’ll need to demonstrate:


  • A good C++ background with the ability to rapidly prototype code as well as produce well engineered final code.

  • In-depth understanding of working on a next generation platform (PS3/Xbox 360/DX9 PC/DX10 PC)

  • Good debugging, system design and 3D math skills

  • In-depth knowledge of all aspects of games development. Proven by experience of working on at least two released titles and at least five years industry experience

  • In-depth understanding of the development of story-driven action adventure games

  • Strong analytical abilities

  • Excellent communication skills

  • Demonstrable highly creative programming talent and love of games

  • A great team-player


We’d also like to see (though not essential):


  • Experience of Java/C#

  • Knowledge of PhysX/Havok

  • Knowledge of DirectX 9/DirectX 10/Console graphics API’s

  • Assembly coding skills

  • Low-level console experience

  • Unreal 3 experience

  • At least one shipped title as a Senior Programmer

  • Some previous management experience such as mentoring more junior members of staff

  • Educated to degree level in an analytical subject such as Maths or Computer Science.


 

 

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Working at Ninja Theory

 

All positions at Ninja Theory come with excellent benefits that include:

 

  • Competitive salary

  • Private health insurance

  • Optional contributory pension scheme

  • A bonus scheme

  • 23 days holiday (excluding bank holidays) rising with each year of service to a maximum of 33

  • Childcare Vouchers - Salary sacrifice scheme

  • A fun yet professional working environment

Although we don’t have any other active vacancies at the moment we're always interested in hearing from highly talented, enthusiastic and quality focused people in all disciplines. So if you think you have what it takes to be a Ninja, then why not send your application in!

 

To apply for any of the vacancies listed here or for any other queries please contact the HR Manager at jobs@ninjatheory.com

 

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