Synthesis

Remote (North/South American Timezones)

Synthesis makes team thinking games that turn kids into effective decision-makers and communicators. Our co-founder Josh developed the concept for Synthesis when he was director of SpaceX’s Ad Astra school. We are seeking an experienced 2D Game Artist / Animator to help us create world-class collaborative problem-solving video games.

The individual filling this role will work on creating art and animation assets for multi-participant web-based games that bring together children and teens from all around the world. You will help define the style, quality, and gamefeel for a variety of games. We are looking to establish an eclectic portfolio across a range of styles, and we are especially eager for candidates with small studio experience. If you are a self-starter who enjoys working in a fast-paced, collaborative environment, then we want to talk to you!

Why Making Games At Synthesis Is Different

• Our job is to make compelling, rich games that keep students coming back;
• Our games contain no monetization. Parents pay a subscription to have their kids play with us because they believe in our product. Dev teams don't need to focus on how to make money, they focus on how to provide the best experience for our users;
• We have one of the best platforms in the world for iterating our game designs. We get to see our students playing our games weekly and get their feedback;
• We don't spend years creating something that no one can touch. We launch games quickly and let our users help shape the product along the way;
• We work on different styles and genres constantly. Our goal is to launch 3 or more games per year.
• It's a joy to see the progress students make while playing our games. We're turning them into super-collaborators, one game at a time!

Primary Responsibilities For This Position Include

• Concept, illustrate, and animate all of the art requirements for a given game (we make around 3 games/year). You will have the primary responsibility for the gamefeel and clarity of every screen and interaction;
• Collaborate and iterate quickly with a team of developers, designers, artists, producers, and other Synthesis platform teams;
• Candidly validate your assumptions through regular playtesting with students. Our unique setup allows us to bring kids in on the process much earlier than a market-based platform would allow;
• Create moodboards and concepts to explore the unique aesthetic of each game;
• Our aim is to enable small, powerful production teams (3-5 people) so you should thrive on taking responsibility and pushing for quality.

Job Requirements

Candidates At a Minimum Must Meet The Following

• 3+ years experience in asset/animation development for commercial video game projects;
• A professional portfolio with examples of past commercial games work and a range of styles. Thoughtful, professional quality is the primary criterion so a portfolio link is required;
• A breadth of aesthetics and genres informed by an insatiable curiosity for art, culture, history, science, and storytelling.

Benefits

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive compensation (benchmarked to California regardless of location)
• Meaningful equity (including optional early exercise)
• 100% covered health insurance for you & your dependents (including medical, dental, vision)
• 401(k) plan with company matching
• Flexible time off
• Flexible parental leave
• Some benefits (such as medical and 401k) apply to US employees only.

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