[Hiring] UI Designer II @Owlchemy Labs

Owls in this role design and implement new interactions and features for XR experiences in and out of engine.

Responsibilities:

• Contribute to the entire design and development process, from initial research and brainstorming to visual design, engineering hand-off, polish, and delivery.
• Understand user needs and advocate for the improvement of existing features in collaboration with project leadership.
• Build wireframes and prototypes as needed.
• Conceptualize diegetic UI/UX for physical interactions in VR spaces.
• Create 2D art assets (vector and raster, icons, emojis, interfaces, high-fidelity mockups and layouts, and other 2D elements) based on production direction and game design, while ensuring consistency with existing in-game assets.
• Operate semi-autonomously on specific features with semi-frequent quality checks.
• Modify UI assets and user flows for accessibility, based on player feedback.
• Adhere to best practices, development processes, and art standards.
• Assist in implementing and importing in-progress and completed assets into the engine.
• Collaborate with Project Owners to ensure tasking meets milestones, providing accurate estimates, progress updates, and notice of potential setbacks.

Requirements

• Outstanding visual design and communication skills

• Solid graphic design background with a working understanding of the psychological principles underlying layout, typeface, color theory, illustration, etc.
• Proficiency in creating high-quality 2D art assets (raster and vector) across various styles using industry-standard tools
• Working knowledge of UX design fundamentals and usability principles
• Experience with interactive media. Has worked on interactive experiences and understands the specific needs that interactive work requires
• Experience working with a team that produces 3D content. Knows the limitations and caveats of 3D content 
• Knowledge and passion for interaction design and design systems
• Ability to use a data-informed approach to complement design thinking

Required Education and Experience:

• High School Diploma or Equivalent 
• Two years of related experience doing UI work

Preferred Education and Experience:

• Experience with Unity or a similar game engine
• 4+ years working in interactive media, especially doing UI work
• A solid traditional art background
• Appreciation of puns (or at least the ability to groan at them)

Physical Requirements: 

• Owls must be able to use virtual reality headsets but are not expected to own one.

Position Salary: 

• Salary range for this role is $85,000 - $105,000 USD/year

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work: 

This is a full-time, work from home, 40-hours per week position. Core hours of work are Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. CT. 

Travel:

For Owls working outside of the Austin, TX area, travel to Austin may be required 4 to 6 times per year.  

For Everyone:

We care about creating “VR for Everyone” - and that includes creating a welcoming workplace for everyone. 

Owlchemy provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. 

Other Skills and Responsibilities:

This job description doesn’t cover or contain a comprehensive listing of everything you might do at Owlchemy. As a small team of wildly talented individuals, we encourage career growth, exploration, and the wearing of many hats. As such, roles and responsibilities are collaborative and may change or evolve over time based on our needs and your particular skill set.

Benefits

• 20 days of vacation
• Unlimited sick days
• School loan repayment assistance
• New parent benefits
• Health/Dental/Vision Plans
• Retirement Plan

About the company

Owlchemy Labs is an XR studio with a passion for polished, playful VR games and experiences.

Founded in 2010 and based out of Austin, TX, we believe that natural, spatial interactions make virtual reality the ultimate destination for new forms of gameplay and immersion. We love building experiences for everyone: oozing with style, absurdly funny, and with ground-breaking accessibility to bring more joy to more people.

Acquired by Google in 2017, Owlchemy continues to share its pioneering experiments and VR best practices through blog posts, white papers, and talks around the globe to improve VR for Everyone.