Critical Path Games is a community of veteran game developers committed to discovering the next major video game genre. This vision goes beyond creating “fast follow” games or betting on an underserved audience play; instead, our aim is to deliver an innovative and novel gaming experience for players worldwide. With a proven track record of bringing multiple AAA, globally appealing, award-winning games to market, we’re now refining our approach to achieve even greater impact.
Our studio is based in Burnaby, BC. We are a team that works together, in-office, every day. Please note that we will not be considering candidates interested in fully remote or hybrid setups for this role. Working on-site to create extremely fast iteration loops and open pathways for communication and feedback is critical to this role and a core part of our company’s strategy.
The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in creating high-quality 3D models, a strong understanding of set design and layout, and a keen eye for detail. This artist ideally will also contribute to character modeling, as well as crafting detailed melee weapons and props. If you have a passion for creating stylized art, while maintaining a high level of believability, and enjoy working in a collaborative development environment, we’d love to hear from you.
Salary:
Critical Path Games uses a set salary system where compensation is determined by seniority, not discipline, and is non-negotiable. We believe this promotes fairness and transparency, and reflects that all disciplines are essential to the development of great video games. Additionally, it reduces the opportunity for bias in the hiring process as it focuses on qualifications instead of personal negotiation skills. We believe that this role could successfully be filled by a mid or senior candidate and, as such, the successful candidate will receive an offer in-line with their background.
This is a full-time, contract position (4-6 months) and will be pro-rated based on the following annual salaries.
- Mid Developer – $125,000 CAD / year
- Senior Developer – $150,000 CAD / year
How to Apply:
For questions or to apply, please contact: jobs@critpath.com
Key Responsibilities – Environment:
● Create and implement 3D assets: models (organic and hard‑surface), textures, materials, and terrain aligned with concept art, reference material, and feedback from playtests that support a dark fantasy world—rich in tone, grounded in history, and full of atmosphere.
● Layout and populate environments: scatter assets, set-dress scenes, and build immersive worlds using storytelling through scenery that compliments our bespoke gameplay scenarios and narrative.
● Iterate based on feedback: present assets in-progress, respond to art and design reviews, refi ne aesthetics and technical fit.
● Ensure engine compatibility and optimization: manage polygon counts, LODs, UVs, memory budgets, and performance to maintain playable frame rates.
Additional Responsibilities:
● As a small team, we’re especially interested in working with strong generalists in all disciplines. An ideal candidate would also be able to contribute 3D models beyond environments: assist with modeling weapons, props, and character assets in a stylized dark fantasy aesthetic, ensuring each asset enhances the mood and logic of the world.
Qualifications:
● 3+ years of experience in 3D asset modeling for video games or related industries.
● Proficiency in 3D modeling software like Blender, ZBrush, or Maya (regardless of previous experience, you will be working in Blender. We understand there may be an onboarding curve)
● Proficiency with texturing tools such as Substance Painter, Photoshop, or Quixel Suite.
● Ability to work within a PBR (Physically Based Rendering) workflow.
● Experience using game engines like Unreal Engine or Unity for asset integration.
● Strong grasp of art fundamentals: fundamentals of art history and architecture, colour theory, composition, scale, spatial awareness, lighting, and form.
● Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to work both independently and collaboratively.
Bonus Qualifications:
● Knowledge of shader creation and material setups within game engines.
● Skilled in creating clean, animation-ready topology and UV layouts.
● Solid understanding of rigging principles and how they impact character modeling.
● Passion for storytelling through character and environmental design.
Company Culture:
Our team is united by a shared approach to work: one that values collective success, embraces iteration, and approaches every challenge with curiosity and a love for games. Ideal candidates for this role will resonate with the following statements:
● Collaborative Team Player: You thrive in a small, in-person work environment, defaulting to a “team-first” mindset that prioritizes the goals and needs of the larger organization over individual preferences. You are eager to participate in creative discussions and help shape the look and feel of the world.
● Resilient & Adaptive: You are flexible and proactive, comfortable in the fast-moving environment of pre-production, where ideas are shared openly and iteration is embraced.
● Humble & Curious: You value deep collaboration and are open to learning about new perspectives or approaches, debating ideas, and adapting strategies based on feedback and industry trends.
● Video Game Awareness: You are actively aware of current trends in video games, both artistic and gameplay oriented. You have a genuine passion for games and their players and want to help shape what’s possible and meaningful in the medium.