Midway Austin is Hiring Leads
Midway Games Inc. is a leading developer, publisher, and marketer of interactive entertainment software. The Austin studio currently has openings for producers, an associate producer, one QA Lead, and one Tech Director.
Please apply via Midway's website.
Midway Games is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation or any other classification protected by Federal, State or local law.
Associate Producer
Midway Games is looking for an Associate Producer to assist the project Producer with an emphasis on coordinating external deliverables and the PC sku.
The Associate Producer will:
- Plan and maintain project schedules; working with internal and external development teams, Quality Assurance, and other business teams to coordinate delivery of project milestones.
- Facilitate communication among team members and departments to maintain consistent product vision.
- Direct the day-to-day work of all assigned team members.
- Assist in the creation, organization, and maintenance of the project’s document and asset filing systems.
- Work with the project Producer to maintain the project budget.
- Communicate with hardware manufacturers, licensors, and contractors.
- Coordinate with the legal department regarding licensing and contracting issues.
- Be reliable, consistent, motivated, and dependable.
- Be effective in verbal and written communication concerning project status.
- Be flexible and eager to do the little things that keep the team moving forward.
- Assist in maintaining a positive team morale and productive work environment.
- Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of video game market trends, patterns and customer requirements in both the U.S. and foreign markets.
- Participate in the post-mortem process.
The ideal candidate will have:
- Experience with Windows XP, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Project 2000
- One to three years producing experience
- Proven success in taking games from concept through ship on either console or PC: at least two projects serving in any role and at least one PC project serving primarily a production role.
- Strong organizational, communication, and problem solving skills.
- Knowledge of the localization, submission, and build processes.
- Knowledge of the QA and compatibility processes of developing a PC project.
- A team player’s attitude and be a self starter.
- Game savvy, particularly online, multiplayer gaming.
- A college degree is preferred
- Project management training from a recognized educational or certification program is preferred.
Lead QA Analyst
Midway Games Inc. is looking for a Lead QA Analyst.
As the leader of a QA project, the Lead Quality Assurance Analyst is responsible for implementing Midway's quality processes. The Lead Quality Assurance Analyst works closely with Production and Development to deliver consumer console games that exhibit high quality gameplay and execution. The Lead Quality Assurance Analyst analyzes the project's quality requirements through project documentation and discussions with Producers and Developers, and then develops Quality Plans and Test Matrices. In addition, the Lead Quality Assurance Analyst supports the activities of the QA team by providing leadership and structure to the overall project as well as task assignments to focus and direct testers' daily and weekly activities.
The Lead Quality Assurance Analyst is accountable for assisting the QA Supervisor in assessing the skill, commitment and effort levels among the QA team.
The Lead Quality Assurance Analyst:
- Is responsible for leading a team to find all standards-related and functional issues that could prevent approval of a game SKU by a console certification group.
- Provides direction and guidance to a QA team, including product testing analysts as well as technical standards analysts
- Applies effective QA methodologies and best practices to help ensure the highest possible quality with maximum efficiency
- Works with QA Supervisor to plan the testing strategies and tactics on a project and to determine appropriate team size and equipment requirements according to project requirements.
- Works with the QA Supervisor to schedule and receive required project materials and documentation such as GDDs and MDDs, "first playable" releases, alpha releases, beta releases, fix releases, etc.
- Works with the QA Supervisor to create a comprehensive, effective and detailed Quality Plan and Test
- Works with QA Supervisor to design and implement a project's bug tracking database
- Reviews all reports and database entries generated by the QA team and ensures that they meet department standards
- Maintains integrity of the defect tracking database
- Regularly communicates project status to QA management as well as upper management
- Takes action to address any and all team attendance, behavior and performance related issues, and reports them to QA management
- Tests video games
Requirements:
- The ability to provide leadership, structure and guidance to a QA team
- Excellent communication skills including but not limited to the ability to communicate effectively with developers and other employees including executives; ability to write detailed reports and correspondence, etc
- The ability to interpret, analyze and evaluate a variety of technical instructions and documents
- The ability to define problems, recommend solutions and implement those solutions in a resourceful manner
- Strong time management skills with proven ability to meet deadlines
- A comprehensive understanding of one or more operating systems or platforms
- The ability to work as a team player and interact with other department personnel
- The ability to deal successfully with change
- The ability to travel from time to time
- Two years experience in a leadership, supervisory or management role
- Associate or Bachelor's degree or equivalent, preferably in a technical field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience
- A high level of proficiency with video game consoles
- The ability to utilize computer-based applications and tools such as MS Word, MS Excel, FTP, etc.
Producer
Midway Studios Austin is looking for an experienced game producer to ensure the on time and on budget creation of high quality licensed software entertainment products. The Producer will monitor, coordinate, and drive all aspects of the development process for multiple simultaneous projects including external development, testing, marketing, sales, legal issues, localization issues, and project scheduling/tracking.
The ideal candidate will have produced at least 10 game titles from inception to shipping, including 4 titles which have shipped over 1 million units, and at least 3 of which were based on teen and pre-teen licenses. He/she will have excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to negotiate complex agreements involving large cash advances, royalties and intellectual property rights. He/she will be able to organize, prioritize and manage multiple tasks. He/she will have a bachelor’s degree and 8 years of production and project management experience. He/she will have project management experience from a recognized educational or certification program and be a member of in PMI or a similar professional association.
Frequent foreign travel will be required; applicants must have a valid passport.
The producer will:
- Manage day to day development issues, attempting to predict and avoid problems, while being prepared to troubleshoot and provide conflict resolution as needed.
- Manage project budgets, balancing game features with resources and timeline.
- Understand, refine, and monitor adherence to licensed brand equity and product vision. Provide input for the design of games from concept through final tuning.
- Manage multiple titles simultaneously by shifting priorities from one project to another as required.
- Review and analyze all documents, task lists, schedules, milestones, and interim builds from developers. Create and modify schedules as needed.
- Review practicality of game design and technical design documents. Review milestone deliveries to ensure quality and consistency with design and licensed brand.
- Facilitate communication among internal departments and between external developer and internal departments.
- Develop and maintain good relationships with platform manufacturers and IP licensors.
- Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of video game market trends and customer requirements in the U.S. and abroad.
- Source highly talented external resources to supplement all aspects of development.
- Provide mentorship for Assistant and Associate Producers.
- Review testing documentation and overall quality assurance process.
- Participate in post mortem review process to improve processes.
- Participate in product demonstrations and press interviews as needed.
- Travel and/or work at remote site as required.
Producer – Line
Midway Studios Austin is looking for an experienced game producer to ensure the on time and on budget creation of high quality licensed software entertainment products. The Producer will monitor, coordinate, and drive all aspects of the development process for multiple simultaneous projects including external development, testing, marketing, sales, legal issues, localization issues, and project scheduling/tracking.
The ideal candidate will have produced at least 10 game titles from inception to shipping, including 4 titles which have shipped over 1 million units, and at least 3 of which were based on teen and pre-teen licenses. He/she will have excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to negotiate complex agreements involving large cash advances, royalties and intellectual property rights. He/she will be able to organize, prioritize and manage multiple tasks. He/she will have a bachelor's degree and 8 years of production &project management experience. He/she will have project management experience from a recognized educational or certification program and be a member of in PMI or a similar professional association.
Frequent foreign travel will be required; applicants must have a valid passport.
The producer will:
- Manage day to day development issues, attempting to predict and avoid problems, while being prepared to troubleshoot and provide conflict resolution as needed.
- Manage project budgets, balancing game features with resources and timeline.
- Understand, refine, and monitor adherence to licensed brand equity and product vision. Provide input for the design of games from concept through final tuning.
- Manage multiple titles simultaneously by shifting priorities from one project to another as required.
- Review and analyze all documents, task lists, schedules, milestones, and interim builds from developers. Create and modify schedules as needed.
- Review practicality of game design and technical design documents. Review milestone deliveries to ensure quality and consistency with design and licensed brand.
- Facilitate communication among internal departments and between external developer and internal departments.
- Develop and maintain good relationships with platform manufacturers and IP licensors.
- Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of video game market trends and customer requirements in the U.S. and abroad.
- Source highly talented external resources to supplement all aspects of development.
- Provide mentorship for Assistant and Associate Producers.
- Review testing documentation and overall quality assurance process.
- Participate in post mortem review process to improve processes.
- Participate in product demonstrations and press interviews as needed.
- Travel and/or work at remote site as required.
Technical Director
Midway Games Inc. is looking for a Technical Director.
Previous Experience:
- 10+ years game industry or related programming experience.
- 5+ years Lead Programmer experience.
- A history of developing software architecture and TDD's.
- A history of shipping commercially successful products.
Description:
Directs and controls the activities of a large staff of programmers and
software engineers involved in product development. Accountable for ongoing
assessment of programming needs and deploying sufficient resources to meet
agreed upon objectives, schedules and budges at the highest level of quality.
Takes ultimate responsibility for all software developed by company.
Essential Functions:
- Identifies, creates and implements the official company-wide standards of technical quality.
- Implements and maintains procedures for achieving company-wide quality standards.
- Reviews all Technical Design Documents (TDD's) and programming schedules for projects.
- Directs a staff of Senior and Lead Programmers, and ensures their ongoing training and development.
- Manages the Lead Programmers and the Technology Department.
- Assigns and monitors work of programming personnel.
- Assures that all programming personnel are properly qualified, trained and supervised to perform their jobs effectively.
- Negotiates with highest levels of management on most sensitive time, budget and software functionality trade-offs.
- Works with executive staff and Leads to determine resource allocations for new projects.
- Prioritizes programming resource allocations as needed for projects in development.
- Makes final decision on proposed additions and terminations on all programming staff.
- Works with executive staff to maintain an environment conducive to high productivity.
Skills and Abilities:
- Demonstrated competency in all of the following specialties, with an expertise in more than one: physics, 3D graphics/rendering, audio, game logic, AI, cameras, networking, creature animation and game tools.
- A demonstrated command of applicable programming languages and a thorough knowledge of software design practices including modularity documentation, event-driven architecture, object-oriented design, graphics and animation techniques, interface design practices, portability, extensibility and testability.
- Demonstrated expertise in the creating of best software practices.
- Demonstrated ability to solve complex code problems efficiently.
- Demonstrated experience in building new software technology.
- Self-starter, analytical, creative, highly motivated and has a visionary spirit.
- Strong leadership skills in terms of identifying and communicating goals and risks to the team.
- Team play with strong influencing skills.
- Proven track record of success as it relates to the full lifecycle of product development, launch and revenue success.
Posted by KainShin on June 11, 2006 12:35 AM
