Senior Game Sound Designer

The Senior Game Sound Designer leads the team in designing and integrating sound assets in games. He/She is responsible for liaising with various production teams in order to plan required technical specifications to achieve the creative vision of the games. He supervises the design of sound assets and editing processes to ensure the final sound assets are aligned with the overall creative vision of the game. He is also responsible for the overall project management of sound assets development, ensuring that sound assets are delivered within stipulated project timelines, budgets and other technical specifications of the game. He is expected to work primarily indoors in an editing studio, however he may be required to travel depending on the production's requirements. He is an expert in operating audio middleware solutions and effects plug-ins in order to resolve issues during production. He should have a keen sense of imagination and a creative flair for story telling as well as an understanding of the non-linear story format of games. He needs to have an expert knowledge in sound recording and editing processes, techniques and workflows. He ought to be able to manage projects and lead teams effectively. He should possess the ability to understand various perspectives in order to communicate and negotiate with internal and external stakeholders as well as production teams.

Skills and Competencies

Technical Skills & Competencies

Audio Programming
Proficiency Level
"Develop programs to support the audio asset pipeline and to implement specific audio components within a game."
3
"Design algorithms for game sound effects and lead the development of programs to implement game audio."
4
Game Sound Integration
Proficiency Level
"Manage the integration of all sound elements in gaming engines to enhance the gaming experience."
4
"Oversee the architecture of game sound integration to ensure optimisation across platforms and projects."
5
Sound Design and Creation
Proficiency Level
Develop the overall sound concepts based on the creative vision of the content.
5
Sound Editing
Proficiency Level
"Review final sound edits to ensure they meet creative and technical requirements."
4
"Lead teams to direct soundscape of production and create sound edits that portray desired sonic effects."
5
Sound Mixing
Proficiency Level
"Review the balance of sound elements to craft sound mixes that enhance the narratives and moods of production."
4
"Lead the conceptualisation of sound mixes needed to combine all sound elements in production."
5

Generic Skills & Competencies

Resource Management
Proficiency Level
Use resources to ensure optimum and efficient use of resources.
Basic
Communication
Proficiency Level
"Negotiate with others to address issues and achieve mutual consensus."
Advanced
Leadership
Proficiency Level
Lead by example at team level. Encourage and guide others to adopt a point of view, make changes or take action. Provide a team environment that facilitates relationships building, teamwork and the development of others.
Intermediate
Creative Thinking
Proficiency Level
Create original applications or ideas to reveal new possibilities and reshape goals through high level of innovativeness.
Advanced
Teamwork
Proficiency Level
Facilitate work team activities, provide assistance and support needed by team members and promote ownership and commitment among team members to work goals to improve team performance.
Intermediate

Critical Work Functions and Key Tasks

Define sound requirements

• Understand the creative vision of the game and technical specifications required by participating in concept meetings with production 
teams 
• Propose detailed sound requirements needed for every interaction and hook to enhance the game experience 
• Conceptualise plans to design new sounds which are not available in sound libraries 
• Develop the sound integration action plans and timelines

Create sound assets

• Identify the key qualities of the game that influence the sound design including story, location, characters, environment, creatures, 
vehicles and weapons 
• Create asset sheet and sound design document with sound requirements detailed into categories of sound effects, voices, ambient 
sound and music based on various hooks in the game
• Oversee the creation and collation of sound assets via existing libraries, voice-overs, foley, or external vendors for new compositions
• Advise on the creative and technical quality requirements of the sound for asset creation sessions
• Resolve problems during on-site and studio sound recording by providing alternative solutions 

Integrate sound assets to games

• Review sound assets to select layers used for sound editing
• Provide clear instructions on the required range and extent of required edits to the team
• Propose options to resolve final sound edit issues as required
• Supervise creative and technical quality checks on final drafts to align sound assets with visuals in the games
• Revise hooks and sound edits to improve the overall game experience by collaborating with production teams
• Optimise file sizes against requirements by collaborating with production teams

Organise digital storage of sound assets

• Create scalable sound system to improve efficiencies of sound integration in games by collaborating with production teams
• Develop file structures and naming conventions to organise digital storage
• Conduct checks to adhere to copyright clearances for sound materials used

Manage teams and/or departments

• Communicate common goals, direction and accountability among staff
• Develop staff by coaching, mentoring and engaging in career discussions
• Display effective performance management practices within department in accordance with organisation policies and procedures 
• Monitor budgets, forecasting, work allocations and staffing of the various departments 

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