MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
What differentiates your studio from other developers?
Reflections is one the longest-running game development studios in the UK, with a heritage of over 30 years. We’ve contributed to the development of some of Ubisoft’s biggest games such as Tom Clancy’s The Division, Watch Dogs 2 and most recently Far Cry 5. However, we also remain committed to creating smaller experimental titles as well as innovating on vehicle design and development. It’s the variety of activities we have at our studio that sets us apart from other game developers. What’s even better is we’re now operating across two different locations – our Reflections studio in Newcastle and our newly opened Ubisoft Leamington studio.
How many staff are you looking to take on?
We’re currently expanding our teams quite substantially and so we’re looking to recruit new talent across all job disciplines. We have a strong focus on growing our environment art teams in both Newcastle and Leamington Spa as well as recruiting art, design and engineering leads. Over the next 12 months, we plan to add 70-80 new people across both studios.
Research our history, research our games
Craig Pearn, Reflections
What perks are available to staff working at your studio?
We believe in making life both easy and enjoyable for our staff and so we offer a comprehensive package of employee benefits. Everyone that joins Reflections will receive or have access to 25 days of annual leave plus one ‘Hassle Free Day’, maternity and paternity support, private medical care, relocation packages for new recruits and a wellbeing allowance for fitness and wellbeing activities.
Our social club organises and pays for external events such as snowboarding, rally car driving and trips to local attractions. We’ve also just introduced a new sabbatical programme called Press Pause, which allows team members to request 1-3 months of time off after 5 years of service. We also provide free fruit, tea and coffee in the studios, as well as a selection of bread and cereals so our teams can start their day on a full stomach – we know that the little things matter too!
What should aspiring developers do with their CV to get an interview?
Always make sure your CV is updated and includes working links to any of your online sites and your portfolio, correct dates of employment and list your responsibilities. I like to receive a covering letter with every application to tell me about your motivation for applying and a little bit of background about you as a person.
What advice would you give for an interview at your studio?
Research our history, research our games and make sure you have read the job description and have a clear understanding. Also, be yourself – we want people that join us to be comfortable being themselves. We like our interviews to be as informal as possible and we try to have some fun in the process so we can get to know the individuals we are meeting.
I recently interviewed a junior programmer who really impressed me. Throughout the recruitment process, this person performed exceptionally demonstrating good knowledge and strong potential. Over and above that though, what I liked was his ambition to progress. He chose Reflections as he recognised that the opportunity to work alongside a senior team would help him evolve to the next level in his career more rapidly.
If you have recruited internationally, what is the process like?
We consider ourselves a diverse studio, with staff from over 20 countries working with us. In the last six months, we’ve recruited people from the US, South Korea, Canada, Russia and across Europe but the process is the same for any candidate. We take responsibility for the immigration process if required and are on hand every step of the way to answer questions and offer support. We really try to take away as much of the stress as possible during a time that can be challenging, especially for those with families.
Why should developers join you when indie development is so accessible in the games industry?
Reflections opened its doors over 30 years ago. It’s a well-established studio with a secure future where people can evolve and grow. We pride ourselves on growing careers here at Reflections, while giving our employees a huge amount of creative freedom to support their growth.
CURRENTLY HIRING
Company: Reflections, A Ubisoft Studio
Location: Newcastle, Leamington Spa
Hiring: Artists, design, production, QA and more
Where to apply:http://reflections.ubisoft.com/careers/
