Contract Lead Character Artist

• Drive visual quality and consistency across character assets, including upgrades to existing content
• Define, document, and uphold character art standards across the project
• Lead by example through hands-on asset creation and problem solving
• Provide clear, actionable feedback and critique (artistic + technical) to internal and external artists
• Establish and refine character workflows and pipelines to support scalable production
• Collaborate with technical teams to ensure assets meet performance and engine requirements
• Communicate regularly with internal teams and external partners, including presentations and reviews
• Create documentation, visual targets, and reference materials to support alignment
• Evaluate and integrate MetaHuman style workflows where appropriate within production pipelines

Requirements

• 10+ years in game development, with 3+ years in a Lead Character Artist role
• Shipped multiple AAA titles, including experience improving or modernizing existing character assets
• Strong understanding of character production pipelines (modeling, materials, optimization, real-time constraints)
• Strong anatomical knowledge and understanding of deformation for animation with a strong emphasis on Facial Anatomy and facial blend shapes FACS
• Expert proficiency in ZBrush, Maya/Max (or equivalent), and modern texturing workflows (Substance, Quixel, etc.)
• Experience working in Unreal Engine (preferred) or other real-time engines
• Proven ability to balance visual quality with performance budgets and production timelines
• Excellent communication skills, including presenting work and aligning cross-discipline teams
• Portfolio demonstrating high-quality, realistic character work

Extra Credit

• Experience with MetaHuman and adapting it within production pipelines
• Experience upgrading or remastering legacy character assets for modern platforms
• Familiarity with scan data and photoreal character workflows
• Experience working on live-service titles
• Understanding of motion and how it informs character design