Job description
Crystal Dynamics is constantly seeking the best gaming talent worldwide to add to our 30-plus year legacy of game development creating new and iconic franchises. We are committed to making great games with great people and living the dream while doing it.
Benefits for our regular full-time positions include, but are not limited to, a competitive regional salary, 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance options, professional development reimbursement, flexible hybrid on-site/off-site work opportunities, company paid holidays, plus additional paid days in December when the studio is closed for holiday break, and the ability to accrue additional paid time-off.
Join us and shape the future of an amazing studio culture committed to creating award-winning franchises like Tomb Raider, the next Perfect Dark, and more!
An Art Lead oversees the in-game art for the project. You will play a central role in the development and execution of the game’s visual style in addition to managing the collaboration with vendors and outsourcers, making sure their contributions meet our visual and technical standards. Your technical expertise, leadership and collaboration will be vital in guiding internal teams, external co-developers and vendors.
As Art Lead, you will:
- Provide clear and concise feedback to internal and external teams to ensure alignment with the studio’s quality standards, technical requirements, and artistic vision.
- Develop and maintain comprehensive documentation, such as style guides and technical specifications, to foster consistent and efficient communication.
- Be proficient in Unreal Engine and able to be a contributor; refine final art assets in industry-standard software and import them into Unreal Engine.
- Collaborate with the Art Director and internal directors to define and carry out the game’s overall visual style.
- Manage the outsourcing pipeline, including identifying and onboarding external vendors, defining the scope of work, providing feedback and art direction, and ensuring the delivery of high-quality assets.
- Handle vendor contract negotiations, pinpointing costs and deliverables, seeking the nod from legal and finance during this phase, and later supervising the allocated budgets.
- Actively screen and interview prospective vendors to align with the outsourcing needs of the team.
- Mentor and provide feedback to artists, enhancing their skills and helping them reach their full potential.
- Stay updated on industry trends and participate in cross-discipline discussions to refine designs and techniques.
To be considered for this role, we require the following:
- Experience as a senior / lead game artist, having contributed to or have significant understanding of high-quality in-game art in various disciplines (concept art, environment art, lighting, character art, etc.) for a current or next-gen PC/console release.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to provide clear feedback and art direction.
- Proficiency with industry-specific tools such as Maya, Max, Substance Painter, Unreal 5, Houdini, Blender.
- Proficiency in Project Management Software such as Confluence, Miro or Jira.
- An understanding of the technical constraints of commercial game engines.
- A strong portfolio showcasing a strong understanding of high-fidelity, photorealistic creation within a core area of game development, ie. weapons/gadgets, environment, lighting, characters, etc.
- Able and willing to regularly meet with varied development teams located in worldwide time zones.
Preference will be given to candidates who have:
- Experience working on third-person action-adventure games or similar genres.
- Experience managing outsourcing pipelines and collaborating with external vendors.
- Proficiency in Unreal Engine.
- Eagerness to work with external vendors.
- In-depth grasp of contract discussions, budgeting, and asset supervision.
It’ll be a bonus if you also have:
- Shipped a AAA title in a Lead / Senior role.
- Desire to mentor as well as produce art.
The pay range for this role includes the annual base salary, not including bonus and the generous benefits package that Crystal Dynamics provides all full-time employees. Individual compensation is determined by work location within our approved states or regions, as well as additional factors, including job related skills, experience, and relevant education.
Your recruiter will be able to share more information about total compensation.
Pay Range (United States)
$110,000—$144,000 USD
Pay Range (Canada)
$115,000—$161,000 CAD
Not sure if you are qualified? We hope that you will still choose to apply so we may review your application!
Please be advised that our company is aware of scammers impersonating us, and we assure you that all legitimate communication will come from the official Crystal Dynamics email address domain “@crystald.com” or will be an automated response from our applicant tracking system using “[email protected]”. If you have any concerns about the validity of a message from our staff, feel free to contact us.
For more information on how to avoid scams like this please see our Jobs Scams & Phishing Attempts help page, or visit the FTC website .
Crystal Dynamics is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to identifying and implementing positive and persistent measures to ensure equal opportunity in the recruitment, hiring, development, training, promotion and compensation of a diverse team employee group. This includes persons of different race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender identity or gender expression, pregnancy, breastfeeding or medical conditions related to breastfeeding, genetic characteristic, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, medical condition, political affiliation, age, veteran status, uniform service member status, marital status, physical or mental disability, or citizenship, as well as any other classifications protected by applicable federal, state or local laws. Crystal Dynamics is committed to providing reasonable accommodations in accordance with applicable laws. If you require any accommodations, please notify us at your earliest convenience during the interview process.
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