Lead Character Artist

 Deck Nine Games is currently hiring a remote Lead Character Artist to help us create memorable characters for an unannounced AAA adventure game.

Could this be you? Well, are you an artist who radiates passion, talent, and an unquenchable curiosity about the human form? Do you want the camera to linger on your character’s faces, as the furrowing of the brow or the clenching of the jaw communicates everything? Do you hunger to lead a team of concept and character artists, inspiring them to bond tightly and produce amazing work? If so, then you are the right person for the job! The ideal candidate has years of experience and is fully versed in low and high poly modeling, normal mapping and texturing. We’re making story-first games, so if you want the world to see your characters up close and personal, this is the job for you. This is a full-time, remote position, or can be on site at our studio in Westminster, Colorado.

Responsibilities:

• Work with studio Art Director and Game Director to design and create cinematic-quality characters
• Train, mentor and lead a team of concept and character artists 
• Create the highest level of character assets for an upcoming console title
• Be able to work quickly and efficiently while adhering to the established art direction
• Excellent work ethic, self-motivation, and able to accept constructive criticism and art direction
• Excellent communication and organizational skills
• Willingness to learn new methods and techniques for asset creation
• Ability to adapt to new art styles
• Maintain a balance of realism and stylization throughout the creation process

• Provide a link to a portfolio of your work in the application.
• Enough years of experience to be able to deliver stylized realistic characters that radiate life and personality
• Experience leading a diverse team of artists
• Ability to critically assess the work of others and communicate clearly what’s needed to improve the work
• Fluency in Maya and Z-Brush
• Proven ability to create believable characters that radiate life and personality
• A developed understanding of anatomy and proportions
• A good attitude and a willingness to take direction and criticism
• AAA shipped game experience
• Proficiency creating 3d assets using Zbrush and Maya
• Proficiency creating 2d artwork in Photoshop or Substance
• Solid understanding of artistic fundamentals such as light, color, and composition
• Solid understanding of the human form, proportions, and mechanics 

Benefits

• Competitive salary depending on experience
• Generous vacation time and paid parental leave
• Health insurance for you and your family at a low cost to you
• Dental and Vision insurance for you and your family at NO cost to you
• Life and Disability benefits at NO cost to you
• Optional Flexible Spending Account (including Healthcare and Limited Purpose), Dependent Care Account, and Health Savings Account available
• Optional Supplemental Health and Life Insurance
• 401(k) Plan with an Employer Match
• Growth opportunities for your career

Salary Range: DOE

We are not able to sponsor visas.

About Deck Nine

Here at Deck Nine Games our passion is storytelling games. We are an independent game developer dedicated to crafting AAA interactive story games that inspire, transform, and entertain players. In 2021 we released Life is Strange True Colors, which went on to win multiple awards for storytelling and visuals, including best storytelling for 2021 and a VGA for Games for Impact. Recently we announced that we are developing a game for the hit sci-fi Amazon series, The Expanse. Our prior titles have won multiple awards, including Game of the Year and nominations for VGA and BAFTA awards. The studio is 100+ amazing people both located in our headquarters in sunny Westminster, Colorado and spread throughout the world permanently remote.

As the crafters of stories that encompass the full breadth of life’s experiences, Deck Nine is committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and multicultural team in which people from all walks of life feel inspired to do their best work. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and believe deeply in the creativity and strength built from diversity of race, religion, disability, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, nationality, and the many other qualities that make us different.

If this sounds appealing to you, please apply now!