Senior Character Artist Vic/SA/Qld

Keywords Studios Australia; Melbourne; Hybrid; AUD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Keywords Studios is seeking an experienced Character Artist for its Asia Pacific (Australia) operations. You will contribute to the art vision and develop high-quality real-time character assets, working with a multidisciplinary team to translate concepts into polished in-game content.

You will optimise models, textures and shaders for Unreal Engine or Unity, participate in reviews, and mentor junior artists while maintaining pipeline standards and cross-project consistency.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience as a Character Artist in the video game industry with a strong portfolio of real-time assets.
• Strong understanding of 3D software including Maya, Blender, 3ds Max, ZBrush and Substance Painter.
• Expertise in modelling, sculpting, UV mapping, texturing, anatomy, form, colour theory and material creation.
• Experience creating optimized assets for Unreal Engine or Unity in real-time environments.
• Ability to work across multidisciplinary teams and adapt artistic styles to project needs.
• Knowledge of game development pipelines and asset quality control.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the art vision for characters and produce assets aligned with artistic direction and technical requirements.
• Develop polished models, textures, shaders, and materials optimized for real-time game engines.
• Collaborate with concept artists, designers, animators, and technical artists to translate concepts into final in-game assets.
• Work with cross-functional teams to ensure artistic consistency and quality throughout the production pipeline.
• Participate in reviews, feedback sessions, and iterative development processes.
• Maintain asset performance, memory usage, and platform-specific requirements across all gaming platforms.
• Stay current with industry trends and contribute improvements to pipelines and workflows.
• Provide mentorship and leadership to junior and mid-level artists and collaborate with vendors when needed.

Skills

Modelling

Sculpting

UV mapping

Texturing

Anatomy

Form & color

Material creation

Real-time engines

Team collaboration

Tools

Autodesk Maya

Blender

3ds Max

ZBrush

Substance Painter

Job description

Character Creation

• Contributing to the art vision for the Characters
• Produce assets that align with the project’s artistic direction and technical requirements.
• Develop polished models, textures, shaders, and materials optimized for real-time game engines.

Collaboration & Production

• Work closely with concept artists, designers, animators, and technical artists to translate concepts into final in-game assets.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams throughout the production pipeline to ensure artistic consistency and quality.
• Participate in reviews, feedback sessions, and iterative development processes.

Technical Art & Optimisation

• Ensure assets meet performance, memory, and platform-specific requirements across all gaming platforms.
• Apply strong understanding of optimisation techniques.
• Maintain consistency in quality while adhering to technical constraints and engine limitations.

Innovation & Continuous Improvement

• Stay current with industry trends, emerging technologies, tools, and workflows.
• Contribute ideas and improvements to pipelines and production processes.
• Continuously push the visual quality and innovation of game art production.

Mentorship & Leadership

• Provide guidance, mentorship, and constructive feedback to junior and mid-level artists.
• Support collaboration across internal teams and external vendors to maintain consistent asset quality.
• Contribute positively to team culture and artistic growth within the department

Required Skills and experience

• Extensive experience as a Character Artist within the video game industry, with a strong portfolio showcasing high-quality real-time game assets.
• Strong understanding of industry-standard 3D software such as Autodesk Maya, Blender, 3ds Max, ZBrush, Substance Painter, and related tools.
• Strong understanding of modelling, sculpting, UV mapping, texturing, anatomy, form, colour theory, and material creation.
• Experience creating optimized assets for modern real-time game engines such as Unreal Engine or Unity.
• Ability to work collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams, communicate ideas effectively, and incorporate feedback throughout production.
• Knowledge of game development pipelines and the ability to adapt artistic styles to suit various game genres and target platforms.

Desirable skills and experience

• Passion for gaming and a strong understanding of market trends, player expectations, and gaming cultures across PC, Console, and Nintendo platforms.
• Experience successfully guiding and communicating with other art teams to ensure artistic vision and asset quality are maintained from concept through to final in-game implementation.

If you'd like to know more about Keywords Studios we recommend visiting our corporate site HERE

Keywords Studios is strongly committed to protecting your personal information. By sending your CV/Resume, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and consent to your data being managed and retained in accordance with our data privacy and retention policy https://www.keywordsstudios.com/en/applicant-privacy-notice/

Role Information: EN

Studio: Keywords Studios

Location: Asia Pacific, Australia

Area of Work: Art Services

Service: Create

Employment Type: Full Time, Permanent

Working Pattern: Hybrid

Keywords Studios is strongly committed to protecting your personal information. By sending your CV/Resume, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and consent to your data being managed and retained in accordance with our data privacy and retention policy https://www.keywordsstudios.com/en/applicant-privacy-notice/.