Art Director

Skillsearch; Remote; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A distinguished game development studio in the United Kingdom seeks an experienced Art Director to lead the artistic vision of a culturally inspired video game. This role involves defining a unique art style, overseeing visual aspects, and mentoring a creative team. Candidates must have over 8 years of experience, strong leadership skills, and expertise in Unreal Engine. Join a diverse team dedicated to crafting meaningful gaming experiences that celebrate Emirati culture while appealing to a global audience.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience as an Art Director or Lead Artist.
• Strong record in IP development and small team leadership.
• Portfolio showing stylised, culturally inspired art direction.

Responsibilities

• Define and develop a unique art style inspired by Emirati culture.
• Oversee all visual aspects of the game.
• Build and mentor a distributed art team.

Skills

Art Direction

Team Leadership

Unreal Engine

Collaboration Skills

Cultural Knowledge

Tools

Unreal Engine

Job description

Are you an experienced Art Director looking for the opportunity to shape the visual identity of a culturally inspired video game?

This role offers the chance to lead the artistic vision of a project deeply rooted in Emirati culture, bringing together global game developers, local artists, and cultural partners to create a meaningful and engaging experience for players worldwide.

What you’ll be doing:

• Defining and developing a unique art style inspired by Emirati culture, balancing authenticity with technical feasibility.
• Overseeing all visual aspects of the game, including environments, characters, animation, lighting, and UI.
• Building and mentoring a small, distributed art team, including local Emirati artists.
• Working hands‑on in Unreal Engine to prototype, iterate, and optimise assets for both quality and performance.
• Collaborating closely with game design, narrative, and cultural partners to align visuals with storytelling and gameplay goals.
• Managing the creation of art assets to ensure consistency, quality, and alignment with the project’s aesthetic.
• Developing and refining art workflows and pipelines that keep the project within scope and budget.
• Translating authentic elements of Emirati culture into compelling visual storytelling through art and world‑building.
• Iterating on visuals through feedback, playtesting, and collaboration across disciplines.

What we’re looking for:

• 8+ years of experience as an Art Director or Lead Artist, with a strong record in IP development and small team leadership.
• A portfolio demonstrating stylised, distinctive, or culturally inspired art direction, ideally within indie or narrative‑driven games.
• Deep knowledge of Unreal Engine, including experience with shaders, lighting, procedural tools, and optimisation workflows.
• Proven ability to build and mentor small creative teams, ideally within distributed or global development environments.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with experience working across different disciplines and cultural contexts.
• Willingness to spend time in or relocate to the UAE during key phases of development, with travel flexibility as needed.

This is an exciting opportunity to help shape a game that celebrates Emirati culture while appealing to a global audience. You’ll be part of a diverse and passionate team creating meaningful, impactful games in a positive, flexible working environment.Apply now, or contact Joe McKernan - [e-mail]