Art Director

Cosmic Division; United States; Remote; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Startup environment

Hands-on Unreal work

Collaborative studio culture

Access to industry tools

Job summary

Cosmic Division is seeking an experienced Art Director to shape the visual identity of our unannounced game project. You will partner with the Creative Director to define bold artistic direction and drive it from concept through release, ensuring high visual craftsmanship.

Join us at a formative stage to help build the art team, shape our debut IP, and influence the studio’s long-term creative imprint across early-stage development and collaboration with a seasoned multidisciplinary team.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of professional game development experience on shipped commercial titles with art leadership or supervisory roles.
• A comprehensive portfolio showing strong artistic direction and high-quality visuals across shipped projects.
• Strong understanding of modern art pipelines and Unreal Engine 5 in a collaborative setting.
• Proven ability to lead and mentor artists and build a high-performing team.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills across disciplines.

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain the game’s artistic vision, style, and visual quality throughout production.
• Collaborate with all disciplines to create a unified, performant visual experience.
• Help establish efficient art pipelines and workflows for Unreal Engine 5.
• Provide regular, constructive feedback to ensure quality and alignment with the vision.
• Lead and grow a multidisciplinary art team and foster a collaborative culture.

Skills

Art leadership

Unreal Engine 5

Portfolio excellence

Team leadership

Communication & collaboration

Tools

Maya

Blender

ZBrush

Substance 3D

Photoshop

Job description

About the Role

We’re looking for an experienced Art Director to shape the visual identity of our unannounced game project.

In this role, you’ll work closely with the Creative Director and our multidisciplinary team, to define and execute a bold and distinctive artistic direction for the game. By aligning creative ambition with our technical and production goals, you will drive that vision from early concept through to release, ensuring high standards of visual craftsmanship at every stage of production.

This is a unique opportunity to join Cosmic Division at an early stage and help shape our trajectory in the years ahead. As we grow, you’ll also help build the art team and foster the creative culture around it, playing a central role in defining both our debut game and the studio’s long-term creative imprint.

Work Responsibilities

• Vision & Execution: Define and maintain the game’s artistic vision, style, and visual quality throughout production.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with all disciplines to develop a unified visual experience that is performant, readable, striking and evocative.
• Pipelines & Workflows: Help establish efficient art pipelines and practices that improve team workflows, and achieve our visual and technical goals within Unreal Engine 5.
• Feedback & Quality Control: Conduct regular reviews and provide clear, constructive, and actionable feedback to the team and external partners, to ensure the work stays aligned with our artistic vision and quality bar.
• Team Leadership & Studio Growth: Lead, mentor, help recruit and grow a multidisciplinary art team, fostering a collaborative, high-performance culture.

Qualifications

• Industry Experience: 6+ years of professional game development experience on shipped commercial titles, with a proven track record in art leadership or supervisory roles.
• Portfolio Excellence: A comprehensive portfolio demonstrating strong artistic direction, visual development skills, and a high caliber of art quality across shipped game projects.
• Technical Proficiency: Strong understanding of modern art pipelines and workflows, with substantial experience working with Unreal Engine 5 in a collaborative environment.
• Team Leadership: Proven ability to lead and mentor artists, provide clear creative direction, and help build a collaborative, high-performing team.
• Communication & Collaboration: Excellent communication, interpersonal, and feedback skills, with the ability to articulate creative direction clearly and work effectively across disciplines.

Bonus Points

• Past experience working within a startup or growing team/studio, with the ability to adapt responsibilities, priorities, and ways of working as the organization evolves.
• A willingness to get hands-on when needed, whether that means working in Unreal, making paintovers/mockups, or contributing wherever your skills can help move the project forward.
• Experience collaborating with distributed or remote external partners.
• Familiarity with industry-standard content creation tools (e.g., Maya, Blender, ZBrush, Substance 3D, Photoshop, etc.).
• Deep interest in worldbuilding and environmental storytelling, and a drive to create evocative moments with strong emotional resonance.
• A genuine appreciation for gameplay-first design, and an understanding of how art can enhance gameplay without compromising readability or player experience.

Why Join Us?

• An Ambitious New IP: A unique opportunity to shape the visual identity of an ambitious new IP and studio from an early stage.
• Experienced Team: Work alongside industry veterans who have contributed to award-winning titles at renowned studios.
• Foundational Impact: Join at a formative stage, help grow the art team around you, and influence the creative culture of a studio built to last.