Associate Art Director

2K; Novato (CA); On-site; USD 176,600 - 261,380; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Paid vacation (15-25 days)

401(K) plan

Equity awards

Paid parental and compassionate leave

Wellbeing programs

Fitness-related expense reimbursement

Job summary

Cloud Chamber is seeking an Associate Art Director to lead the visual excellence and output of the Art Department for the BioShock franchise. In this role, you will manage relationships with co-development partners and align internal teams with creative visions. The ideal candidate has over ten years of gaming industry experience, including at least three years in art leadership. Join us in creating breathtaking environments and characters with a focus on AAA quality standards in Novato, California.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years in game development, with at least 3 years as an Associate Art Director.
• Experience leading large art teams for AAA game development.
• Experience with asset creation pipelines.
• Background in 3D Art for games.

Responsibilities

• Manage and align quality expectations with internal and external teams.
• Translate creative vision into actionable briefs for teams.
• Support art leads in planning and mandating work for the team.
• Act as a stakeholder for recruitment and talent development.

Skills

Leadership

Art Direction

Communication

Team Collaboration

Creativity

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Art or equivalent work experience

Tools

Maya

3ds Max

Blender

ZBrush

Substance Painter

Houdini

AfterEffects

Nuke

Unreal Engine 5 (UE5)

Job description

As an Associate Art Director at Cloud Chamber, you will join our talented development team to help shape the visual excellence and output of our Art Department, defining and evangelizing the realization pillars for our game visuals while managing quality expectations for both internal and external development teams. You will be responsible for managing the relationship with our co-development partner; aligning with their art team, upholding the creative vision of the project, and delivering clear, actionable briefs that translate the overarching creative vision into cohesive, actionable benchmarks for deliverables. By leading this passionate group of artists to craft breathtaking environments, characters, and effects that support the overarching Art Vision, we will bring the richly imagined world of BioShock to life.

What You’ll Do

• Ensure the successful creation and execution of domains within the internal Art Department, and external partners, by setting and managing quality expectations in alignment with the Art Vision and Production Strategy.
• Support the Art Direction of external development teams; translating and upholding the creative vision, submitting clear, actionable briefs, reviewing work and giving meaningful feedback.
• Define and evangelize the realization pillars to the team for the visuals of the game in accordance with the overarching Art Vision and Creative Direction.
• Partner with Tech Art, Level Design, Mission Design, Narrative, and Cinematics to ensure a cohesive and holistic approach to the realization of the characters, UI, and VFX in support of the Creative Direction. Partner with Stakeholders in other art teams to ensure requirements/needs are being met to deliver on the art needs of the game.
• Develop and maintain appropriate references and documentation to guide the team.
• Support Art Leads and Production to plan and mandate work for the team.
• Participate in reviews to validate the quality of the implementation of the departments under your purview.
• Train and empower the Leads and ICs in your care to integrate art direction in their work to unleash their creativity and the ownership of their work.
• Assist in the preparation of documentation and presentations.
• Act as a stakeholder for recruitment, hiring, and onboarding.
• Actively contribute to talent development, including identifying high-potential individuals, supporting succession planning, and supporting the ongoing development of skills and capabilities across the team.

What We’ll Do Together

At Cloud Chamber, we are champions of high standards, pushing for progress and embracing change. We will work closely and constructively across design, art, engineering, animation, and audio teams to realize our creative ambitions. Together, we will stay current on technological advancements and identify solutions to overcome developmental obstacles to deliver a world‑class AAA experience.

Skills & Experiences

• A minimum of 10 years in game development, with at least 3+ years as an Associate Art Director.
• Shipped at least one full cycle AAA game in a Leadership capacity.
• Had significant impact on a AAA title recognized for its high visual fidelity.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Art or equivalent work experience.
• Previous experience leading large art teams for AAA game development. Experience working with Art Directors/Creative Directors and spearheading translation of sophisticated art vision.
• UE5 Experience.
• Lighting and VFX experience, working with Lumen.
• Maya, 3ds Max, Blender and ZBrush.
• Substance Painter / Designer and PBR workflows.
• Houdini, AfterEffects, Nuke or similar.
• Background in 3D Art for games.
• Experience working with hybrid/distributed teams and co‑development.
• Art and environmental storytelling experience.
• Knowledge of asset creation pipelines.
• Focus on First‑Person Shooter is a plus
• Bilingual French/English is a plus.

Who You Are

• Proven leadership and mentoring skills with a track record of guiding teams.
• Being a manager of people who work in leadership positions with the ability to model best in class management philosophies.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex ideas clearly, package information for diverse audiences, and deliver difficult feedback with empathy and professionalism.
• A reliable, positive force multiplier, actively seeking opportunities to integrate work across disciplines and contribute to a healthy, supportive team environment.
• Persistent and self‑motivated with a proactive mindset.
• Able to maintain effectiveness and quality under pressure, ambiguity, and fast‑changing priorities.
• Can build and maintain trust‑based relationships across all levels of the organization, showing an ability to listen actively, understand differing perspectives, and navigate organizational complexity with tact and emotional intelligence.
• Highly open to feedback and direction, possessing a desire to learn new skills, and capable of producing quick, quality revisions based on new insights or constraints.
• Shows a strong ownership of tasks, drives work forward autonomously, and maintains a critical eye for detail and organization to ensure high standards of quality.

Who We Are

At Cloud Chamber we strive to make BioShock games that move people: evocative, immersive, and meaningful experiences that stay with you long after you’ve rolled credits. Great games are born from great collaborations, supported by a culture that brings out the best in our teams. We work openly, learn through play, take ownership, push ourselves to be better, and deliver for our players.

Compensation & Benefits

The pay range for this position in California at the start of employment is expected to be between $176,600 and $261,380 per Year. However, base pay offered is based on market location, and may vary further depending on individualized factors for job candidates, such as job‑related knowledge, skills, experience, and other objective business considerations. Subject to those same considerations, the total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, including a bonus and/or equity awards and eligibility to participate in our 401(K) plan and Employee Stock Purchase Program. Regular, full‑time employees are also eligible for a range of benefits at the Company, including: medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance coverage; 14 paid holidays per calendar year; paid vacation time per calendar year (ranging from 15 to 25 days) or eligibility to participate in the Company’s discretionary time off program; up to 10 paid sick days per calendar year; paid parental and compassionate leave; wellbeing programs for mental health and other wellness support; family planning support through Maven; commuter benefits; and reimbursements for fitness‑related expenses.

For Candidates Located in Quebec

• Proficiency in French is required.
• Proficiency in English is required to effectively collaborate with teams based in the United States.

As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to ensuring that qualified individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, perform their essential job functions, and receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us if you need reasonable accommodation.