Associate Art Director (Apex Legends)

Respawn Entertainment; Madison (WI); On-site; USD 154,000 - 234,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Medical/dental/vision insurance

401(k)

Life insurance

Job summary

Respawn Entertainment is seeking an Associate Art Director with a strong focus on high-level concept art to join the Apex Legends team. You will help shape and drive the artistic vision across internal and external projects, balancing hands-on craft with creative leadership and cross-functional collaboration.

The ideal candidate has 6–8+ years in game concept art, mastery of Photoshop, Blender, and Maya, and a proven ability to guide visual direction while collaborating with designers and

Qualifications

• 6 to 8+ years of professional concept art experience in the game industry, portfolio showing expert design, composition, anatomy, mechanics, storytelling.
• Expertise in 2D and 3D software (Photoshop, Blender, Maya) with emphasis on 2D concept art and previsualization.
• Strong knowledge of real-time game engines, asset workflows, and outsourcing pipelines.
• Proven ability to lead by example, give/receive feedback, and build trust across multidisciplinary teams.
• Proactive, solution-oriented mindset with high standards for ownership and delivery.
• Deep enthusiasm for playing and making games and passion for the Apex Legends universe.

Responsibilities

• Partner with Franchise Art Director and Creative Directors to translate high-level visual direction.
• Create expert level key art, previsualization, and concept designs for characters, environments, weapons, and props.
• Articulate clear visual style through guides, mood boards, and documentation.
• Advocate for franchise goals by identifying visual/technical risks and guiding evolution.
• Develop, mentor, and evaluate team members for career growth.
• Contribute to art department recruiting through portfolio screening and interviews.
• Balance IP requirements with creative freedom and align with game design constraints.

Skills

Concept art

Team mentorship

Franchise art direction

Cross-functional collaboration

Tools

Photoshop

Blender

Maya

Job description

Description & Requirements

Electronic Arts creates next-level entertainment experiences that inspire players and fans around the world. Here, everyone is part of the story. Part of a community that connects across the globe. A place where creativity thrives, new perspectives are invited, and ideas matter. A team where everyone makes play happen.

Description & Requirements

Electronic Arts creates next-level entertainment experiences that inspire players and fans around the world. Here, everyone is part of the story. Part of a community that connects across the globe. A place where creativity thrives, new perspectives are invited, and ideas matter. A team where everyone makes play happen. Founded in 2010, Respawn was created with the philosophy that when talented people have creative freedom, they’ll make extraordinary games that achieve the unexpected. Respawn Entertainment is the Academy Award-winning studio behind critically acclaimed multi-platform games Apex Legends, Titanfall, Titanfall 2, Star Wars™ Jedi: Fallen Order, Star Wars™ Jedi: Survivor, and Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond. As a collective of creative developers, we have launched some of the industry’s most critically and commercially successful games. We truly love what we do and want to share our passion with players worldwide.

We’re looking for an Associate Art Director with a strong focus on high-level concept art to join the Apex Legends team. In this role, you will help shape and drive the artistic vision across a range of internal and external projects. The position is approximately 70% hands‑on craft and 30% creative leadership and cross‑functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Partner closely with the Franchise Art Director, Creative Directors, and Leads to translate high level visual direction and establish the benchmark for quality across the team
• Create expert level key art, previsualization, and concept designs across characters, environments, weapons, and props
• Articulate a clear visual style through comprehensive style guides, mood boards, documentation, and reference material
• Serve as a core advocate for franchise goals by proactively identifying visual or technical risks, removing operational roadblocks, and guiding the visual evolution of the universe
• Develop, motivate, and mentor team members, establishing clear opportunities for challenge and career advancement
• Have a role in art department recruiting efforts, including portfolio screening, candidate interviewing, selection, and hiring decisions
• Balance IP requirements with creative freedom
• Align artistic needs with game design and transmedia constraints, engine workflows, and external outsourcing partners

Requirements

• 6 to 8 plus years of professional concept art experience in the game industry, supported by a portfolio demonstrating expert design, composition, anatomy, mechanics, and visual storytelling
• Expertise in industry standard 2D and 3D software such as Photoshop, Blender, and Maya, with a strong emphasis on 2D concept art and previsualization
• Strong working knowledge of real time game engines, asset creation workflows, and external partner or outsourcing pipelines
• Proven ability to lead by example, deliver and receive constructive feedback, and build trust across multidisciplinary teams with empathy and professionalism
• A proactive, solution-oriented mindset with high standards for team ownership and project delivery
• Deep enthusiasm for playing and making games
• Passion for the Apex Legends Universe and a clear understanding of its visual identity and potential evolution

Pay Transparency - North America

Compensation And Benefits

The ranges listed below are what EA in good faith expects to pay applicants for this role in these locations at the time of this posting. If you reside in a different location, a recruiter will advise on the applicable range and benefits. Pay offered will be determined based on a number of relevant business and candidate factors (e.g. education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, or business needs).

PAY RANGES

• British Columbia (depending on location e.g. Vancouver vs. Victoria) *$133,500 - $186,400 CAD
• California (depending on location e.g. Los Angeles vs. San Francisco) *$153,700 - $233,600 USD

Pay is just one part of the overall compensation at EA. In the US, we offer a package of benefits including paid time off (3 weeks per year to start), 80 hours per year of sick time, 16 paid company holidays per year, 10 weeks paid time off to bond with baby, medical/dental/vision insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, and 401(k) to regular full-time employees. Certain roles may also be eligible for bonus and other incentive programs. For Canada, we offer a package of benefits including vacation (3 weeks per year to start), 10 days per year of sick time, paid top-up to EI/QPIP benefits up to 100% of base salary when you welcome a new child (12 weeks for maternity, and 4 weeks for parental/adoption leave), extended health/dental/vision coverage, life insurance, disability insurance, retirement plan to regular full-time employees. Certain roles may also be eligible for bonus and other incentive programs.

About Electronic Arts

We’re proud to have an extensive portfolio of games and experiences, locations around the world, and opportunities across EA. We value adaptability, resilience, creativity, and curiosity. From leadership that brings out your potential, to creating space for learning and experimenting, we empower you to do great work and pursue opportunities for growth. We adopt a holistic approach to our benefits programs, emphasizing physical, emotional, financial, career, and community wellness to support a balanced life. Our packages are tailored to meet local needs and may include healthcare coverage, mental well-being support, retirement savings, paid time off, family leaves, complimentary games, and more. We nurture environments where our teams can always bring their best to what they do.

Electronic Arts is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, genetic information, religion, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, marital status, family status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We will also consider employment qualified applicants with criminal records in accordance with applicable law. EA also makes workplace accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities as required by applicable law.