Expert Character Artist

2K; San Mateo (CA); On-site; USD 128,000 - 189,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Paid holidays

Paid vacation

Paid sick days

Parental leave

Wellbeing programs

Maven family planning

Commuter benefits

Fitness reimbursements

Job summary

2K is seeking an Expert Character Artist in California to contribute to character art across projects, translating concepts into production-ready assets. You will work with cross-discipline teams to ensure assets meet visual and technical standards while maintaining alignment with art direction and production needs.

Ideal candidates bring 8+ years of game character art experience, a strong portfolio, mastery of anatomy, and expert knowledge of real-time pipelines including high-res sculpting,

Qualifications

• 8+ years of professional character art experience in games.
• Strong online portfolio demonstrating character work with artistic judgment and technical execution.
• Mastery of anatomy, proportion, costume, color, materials, and design.
• Experience with real-time character pipelines: sculpting, topology, UVs, texturing, materials, and engine integration.
• Proficiency with ZBrush, Maya, Substance 3D Painter, Unreal Engine, Photoshop.

Responsibilities

• Create benchmark characters, creatures, and weapons from high-res sculpts through modeling, topology, UVs, textures, materials, and engine integration.
• Own complex character assignments, translating concepts into production-ready assets.
• Establish and uphold visual/technical standards through benchmark assets and documentation.
• Collaborate with art and cross-discipline teams to ensure assets deform and read as intended in game.
• Mentor other artists and identify workflow improvements.
• Self-manage assignments and priorities aligning with leadership.

Skills

Character art

Portfolio

Anatomy mastery

Real-time pipelines

Problem solving

Independent work

Tools

ZBrush

Maya

Substance 3D Painter

Unreal Engine

Photoshop

Job description

At 31st Union, we are a diverse team of developers driven by a passion for our art, united by our core values and inspired by a culture of inclusivity to build amazing games that thrill players everywhere. We pursue growth and innovation in an environment of safety and trust. Our culture is built on the belief that the more varied voices in our collective will strengthen our team and our games. We are looking for our next teammate who will raise our bar and make us better.

As an Expert Character Artist, you’ll be a key contributor to the quality and evolution of our project's character art. You’re an exceptional 3D artist and visual problem solver who can translate character concepts and broad creative goals into compelling, production-ready assets.

Working closely with the creative team and cross-discipline partners, you’ll take on complex, high-impact assignments and turn ambiguous artistic or technical problems into practical solutions. You will operate with a high degree of autonomy while remaining aligned with the project's art direction and production needs.

Through the quality of your craft and collaboration, you’ll raise the bar for character art across the studio.

What You'll Do:

• Create benchmark characters, creatures, and weapons from high-resolution sculpts through modeling, topology, UVs, bakes, texture painting, materials, and engine integration.
• Own complex character assignments, translating concepts and briefs into visually compelling, technically sound assets that support gameplay, animation, narrative, and project-wide art direction.
• Help establish and uphold visual and technical standards through benchmark assets, documentation, and practical solutions that improve consistency and production quality.
• Partner with art and cross-discipline teams to resolve challenges and ensure assets deform, perform, and read as intended in game.
• Mentor other artists through thoughtful critique and example-setting while actively identifying opportunities to improve workflows and processes.
• Self-manage assignments and priorities, maintaining alignment with leadership while proactively identifying dependencies and risks.
• Provide craft oversight for external art vendors by clarifying expectations, reviewing deliverables, giving actionable feedback, and ensuring work meets established visual, technical, and production standards.

What'll Make You A Great Fit:

• Typically 8+ years of professional character art experience in games, with experience contributing to multiple shipped titles.
• An exceptional online portfolio (with breakdowns) demonstrating character work that illustrates artistic judgment, technical execution and stylistic range.
• Mastery of anatomy, proportion, costume, color, materials, and design.
• Expert command of real-time character pipelines including; high-resolution sculpting and modeling, game topology, UVs, texturing (realistic and non-photorealistic), PBR and NPR materials, performance optimization, and engine integration.
• Expert proficiency with ZBrush, Maya, Substance 3D Painter, Unreal Engine, Photoshop, and/or equivalent software.
• Demonstrated ability to solve complex visual and technical problems, resolve production tradeoffs, work within an established visual direction, and improve quality while supporting downstream departments.
• Proven ability to work independently, make sound craft decisions, manage complex assignments, collaborate effectively across disciplines, communicate clearly, and mentor other artists.

The pay range for this position in California at the start of employment is expected to be between $127,500 and $188,700 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. Ontario only: The use of Artificial Intelligence is not being used to screen candidates. The position is for an existing vacancy.

You acknowledge that your personal information will be collected and used by 2K based on the Privacy Notice for Job Applicants (the “Privacy Notice”), available at https://www.take2games.com/applicantprivacypolicy/ . The Privacy Notice provides information about how we use your data and how you can exercise your data rights (such as access, correction, or deletion). If you need more information, please contact the Privacy Contact identified in the Privacy Notice.

As part of our hiring process, 2K will conduct a pre-employment background check. We may also require written verification from your current employer that you have ended your employment.

As part of 2K’s commitment to maintaining a workplace culture of inclusion and respect, we aim to find opportunities to improve our diversity and inclusion practices and resources. We hope that you will help us achieve this goal by voluntarily disclosing your demographic information.

Whether you choose to disclose this information is entirely your decision. You will not be treated any differently based on your choice.

Any information you provide will be confidential, kept securely, and will not be used to make any employment-related decisions. More information about how 2K handles your personal data is available at 2K privacy link.

Finally, as a reminder, 2K is an equal employment opportunity employer. 2K does not discriminate, harass, or retaliate against individuals based on any protected characteristic. If you have any questions about this policy, please connect with [e-mail] for support.

Thank you for your help!

ANY INFORMATION YOU PROVIDE WILL BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL AND SECURE AND WILL NOT BE USED IN ANY EMPLOYMENT-RELATED DECISION.