Expert Character Artist

Socket.dev; San Mateo (CA); Hybrid; USD 128,000 - 189,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

14 paid holidays per year

Vacation 15–25 days

Up to 10 paid sick days

Job summary

31st Union is seeking an Expert Character Artist in California to lead high‑end character production for our projects. You will translate concepts into production-ready assets, mentor peers, and collaborate with cross‑discipline teams to raise the bar on character art.

The role favors a strong portfolio, deep anatomy mastery, and real-time pipelines using ZBrush, Maya, Substance Painter, Unreal Engine, and Photoshop. Hybrid work options are available.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of professional character art experience in games.
• Online portfolio with breakdowns demonstrating artistic judgment and technical execution.
• Mastery of anatomy, proportion, costume, color, materials, and design.
• Ability to translate concepts into production-ready assets across gameplay, animation, and narrative.

Responsibilities

• Create benchmark characters, creatures, and weapons from high-res sculpts through modeling, topology, UVs, bakes, textures, materials, and engine integration.
• Own complex character assignments, translating briefs into assets that support art direction and production needs.
• Establish and uphold visual and technical standards through assets, docs, and workflows.
• Partner with cross-discipline teams to ensure assets deform and read correctly in game.
• Mentor other artists and improve workflows and processes.
• Self-manage assignments, priorities, and dependencies with leadership alignment.
• Provide craft oversight for external vendors, ensuring quality and consistency.

Skills

Character art

Portfolio

Anatomy mastery

Independent work

Mentorship

Tools

ZBrush

Maya

Substance 3D Painter

Unreal Engine

Photoshop

Job description

WE ARE GAME MAKERS

Who We Are:

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.

For more information, visit our website at: thirtyfirstunion.com

What We Need:

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 leavewellbeing 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.

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