Senior Character Artist

Makeshift Software Inc; Columbus (OH); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Makeshift Software Inc in Columbus is seeking a Senior Character Modeler to build heroes, allies, and enemies for Hexborn. You’ll turn concept art into rigged, production-ready 3D models suitable for both stylized and photoreal lighting.

This is a hands-on, high-ownership role; collaborate with concept artists, riggers, and animators to shape the visual direction from concept to screen during a remote-first 3-6 month ramp, then a hybrid on-site cadence.

Qualifications

• Senior level experience in character modeling for games.
• Proficiency in creating production-ready, riggable 3D characters.
• Ability to iterate from concept art to in-engine assets.

Responsibilities

• Turn concept art into rigged 3D character models.
• Work with artists, riggers, and animators to meet style targets.
• Ensure models perform under both stylized and photoreal lighting.

Skills

Character modeling

Rigging collaboration

3D sculpting

Art collaboration

Tools

OptiTrack

Faceware

High-end workstation

Job description

Full-Time

About Hexborn

Makeshift Software Inc | Remote (3-6 months) - Hybrid On-Site

Hexborn is our upcoming dark fantasy action RPG - a brutal blend of hack-and-slash combat, deep dungeon crawling, guild progression, and player-driven rivalry set in a world consumed by an ever-expanding corruption known as the Graveglass Blight. Players rise from an unknown mage into the leader of a legendary guild, mastering arcane combat, recruiting allies, forging relics, and descending into cursed ruins and large-scale raids to uncover the truth behind their rare ability to fly.

The demo is live now on Steam.

We're in the midst of an art direction shift - moving from a strongly stylized anime aesthetic into a blend of photorealism and anime influence. We need a character modeler who can help define what that new visual identity actually looks like in 3D, not just execute an existing style guide.

The Role

We're looking for an experienced Senior Character Modeler to build the heroes, allies, and enemies that populate Hexborn.

You'll take concept art from our art team and turn it into rigged, production-ready 3D models that hold up under both stylized and photorealistic lighting - a core requirement given our current pivot toward a hybrid aesthetic.

This is a hands‑on, high‑ownership role. You won't just be executing a fixed spec - you'll be helping shape how our new visual direction translates from concept to screen, working closely with concept artists, riggers, and animators throughout.

Our Current Direction

We're Actively Pivoting From a Strongly Stylized Anime Style Toward a Blend Of Photorealism And Anime Aesthetics. For a Sense Of The Target Look

• Reference 1
• Reference 2

Perks & Tools

• OptiTrack Prime 41 motion capture system
• Faceware Mark IV mocap helmets for facial performance capture
• Industry-grade workstation, built to spec: see our standard build
• Remote-first for the first 3-6 months, transitioning to hybrid on-site thereafter

Work Arrangement

We'll start fully remote for a 3-6 month grace period while you ramp up and get embedded with the team, then transition to a hybrid on-site schedule.

Columbus Is Also a Genuinely Affordable Place To Build a Life Relative To The Coastal Cities Most Gamedev Careers Run Through. Cost Of Living Runs Roughly

50% below Seattle and Santa Cruz - driven mostly by housing, where Columbus's median home price (around $263K) compares to $808K in Seattle and $1.24M in Santa Cruz - and it stays competitive even against Montreal, historically one of the more cost‑conscious major gamedev hubs in North America.

Makeshift Software Inc is the developer and publisher of Hexborn.