Senior Character Artist - AAA Games

Placements24; Mbombela (Nelspruit); Hybrid; ZAR 450,000 - 750,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Cutting-edge technology

Professional development

Performance bonuses

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Character Artist for a leading game developer in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga. You will sculpt, texture, and rig high-fidelity AAA characters, delivering game-ready assets optimized for multiple platforms.

You will collaborate with concept artists, art directors, and animators to maintain art direction, push visual fidelity, and implement efficient pipelines while staying current with industry trends.

Qualifications

• 7+ years as a Character Artist in AAA games.
• Expertise in 3D character modeling, sculpting, retopology, UV mapping.
• Proficiency in Substance Painter and Photoshop for texturing.
• Proficiency in Maya, 3ds Max or Blender.
• Strong understanding of anatomy, form and silhouette.
• Experience with Unreal Engine or Unity.
• Portfolio showing high-quality character art.
• Degree in Fine Arts/3D Animation or related field.

Responsibilities

• Sculpt, model, texture, and rig high-fidelity 3D characters for AAA video games.
• Create game-ready assets optimized for performance across platforms.
• Collaborate with concept artists, art directors, and animators.
• Ensure designs align with art direction and narrative requirements.
• Develop and implement efficient character art pipelines and workflows.
• Utilize PBR workflows for realistic material creation.
• Provide technical guidance to junior character artists.
• Stay current with industry trends and advancements in character art.
• Participate in art reviews and provide constructive criticism.
• Ensure character models are technically sound for animation and rendering.

Skills

Character modeling

ZBrush sculpting

UV mapping

Texturing (Substance Painter/Photoshop

Maya/3ds Max/Blender

Unreal Engine/Unity

Anatomy & form

Art direction collaboration

Education

Degree in Fine Arts or 3D Animation

Tools

ZBrush

Substance Painter

Photoshop

Maya

3ds Max

Blender

Unreal Engine

Unity

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a leading developer of visually stunning video games, is looking for a talented Senior Character Artist to join their team in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga. This role is responsible for creating high-quality, believable 3D characters for AAA titles, from concept sculpting to final game-ready assets. You will work within a collaborative environment, contributing to the overall art direction and ensuring characters are aesthetically pleasing, technically sound, and performant within the game engine. If you have a passion for character creation and a proven track record of excellence, this is a fantastic opportunity to shape the iconic figures of our next generation of games in Nelspruit.

Key Responsibilities

• Sculpt, model, texture, and rig high-fidelity 3D characters for AAA video games.
• Create game-ready character assets optimized for performance across various platforms.
• Collaborate closely with concept artists, art directors, and animators to bring characters to life.
• Ensure character designs are consistent with project art direction and narrative requirements.
• Develop and implement efficient character art pipelines and workflows.
• Utilize PBR workflows for realistic material creation.
• Provide technical guidance and feedback to junior character artists.
• Stay current with industry trends and advancements in character art techniques and tools.
• Participate in art reviews and provide constructive criticism.
• Ensure character models are technically sound for animation and rendering.

Requirements

• Minimum 7 years of experience as a Character Artist in the game industry, with a focus on AAA titles.
• Expertise in 3D character modeling, sculpting (ZBrush), retopology, UV mapping, and texturing (Substance Painter, Photoshop).
• Proficiency with industry-standard 3D software (Maya, 3ds Max, Blender).
• Strong understanding of anatomy, form, silhouette, and material definition.
• Experience with game engines such as Unreal Engine or Unity.
• Knowledge of character rigging and skinning is a plus.
• Excellent artistic eye and attention to detail.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.
• A portfolio showcasing exceptional character art for games is required.
• Degree in Fine Arts, 3D Animation, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

Benefits

Our client offers a competitive salary, comprehensive health insurance, retirement plan, and generous paid time off. Employees will benefit from a creative and collaborative studio environment in Nelspruit , access to cutting-edge technology, and numerous opportunities for professional development. We are committed to fostering a healthy work-life balance. Performance bonuses are also provided.