Contract Lead Character Artist

Lead Character Artist - 3 Month Contract

As a Contract Lead Character Artist at Certain Affinity, you will elevate and modernize character visuals on a large-scale, live AAA title. This is a hands-on leadership role focused on improving existing assets to current-gen quality while operating within established pipelines, performance targets, and production constraints.
You will work closely with art, design, and technical leadership to evolve character content, define quality standards, and ensure consistent execution across a live production environment. This role requires strong artistic ownership, practical problem-solving, and the ability to align internal teams and external partners.

Responsibilities

• Drive visual quality and consistency across character assets, including upgrades to existing content
• Define, document, and uphold character art standards across the project
• Lead by example through hands-on asset creation and problem solving
• Provide clear, actionable feedback and critique (artistic + technical) to internal and external artists
• Establish and refine character workflows and pipelines to support scalable production
• Collaborate with technical teams to ensure assets meet performance and engine requirements
• Communicate regularly with internal teams and external partners, including presentations and reviews
• Create documentation, visual targets, and reference materials to support alignment
• Evaluate and integrate MetaHuman style workflows where appropriate within production pipelines

Requirements

• 10+ years in game development, with 3+ years in a Lead Character Artist role
• Shipped multiple AAA titles, including experience improving or modernizing existing character assets
• Strong understanding of character production pipelines (modeling, materials, optimization, real-time constraints)
• Strong anatomical knowledge and understanding of deformation for animation with a strong emphasis on Facial Anatomy and facial blend shapes FACS
• Expert proficiency in ZBrush, Maya/Max (or equivalent), and modern texturing workflows (Substance, Quixel, etc.)
• Experience working in Unreal Engine (preferred) or other real-time engines
• Proven ability to balance visual quality with performance budgets and production timelines
• Excellent communication skills, including presenting work and aligning cross-discipline teams
• Portfolio demonstrating high-quality, realistic character work

Extra Credit

• Experience with MetaHuman and adapting it within production pipelines
• Experience upgrading or remastering legacy character assets for modern platforms
• Familiarity with scan data and photoreal character workflows
• Experience working on live-service titles
• Understanding of motion and how it informs character design