Senior Character Artist (Gamedev)

TL;DR

Senior Character Artist (Gamedev): Creating high-fidelity characters and creatures for AAA titles with an accent on pipeline development and technical art integration. Focus on sculpting, PBR materials, and collaborating with engine teams to push visual boundaries.

Location: Hybrid / Onsite in Santa Monica, CA, USA

Salary: $69.09 - $86.35 per hour

Company

Naughty Dog is a studio focused on crafting best-selling, narrative-driven games that push the boundaries of technology and storytelling.

What you will do

• Design, implement, and maintain workflows to streamline tools, shaders, and character processes.
• Create highly detailed character and creature models based on concept art and references.
• Develop high poly models, UVs, and in-game topology while pushing technical boundaries.
• Collaborate with rigging, animation, FX, and lighting artists to ensure seamless in-game integration.
• Provide aesthetic and technical direction to other character artists.
• Partner with the Tool and Engine Team to improve model quality and document pipelines.

Requirements

• Must be based in or able to work from Santa Monica, CA (Hybrid/Onsite)
• At least 5 years of experience as a character artist, including at least one AAA title.
• Expertise in PBR materials, topology, and in-game character pipelines.
• Advanced skills in sculpting, modeling, texturing, and shading.
• High-level knowledge of hair curve and card creation for next-gen games.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating high-quality character work.

Nice to have

• Intermediate knowledge of Python scripting.

Culture & Benefits

• Opportunity to work on critically acclaimed, narrative-driven AAA titles.
• Collaborative environment with industry-leading creative and technical minds.
• Comprehensive health benefits including medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Commitment to diversity and a broad range of cultural experiences.