Associate Character Artist Job at Turtle Rock Studios in Lake Forest

At Turtle Rock, we make the games we want to play. We\'re dedicated to providing a collaborative environment where our team members feel empowered with the creative freedom to contribute and grow. While we are based in Orange County, CA, we support flexible work arrangements ranging from in-studio, hybrid, to fully remote throughout North America. Join our award-winning game development team and help create our next AAA title. We are seeking an Associate Character Artist who shares our passion for crafting lifelike characters and creatures with our team. As an Associate Character Artist, you’ll work closely with senior artists, concept artists, and technical teams to create high-quality, unforgettable 3D characters that meet the studio’s artistic and technical standards. This is an excellent opportunity for an early-career artist to grow our team and make an impact on enjoyable, dynamic, and immersive gameplay experiences. This position will report to the Lead Character Artist. Responsibilities Work closely with the Character Art Team to help create industry-leading, appealing characters that contribute to immersive and memorable gameplay experiences Assist in sculpting and modeling realistic human and creature characters using ZBrush, Maya, and 3DS Max Create game-ready assets, including low-poly models, UVs, and PBR textures Implement and test characters in Unreal Engine 5, ensuring they meet performance and visual targets Collaborate with Animation, Engineering, and Technical Art teams to ensure proper deformation and functionality Take feedback constructively and iterate quickly to achieve the team’s artistic vision Stay up to date on industry tools, workflows, and trends in realistic character creation Work closely with Production team to keep them informed of relevant tasks and related information Collaborate across departments to achieve project goals Playtest with art teams and the studio to iterate based on playtest feedback and player experience Requirements 1–3 years of experience (or equivalent education/training) creating 3D characters for games A portfolio showing realistic character models and attention to detail Strong understanding of anatomy, proportions, and surface detail Proficiency with ZBrush, Maya, and/or 3DS Max Experience with Substance Painter/Designer, Marvelous Designer, or Photoshop Familiarity with Unreal Engine 5 workflows Basic understanding of PBR texturing and real-time optimization A great team-player: Self-motivated with good communication skills Able to accurately follow common goals and tasks whilst working under own initiative Preferences An understanding of all current generation character art production workflows Strong understanding of physically based shaders and rendering Experience with AAA First or Third Person action titles a big plus Familiarity with asset tracking and issue tracking tools such as Perforce and JIRA a plus Benefits Some of the benefits and perks our employees get to enjoy, include: 100% Medical, Dental, Vision Coverage for you and your family 401k Matching Student Loan Repayment Plan / College Savings Plan Career Improvement Plan Flexible Work Arrangements - In-House, Hybrid, and Remote Generous Time Off Policy Company Events - In-Person + Virtual Events Fully Stocked Kitchen + Sponsored Food Trucks The estimated base pay range for this role is: $60,000 - $78,000 USD. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. #J-18808-Ljbffr