Contract Lead Character Artist

Lead Character Artist - 6 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