Studio: CD Projekt RED
Job Opening: Lead 3D Character Artist
Location: Warsaw / Cracow / Wroclaw / remote, Masovian Voivodeship, Poland
Type: Full-Time
Responsibilities:
Leadership & Team Management
- Build and lead the Character Art team to deliver high-quality, stylized character assets.
- Act as the direct manager for team members, conducting reviews, mentoring, and helping them achieve personal and professional growth.
- Cultivate a positive, collaborative team culture aligned with the company’s values and goals.
- Partner with the Production department to establish plans and ensure the timely delivery of work.
- Participate in recruiting, interviewing, and hiring for the team.
Artistic Vision & Execution
- Collaborate closely with the Art Director to maintain the game’s artistic consistency and ensure the characters align with the core vision.
- Participate in creating concepts and plans for unique, game-defining character designs.
- Oversee and deliver the final polish of character assets, ensuring seamless integration into the game engine.
- Partner with Animators, Tech Animators, and Tech Artists to ensure character models are ready for dynamic performance.
- Work with Graphics Coders and Tech Artists to utilize and develop groundbreaking techniques.
Pipeline Development & Technical Problem Solving
- Investigate, develop, and refine workflows for character modeling, texturing, and material creation in collaboration with the Tech Art team.
- Ensure optimized performance by understanding and addressing trade-offs in assets and technologies.
- Actively participate in solving technical and aesthetic challenges related to character creation.
Qualifications & Skills:
- Minimum 8 years of experience in the video games industry, including at least one shipped AAA title.
- Proven experience as a Lead Character Artist.
- Experience with stylized character art and maintaining visual consistency.
- Proficiency in modeling tools (3ds Max, Maya, Blender, etc.), sculpting tools (ZBrush, etc.), and PBR texturing software (Substance Painter/Designer, Photoshop, etc.).
- Expertise in Unreal Engine 4/5.
- Strong knowledge of anatomy, form, proportions, clothing, and material design.
- Solid understanding of physically based rendering (PBR) workflows.
- Excellent problem-solving, communication, and teamwork skills.
- Curiosity, kindness, initiative, and a positive and professional can-do attitude.
