[HIRING] Lead 3D Character Artist (Games & Cinematics)
Location: Remote
Type: Project-based (with potential for long-term contract)
About Us
HiMASTERS is a 3D outsourcing studio led by senior artists with decades of experience on top-tier projects and franchises including Metro Exodus, Halo, Battlefield, Microsoft Flight Simulator, War Thunder, World of Tanks, and many more. We deliver top-quality assets for both games and cinematics — stylized or realistic, always production-ready.
About the Role
We’re looking for a Lead Character Artist who specializes in semi-realistic, realistic and hyperrealistic human characters — both in game development and cinematic production. You’ll work closely with a senior team to deliver hero-quality characters with precise anatomy, clean topology, and engine-ready output.
This is a hands-on, production-focused role for someone with deep knowledge of the character pipeline — from sculpting and simulation to texturing and final engine integration.
Key Responsibilities: * Own and lead the character art development process — from sculpting high-resolution models to game-ready assets (retopo, UVs, baking, texturing). * Supervise and review work produced by the character team to ensure consistency in quality, style, and technical requirements. * Collaborate closely with Art Director, Rigging, Animation, Tech Art, and Game Design teams to ensure characters are visually compelling and technically sound. * Translate 2D concepts or photogrammetry scans into 3D characters that are production-ready. * Establish and maintain pipelines, workflows, naming conventions, and documentation for efficient production and onboarding. * Ensure optimal asset performance for real-time engines (Unreal Engine / Unity), including LODs, polycount budget, and texture memory usage. * Mentor and support junior and mid-level artists, providing feedback, training, and guidance when needed. * Research and implement new tools and techniques to improve character production efficiency and quality. * Drive outsourcing coordination: giving feedback, performing QA, and ensuring external deliveries match studio standards.
Requirements: * 5+ years of experience in game development or CGI industry as a character artist. * 1+ years of experience in a leadership or senior position. * Strong portfolio showcasing realistic or stylized character art (including anatomy, costuming, and facial expression systems). * Expert knowledge of industry-standard software: ZBrush, Maya/Blender, Marvelous Designer, Substance Painter/Designer, Marmoset/Toolbag, Photoshop, etc. * Solid understanding of topology for deformation, rigging constraints, and blendshape creation. * Familiarity with character integration into game engines (UE5 or Unity), including material setup and shader basics. * Excellent communication and time management skills; ability to work across departments and manage production schedules. * Passion for characters, storytelling, and pushing visual quality to the next level.
What We Offer
• Work on high-end characters for game and cinematic productions
• Fully remote collaboration with a skilled and supportive team
• Project-based contract with the potential to grow into a long-term role
• Opportunity to work across styles: realism, stylized realism, semi-stylized
• Real impact on projects delivered in Unreal and Unity pipelines
