Lead Character Artist/Associate Creative Director

Job Description

Yuga Labs is a web3 company exploring big ideas in identity, ownership, utility, and interoperability to push the crypto and NFT space forward. As The Defiant recently said, “The story of Yuga Labs is one where the improbable has become reality in the blink of an eye.” Since debuting with our flagship collection Bored Ape Yacht Club in April 2021, we’ve created new IP for the ape ecosystem (Mutant Ape Yacht Club, Bored Ape Kennel Club), acquired other top collections (CryptoPunks and Meebits), and pulled off successful events (ApeFest) and partnerships (Rolling Stone). And we made both web3 and gaming history — the biggest NFT mint ever followed by a game demo with record-breaking synchronized player participation — for our newest initiative, Otherside.

See you on the other side

Our Team

We’re a highly creative and technical team that’s working to bring 2D and 3D collections to life as high quality avatars. We work with other best-in-class teams around the world, and pride ourselves in being able to find innovative solutions to the unique challenges presented at the intersection of web2, gaming, and web3.

Who We’re Looking For

This is an exciting IC role for a seasoned AD/character artist to help shape Yugaverse avatars, how they are created, how they get into interactive platforms, how they look and an opportunity to make a positive impact on growing the community of creators developing new PFP avatars. Be part of the Avatars Team working closely with creative & technical directors on the creation of new avatars while also supporting external teams building collections.

The Job

• Work closely with internal creative directors, leadership and technical directors to understand vision for art direction, then take lead working with internal & external teams to provide art direction for the creation of new avatar collections
• Own the workflow of gathering art deliveries from vendors, present to internal stakeholders for feedback and approval, then deliver feedback to external teams
• Provide art direction and leadership for daily standup meetings with internal and external teams creating art assets
• Demonstrated skill and experience in sculpting hi-res realistic characters, including organic and non-organic forms
• Ability to create deformable and efficient models with clean topology and optimized UV layouts, and to guide others to do the same
• Ability to bring to life artistically rendered characters and assets with a high level of realism
• Strong artistic eye and understanding of anatomy, form, and color
• Working within both technical and design constraints, you will use your knowledge of proportions, anatomy and readability to ensure characters are optimized for real-time, including efficient deformation and animation
• Interpret concept designs while taking into account technical and design constraints such as poly count, texture memory limits, and topology
• For this role, you’ll find success through craft expertise, a collaborative spirit, and decision-making that prioritizes the delight of our community

Your Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in computer graphics, animation, or a related field, or equivalent work experience
• Six (6) years of experience in video games industry as an art director, character artist, or as a 3D Artist, CG Supervisor, or in a related occupation
• Experience providing art direction to teams creating 3D characters
• Require technical experience/knowledge in the following areas:
• Sculpting human anatomy, shape, light and form
• Generating normal and ambient occlusion maps
• Optimization – including working with low and high resolution textures and low-poly meshes
• Experience working with modeling, sculpting, and texturing programs such as Maya/Max, ZBrush, Photoshop, and Substance Painter
• Experience in creating high quality, stylized 3D character art
• Demonstrated ability to create hand painted stylized characters through past professional or personal work samples
• Strong knowledge of Maya, Blender, mGear and other modeling and rigging tools
• Full understanding of game workflows and pipelines
• Desire to learn new techniques and technologies
• Excellent communication and organizational skills
• A portfolio reflecting high-quality game art
• Experience with Substance Designer
• Understanding of character skeleton and skinning techniques

The annual salary for this position ranges from $170,000 to $215,000. The actual annual salary paid for this position will be based on several factors, including but not limited to, skills, prior experiences, training, company needs, and current market demands. The annual salary range for this position is subject to change and may be adjusted in the future. This position may also be eligible for salary increases, bonuses, equity awards, and benefits.

What We Offer

• Working with the best-in-class talent creating innovative technologies and bringing the forefront of culture to web3
• Exposure to innovative technologies in cryptocurrency, blockchain technology, and game development
• Collaboration with blue chip projects and AAA studios and partners
• Great internal growth and development
• 100% remote
• Competitive compensation, benefits, and perks

Apply anyway.

We believe true innovation in web3 requires diversity in perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds. But historically marginalized groups are underrepresented in the space, not just as participants but as leaders and creators. Luckily, we — and every web3 company — have the opportunity to bake necessary process and mindset shifts into our company DNA from the early days.

To help build a web3 that’s diverse and inclusive, we strive to build Yuga’s workplace to be diverse and inclusive. Not just how we do things day to day, but who does them and who decides what needs to be done.

So if you’re excited about one of our roles but your resume doesn’t align perfectly with the job description, please apply anyway. If you’re enthusiastic about web3 but come from an industry you think is unrelated, apply anyway. If you’re a great thinker and doer, apply anyway. The fate of web3 kiiinda depends on it.

Life at Yuga Labs

At Yuga Labs, being an Equal Opportunity Employer means more than upholding discrimination-free hiring practices. It means that we cultivate an environment where people can be their most authentic selves and find both belonging and support. We’re shaping the future of identity, community, and technology—an experience made whole by our unique backgrounds and perspectives.

As a remote-first company, we encourage our employees to care for their whole selves through comprehensive medical benefits, generous paid-time off, paid parental leave, retirement plans, company social events, wellness programs, and volunteer opportunities.

Reasonable Accommodation

Yuga Labs applicants are considered solely based on their qualifications, without regard to applicant’s disability or need for accommodation. Any Yuga Labs applicant who requires reasonable accommodations during the application process should contact the Yuga Labs Benefits Team (accommodations@yugalabs.com) to make the need for an accommodation known.