Principal Concept Artist

Creative Assembly is looking for an experienced Principal Concept Artist to join the team behind Total War, Alien: Isolation and Halo Wars 2 to create thrilling game experiences on a new project. This will be based at our studio in Horsham, in the heart of West Sussex.

We are looking for an experienced and self-motivated Principal Concept Artist to take our visual development to the next level. This pivotal role will bring to life a wide range of areas and elements from design, world building, character creation, storytelling, mood sheets, props and more to help deliver an engaging experience.

This role can be offered as hybrid, in-studio or fully remote within country of employment. Further details can be discussed during the recruitment process.

Key Responsibilities

On a day-to-day basis, you will:

• Create and develop concept work that will guide the visual development and communicate the vision
• Create mood paintings, colour and lighting studies to inform and inspire
• Create detailed character and environment concepts that support the design and help draw players into a world
• Create illustrations and sketches to quickly visualise ideas and approaches for the game
• Collaborate and coordinate with other art, design, and production leaders to help accomplish the goals of the concept art team and the game vision
• Effectively document and communicate specifications and visual benchmarks to support the game’s artistic vision to both internal and external content teams
• Help develop and guide junior members of the concept art team whilst continuously levelling up your own skills, knowledge and capabilities.

Knowledge, Skill and Experience

Essential

• Extensive AAA experience as a concept designer and/or art lead
• Exceptional ability to create traditional 2D art
• Experience shipping a game in a senior role where you helped oversee the quality, scheduling, and implementation of a large portion of the conceptual development on an art team
• Highly creative expert with design, silhouette, structure, lighting, staging, colour and composition
• Strong and demonstratable understanding of anatomy and portraiture
• Ability to collaborate, motivate, inspire, and mentor others
• Positive, proactive creative problem solver
• A passion for all things visual and visual mediums.

Desirable

• Formal art training with a broad range of skills and knowledge, colour theory, composition and visual art history
• Strong understanding and experience of contemporary video game art tools, content pipelines and practices
• 3D modelling skills
• Excellent communication skills.

About Creative Assembly

It’s an exciting time to be a part of our craft-led studio as we push boundaries, creating deep and detailed experiences that last.

Our teams are diverse from across the world, from trainees to industry veterans who constantly challenge us and make sure we are striving for the best within our games and our studio life. We are united through our shared values of Quality, Focus, Teamwork, Respect and Trust and we win awards for our culture and our people-centric approach, having won a Best Place to Work Award for six consecutive years. We invest in our people, the studio, and our projects. We are a company that’s secure and safe – you don’t need to worry about job security at CA.

We’ll give you the creative freedom, tools, support, and development to achieve your potential.

Our studios are based in Horsham, UK and Sofia, Bulgaria, including several bespoke state-of-the-art audio suites and a dedicated motion capture facility.

We offer many benefits to support you and your family including:

• Flexible working: hybrid, fully remote within country of employment for eligible roles, and in-studio working
  
• Work from Anywhere for a temporary period each year (restrictions apply such as VISAs)
  
• Enhanced holiday allowance, maternity and paternity breaks, flexibility with our core hours, and no-notice holidays
  
• Bespoke relocation package for you and your dependents, with support throughout the process from our dedicated Relocation Specialists
  
• Private medical and dental insurance, life insurance, permanent health insurance, critical illness cover and free health care screening
  
• Generous holiday allowance plus full studio closure over the Christmas and New Year period, and all UK Bank holidays
  
• Annual discretionary studio bonus
  
• Join our award-winning education and social responsibility programme; the Legacy Project, as an industry ambassador to mentor and educate others
  
• Defined career development pathways and personalised training support including SEGA Dev Day, internal masterclasses, prestigious creative workshops, on-site training with renowned specialists and global conference attendance
  
• Opportunity to join our Diversity and Inclusion Network – an employee-led group
  
• Season ticket travel loans and cycle to work scheme with free bike servicing and discounted car valet service on site
  
• Free games and merchandise plus access to our extensive games library
  
• Free breakfast in the studio every day - toast, bagels, pancakes, cereals, yoghurts, fresh fruit, smoothies, juices, milkshakes and more in our fully stocked kitchen
  
• Wellbeing support with an employee assistance programme and onsite confidential sessions
  
• In-studio heavily subsidised massage therapy
  
• Discounts for home technology, travel insurance, corporate gym membership, cinema tickets, holidays, trips out and Ikea vouchers, and many local businesses including estate agents
  
• Studio parties for you and your family; such as our Summer Festival, Christmas Party plus a separate Children’s Christmas Party. We also have Cinema days and wrap parties for game releases
  
• Studio community activities such as life drawing, creative writing, Pilates, Walking Challenges, Couch to 5k, basketball, game and movie evenings, board game club, 5-a-side football, CA Choir, Sword fighting (yes, sword fighting) and loads more.

Our studio sites have disabled access. We are an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief.