At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the art direction for a gritty sci-fi strategy game and mentor a small team.
- Company: Join an early-stage studio with a passion for indie game development.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, remote work flexibility, and creative influence on projects.
- Other info: Fast-paced environment with opportunities for real creative input and growth.
- Why this job: Shape the visual language of an exciting new game and make your mark in the industry.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in leading art teams and delivering high-quality assets.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 70000 € per year.
An early-stage studio is building a top-down strategy/RTS-adjacent game with two complementary layers: a hard-surface, industrial UI/management layer and large-scale planetary environments viewed from a satellite/top-down perspective. The visual tone is realistic, gritty sci-fi with a slight 1970s retro/dystopian sensibility. You’ll join a small growing studio and be the first hire for the Art Team as a hands-on Art Director.
Key responsibilities:
- Define and own the visual language across environments, vehicles, props, and UI, ensuring strong top-down readability at medium/far camera distances.
- Lead, hire and mentor a small internal art team; have full input on all art hires.
- Be hands on, produce concept and production assets alongside your team, ensuring a consistently high quality.
- Create practical pipelines and workflows for modular asset assembly, procedural or generated content, and rapid iteration.
- Collaborate with design and engineering to translate gameplay systems into clear visual systems and prioritize deliverables for prototypes and production.
Must-have:
- Senior lead with proven experience shipping or leading early stage projects from prototyping through to production.
- Portfolio demonstrating hard-surface sci-fi environments, props, and assets optimized for medium/far/top-down views.
- Hands-on skills in modelling/texturing/asset assembly; able to deliver production-ready art quickly.
- Strong leadership, hiring, communication and prioritisation skills for fast-moving small teams.
Nice-to-have:
- RTS/strategy or similar game experience.
- Unity engine familiarity and common DCC toolchain experience.
We plan to deliver the main project in about 18 months and need someone who can commit for that period. You'll be joining a small early‑stage team so it’s hands‑on, fast paced and you’ll have real creative influence including hiring input. The role is remote‑first with occasional in‑person meetups, we prefer UK/Europe for timezone alignment but will consider exceptional candidates elsewhere. We’re looking for people who love indie/early‑stage development and want to ship quickly.
Locations
Art Director in Cheshire, Warrington employer: Datascope Recruitment
Join a dynamic early-stage studio as an Art Director, where your creative vision will shape the future of a gritty sci-fi strategy game. Enjoy a collaborative and fast-paced work culture that values hands-on contributions and offers significant opportunities for professional growth, including leadership roles and hiring input. With the flexibility of remote work and a focus on innovative indie development, this is an exciting chance to make a meaningful impact in the gaming industry.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Art Director in Cheshire, Warrington
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to industry contacts, join relevant online communities, and attend virtual events. The more people you know, the better your chances of landing that Art Director gig.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your portfolio! Make sure it highlights your best work in hard-surface sci-fi environments and top-down views. A strong portfolio can speak volumes about your skills and creativity.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by researching the studio and their projects. Be ready to discuss how your vision aligns with theirs and how you can contribute to their unique style and workflow.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to connect directly with us.
We think you need these skills to ace Art Director in Cheshire, Warrington
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Portfolio:Make sure to include a link to your portfolio that highlights your best work, especially those gritty sci-fi environments and assets. We want to see your hands-on skills in action, so pick pieces that really showcase your ability to create top-down readable art.
Tailor Your Application:When you apply, tailor your application to reflect the job description. Use keywords from the listing to show us you understand what we're looking for. This helps us see how your experience aligns with our needs for this exciting project.
Be Yourself:Don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through in your written application. We’re a small team and we value creativity and individuality, so share your passion for indie game development and what excites you about this role!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to keep track of applications and ensures you get all the latest updates about the hiring process. Plus, it shows us you're keen to join our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Datascope Recruitment
✨Showcase Your Portfolio
Make sure to bring your A-game when it comes to your portfolio. Highlight your best work that aligns with the gritty sci-fi aesthetic and top-down readability they’re after. Be ready to discuss your thought process behind each piece, especially those that demonstrate your experience with hard-surface environments and props.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Skills
Since this role involves leading a small art team, be prepared to talk about your leadership style. Share examples of how you've mentored others or managed a team in past projects. They’ll want to see that you can inspire creativity while keeping the team focused on delivering high-quality assets.
✨Understand Their Vision
Do your homework on the studio and their project. Familiarise yourself with their vision for the game and think about how you can contribute to that. Bring ideas to the table about visual language and workflows that could enhance their development process, showing that you’re not just a fit but also a proactive contributor.
✨Be Ready for Technical Questions
Brush up on your technical skills, especially around modelling, texturing, and asset assembly. They might ask you about your experience with Unity or other DCC tools, so be ready to discuss how you’ve used these in previous projects. Showing confidence in your technical abilities will help reassure them that you can deliver production-ready art quickly.
