Senior Character Artist

Company Description

Keywords Studios is a global provider of creative and technical services to the video games industry, with over 13,000 professionals across 70+ studios in 25+ countries. We support clients across the entire game lifecycle through four core Service Lines: Create — Game development, art production, and audio Globalize — Localization, localization QA, functional testing Engage — Marketing, LiveOps, community, and player support Media & Entertainment In Japan, Keywords Studios delivers its full range of services across Create, Globalize, and Engage, supporting leading publishers, developers, agencies, and IP owners through both local and global teams.

Job Description

Applicants must be currently residing in Japan and possess valid authorization to work in Japan. Character Creation Contributing to the art vision for the Characters Produce assets that align with the project’s artistic direction and technical requirements. Develop polished models, textures, shaders, and materials optimized for real-time game engines. Collaboration & Production Work closely with concept artists, designers, animators, and technical artists to translate concepts into final in-game assets. Collaborate with cross-functional teams throughout the production pipeline to ensure artistic consistency and quality. Participate in reviews, feedback sessions, and iterative development processes. Technical Art & Optimisation Ensure assets meet performance, memory, and platform-specific requirements across all gaming platforms. Apply strong understanding of optimisation techniques. Maintain consistency in quality while adhering to technical constraints and engine limitations. Innovation & Continuous Improvement Stay current with industry trends, emerging technologies, tools, and workflows. Contribute ideas and improvements to pipelines and production processes. Continuously push the visual quality and innovation of game art production. Mentorship & Leadership Provide guidance, mentorship, and constructive feedback to junior and mid-level artists. Support collaboration across internal teams and external vendors to maintain consistent asset quality. Contribute positively to team culture and artistic growth within the department

Qualifications

Required Skills and experience Extensive experience as a Character Artist within the video game industry, with a strong portfolio showcasing high-quality real-time game assets. Strong understanding of industry-standard 3D software such as Autodesk Maya, Blender, 3ds Max, ZBrush, Substance Painter, and related tools. Strong understanding of modelling, sculpting, UV mapping, texturing, anatomy, form, colour theory, and material creation. Experience creating optimized assets for modern real-time game engines such as Unreal Engine or Unity. Ability to work collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams, communicate ideas effectively, and incorporate feedback throughout production. Knowledge of game development pipelines and the ability to adapt artistic styles to suit various game genres and target platforms. Fluent in Japanese and with a high degree of English language proficiency. Desirable skills and experience Passion for gaming and a strong understanding of market trends, player expectations, and gaming cultures across PC, Console, and Nintendo platforms. Experience successfully guiding and communicating with other art teams to ensure artistic vision and asset quality are maintained from concept through to final in-game implementation. Additional Information Employment Type: 1-Year Contract If you'd like to know more about Keywords Studios we recommend visiting our corporate site HERE Role Information: EN Studio: Keywords Studios Location: Asia Pacific, Japan, Tokyo Area of Work: Art Services Service: Create Employment Type: Full Time, Contract Working Pattern: Remote PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION POLICY Keywords Studios is strongly committed to protecting your personal information. By sending your CV/Resume, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and consent to your data being managed and retained in accordance with our data privacy and retention policy https://www.keywordsstudios.com/en/applicant-privacy-notice/. Department: Art