Senior Outsourcing Character Concept Artist (Contract)

At ArenaNet, we’ve always believed that games are art. They have the power to communicate ideas and tell stories. They can change the way we think, reflect our cultures, and move us. As the developer of the award-winning Guild Wars game series, we’re proud to share our passion for the online worlds we’ve created with over 21 million players worldwide.

ArenaNet develops and publishes games for every kind of person, which means our games need to be built by every kind of person. We believe the best experiences come from working together, celebrating differences, and helping each of our team members shine.

We're looking for a Senior Outsourcing Character Concept Artist (Contract) to help bring the world of Guild Wars 3 to life!

In this role, you will work closely with the Outsourcing Art Team to review character concept art assets from external partners, provide feedback to ensure alignment with our artistic vision and quality standards, and make appropriate edits to prepare files for integration.

The ideal candidate has a strong artistic eye, exceptional attention to detail, and a solid understanding of character design and modern game art pipelines. They are an effective communicator who is passionate about game art and thrives in a collaborative environment, working closely with both external partners and internal art teams.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Translate design briefs into clear, actionable vendor art briefs, providing strong visual references, callouts, and supporting materials to align internal and external teams on creative direction and practical requirements.
• Maintain a strong understanding of cross-disciplinary technical requirements and constraints, guiding vendors toward creative solutions that work within those parameters.
• Provide clear, actionable art feedback that supports the established art direction, character design goals, and story/lore while allowing vendors room for creativity.
• Prioritize feedback effectively, distinguishing critical or essential changes from subjective preferences, particularly when incorporating input from multiple teams and stakeholders.
• Remain mindful of deadlines and project scope, making thoughtful decisions about which feedback to prioritize based on available time and resources.
• Communicate clearly and effectively with external vendors, particularly when navigating language or cultural differences. Simplify and clarify direction without losing important artistic or technical details.
• Communicate professionally and promptly with internal teams, helping bridge gaps between disciplines, stakeholders, and external partners to ensure expectations and decisions remain aligned.
• Manage multiple projects and ongoing conversations simultaneously while tracking key feedback, decisions, priorities, and follow-ups.
• Proactively support vendors by creating templates, preparing proxy files, gathering references, and providing other materials that help streamline their work.
• Maintain organized asset files and documentation, ensuring briefs, references, feedback, source materials, and vendor deliverables are accurate, up to date, and easy for others to access and navigate.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

• Bachelor's degree in Art, Game Art, Illustration, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• 5+ years of professional experience in game development pipelines.
• Experience reviewing concept art, providing actionable feedback, and collaborating with external art vendors or internal art teams.
• A discerning eye for art quality, with strong attention to detail and the ability to identify inconsistencies.
• Proficiency in Adobe Photoshop.
• Strong written, verbal, and visual communication skills.
• Highly organized, with the ability to follow established processes and instructions.
• Self-motivated and collaborative, with a positive attitude and strong team-oriented mindset.
• Strong understanding of art fundamentals, including anatomy, form, proportion, color, and composition.
• Strong concept art background and/or strong 2D skills in character, creature and environment art.

PLUSES

• Experience with Jira.
• Experience with Maya, ZBrush, and Substance Painter.
• A passion for games and game development.

This role 1+ year remote-friendly contract, but we are currently prioritizing candidates who are local to the Bellevue, WA area and open to occasional onsite collaboration.

Pay Range: $50.03 - $75.04

This is an hourly contract role with overtime pay when applicable. While we share the full range for transparency, typical offers fall between the minimum and midpoint.

The role is benefits-eligible through our third-party employer, including medical, dental, vision, 401(k), and flexible/dependent care accounts.

Applications will be accepted until Friday, November 6th at 10am PT. If the deadline is extended, the posting will be updated accordingly. If the position is filled before this date, the posting will be removed.

Don’t meet every single requirement on this job post? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At ArenaNet, we believe diversity in culture, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and backgrounds make us a better team – we celebrate it. So, if you’re excited about this role, but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification listed, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.