Gaming Full-Time Work from Office

Lead Concept Artist

Company: Nintendo

Location: Austin, Texas, USA

Job Type: Full-Time

About the Role

Retro Studios is seeking a Lead Concept Artist to help shape the visual identity of upcoming Nintendo game projects. This role combines high-level artistic execution with team leadership, collaborating closely with Art Directors, Designers, and Engineers to deliver visually compelling gameplay experiences.

The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in character and environment concept design, strong artistic versatility, and the ability to mentor and guide artists within a collaborative AAA game development environment.

Job Overview

The Lead Concept Artist will drive concept development across multiple areas including characters, props, environments, and gameplay visualizations. This role involves establishing artistic direction, maintaining visual cohesion, and supporting creative problem-solving throughout production.

In addition to creating high-quality concept art, the position includes mentoring artists, collaborating with producers on planning and scheduling, and helping define best practices for the studio’s concept art pipeline.

Key Responsibilities

Visual Direction: Collaborate with the Art Director and cross-functional teams to define and execute the project’s visual style.
Concept Art Creation: Produce high-quality concept art for characters, environments, props, and gameplay elements from initial thumbnails to polished illustrations.
Creative Leadership: Lead concept development efforts while ensuring artistic consistency and innovation across the project.
Cross-Team Collaboration: Work closely with Design, Art, and Engineering teams to support gameplay development and visual cohesion.
Mentorship: Provide feedback, guidance, and professional development support to internal concept artists.
Pipeline Development: Help establish and improve concept art workflows, pipelines, and best practices within the studio.
Production Coordination: Partner with Producers to manage schedules, resources, and external concept art support when required.

Qualifications

8+ years of professional concept art experience within the gaming industry.
Experience shipping at least one project in a lead role and participating in two full product cycles.
Strong portfolio demonstrating expertise in character and environmental concept design.
Mastery of composition, anatomy, perspective, color theory, and lighting fundamentals.
Ability to work across realistic and stylized visual styles.
Experience with industry-standard art tools and familiarity with 3D workflows including modeling and sculpting.
Excellent communication, leadership, and team collaboration skills.

Education

Degree in an art-related field preferred.
Formal art training or equivalent professional experience may also be considered.
Additional expertise in 3D art production or digital sculpting is beneficial.