Senior Character Artist - Unannounced Project - M/F/NB

Join a small, senior design team on an unannounced project. You will be responsible for translating artistic intentions into 3D, developing technical and artistic production solutions for optimal efficiency, and character modeling for key figures like main characters, bosses, and NPCs. You will also serve as a mentor for junior profiles and freelancers, collaborating with specialized seniors in Montpellier using tools like Zbrush, Maya, and Marvelous.

Must Have

• Translate artistic intentions into 3D
• Develop technical and artistic production solutions for optimal efficiency
• Character modeling for key figures (main characters, bosses, NPCs)
• Act as a mentor for junior profiles or freelancers (around 4/5 people)
• Several years of experience in video game character production
• Experience on a game with a strong artistic vision
• Portfolio demonstrating anatomical knowledge, form quality, visual storytelling, material quality
• Familiarity with real-time if from cinema/VFX background
• Ability to translate 2D concepts into 3D assets
• Knowledge of proportion harmony and readable silhouettes
• Mastery of ZBrush, Maya, Marvelous, Substance (Painter/Designer)
• Mastery of technologies and pipelines for video game character creation (scans, photogrammetry, groom, hair cards, FACS, shaders, topology)
• Solid experience in Character Modelling
• Comfort with game engines
• Understand project constraints to deliver within production deadlines
• Proactive in pushing the quality of renders in-game
• Ability to give and receive feedback and share best practices
• Open to feedback (DA revisions, gameplay rebalancing, engine optimization)
• Understand the needs of other teams and technical constraints for best in-game renders
• Ability to share knowledge with junior profiles
• Encourage cooperation and unite teams

Perks & Benefits

• Flexible hours and possibility of remote work under Ubisoft charter conditions
• 20 days of remote work per year from an EU country (for EU citizens)
• 50% reimbursement of public transport pass or mileage allowance for cycling
• Access to our game library for Ubisoft and competitor games and consoles
• Access to our CSE (Works Council) with preferential rates on shows, cinemas, concerts, gyms, amusement parks, and other deals

Company Description

Ubisoft is a global leader in video games, with teams around the world creating original and memorable gaming experiences, from Assassin’s Creed to Rainbow Six, Just Dance, and many more. We believe that diversity of perspectives advances both players and teams. If you are passionate about innovation and want to push the boundaries of entertainment, join our adventure and help us create the unknown!

Job Description

Come strengthen a small design team on an unannounced project with a Senior team.

What you will do:

• Work on translating artistic intentions into 3D
• Think about technical and artistic production solutions that allow translating the artistic direction into 3D, with methods that optimize production
• Character modeling on key characters: Main character, Boss, NPC (to be shared with other principals)
• Professional contact for more junior or freelance profiles (around 4/5)

Your future work environment:

• Small team based in Montpellier
• Collaboration with specialized seniors.
• Tools used: Zbrush, Maya, Marvelous

Qualifications

What we are looking for:

An experienced, reliable, autonomous, and curious character artist. You are passionate about bringing game characters to life with a strong and varied artistic identity. You pay particular attention to the quality of your work. You understand the needs of other professions so that your work is perfectly integrated into the game world and experience.

Key skills for this position

• Several years of experience in video game character production.
• Experience on a game with a strong artistic vision.
• Portfolio demonstrating: anatomical knowledge, form quality, visual storytelling, material quality.
• Cinema/VFX profiles welcome if familiar with real-time.

Artistic skills

• You know how to translate a 2D concept into 3D assets, from the main hero to background NPCs.
• You have knowledge of proportion harmony and readable silhouettes
• You master ZBrush, Maya, Marvelous, Substance (Painter/Designer) tools.
• You master the technologies and pipelines related to character creation for video games (scans, photogrammetry, groom, hair cards, FACS, shaders, topology, ...).

Technical:

• Solid experience in Character Modelling (share your best work via your portfolio).
• Comfort with game engines

Reliability & Ownership

• You understand project constraints to deliver within production deadlines.
• You are proactive: you push the quality of your renders even in their in-game context.

Team spirit and Mentoring

• You know how to give and receive feedback with your peers and share best practices.
• You remain open to feedback: DA revisions, gameplay rebalancing, engine optimization, etc.
• You understand the needs of other teams and technical constraints to achieve the best renders in the game.
• You know how to share with junior profiles
• You encourage cooperation between teams and know how to unite them.

What will make you successful

• Your attention to detail… and your expertise in knowing where to focus your efforts.
• Your ability to communicate your vision and inspire trust and commitment
• Your ability to challenge yourself by proposing innovative solutions to complex problems but also by effectively managing change and uncertain situations thanks to your agile mind
• Your way of elevating others by encouraging them to surpass themselves.

Additional Information

The recruitment process:

Our recruitment process

• Review of your application: our team will review it carefully.
• Quick pre-qualification (30 min max by phone): if your profile matches, you will have a first phone exchange to validate certain points.
• Interview 1: Discovery (1h, video call): an exchange with a member of the recruitment team to get to know you better and check the suitability of your background with our expectations.
• Interview 2: Technical (1h, video call): a discussion with two team members, more technically oriented, to get into the specifics and speak the same language.

A technical test step may be planned to better understand your way of working and your technical sensitivity

Other info:

Location: Montpellier

Start date: you can join the team as soon as possible

Remote work:

We adopt a hybrid work model that helps you stay connected with your team and aligned with company priorities, while giving you the opportunity to maintain your work-life balance. Note that some roles are entirely office-based and are not eligible for hybrid work.

Consult this guide which aims to support you in your application, and discover our actions to encourage more diversity and inclusion.

Joining Ubisoft Montpellier means having access from day one to:

• Flexibility in your hours and the possibility of remote work under the conditions provided by the Ubisoft charter.
• 20 days of remote work per year from a European Union country (reserved for European citizenship profiles);
• Reimbursement of 50% of your transport pass or a mileage allowance if you use a bicycle as a mode of transport;
• Our game library where you can borrow the latest Ubisoft games, those of the competition, and consoles;
• Our CSE and its preferential rates on a wide range of shows, cinemas, concerts, gyms, amusement parks, and many other good deals.

As an employer, Ubisoft offers everyone the same employment opportunities without distinction of gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, social status, disability, and age. Ubisoft strives to develop an inclusive work environment that reflects the diversity of its player community in its teams.

Ubisoft is actively working to reduce its carbon footprint and mobilize its communities as part of its Play Green commitment.

All information will be treated confidentially in accordance with the Employment Equity Act.

Consult this guide which aims to support you in your application, and discover our actions to encourage more diversity and inclusion.