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Salary: USD 144,200 - 215,000 / annual
Scopely is seeking an experienced Art Lead to join the Slate Development Group, overseeing the visual quality of a new AAA action RPG developed in partnership with an external studio in Shanghai. This is a hybrid role based in Culver City, CA.
You will serve as the primary visual quality advocate and communication bridge between Scopely's internal team, the Shanghai development studio, and a world-renowned IP holder. Your responsibilities include:
**External Studio Leadership**: Partner with the Shanghai studio to guide and coordinate art quality across characters, environments, VFX, UI, and related disciplines. Establish and maintain efficient art workflows, feedback loops, and quality standards across time zones. Collaborate with the Creative Director and Art Director to evolve the art direction.
**Quality Bar & Visual Development**: Perform hands-on paintovers, visual callouts, and written feedback to elevate art to AAA standards. Identify visual risks early and proactively course-correct to maintain style, readability, and polish. Define and uphold the game's visual style, ensuring consistency across all deliverables.
**Feedback & Communication**: Review art submissions and playtest builds, providing concise, actionable, respectful feedback. Translate high-level creative direction into concrete, production-ready visual guidance. Collaborate with internal stakeholders to ensure art supports gameplay and performance requirements.
**IP Holder Collaboration**: Partner with the IP holder to establish visual guidelines and approvals. Interpret and relay art feedback to the development team. Ensure all art content aligns with IP canon while meeting gameplay needs and delivering a world-class player experience.
**Required Qualifications**: 7+ years of professional game art experience with at least 2+ years in a lead or senior role. Experience on AAA or high-end action RPGs for mobile or PC. Proven experience collaborating with external or offshore development studios. Strong visual fundamentals in composition, color, lighting, anatomy, and material definition. Comfortable with hands-on paintovers and async visual problem-solving. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Experience working with established IPs and navigating approval pipelines.
**Nice to Have**: Experience with teams in China or across multiple time zones. Familiarity with Unity art pipelines and tooling. Passion for action RPGs or Low Fantasy IPs. Mandarin language proficiency.
