Art Lead, New Game (AAA RPG)

Ironwood Digital is looking for an Art Lead to join our Slate Development Group in the US on a hybrid or remote basis (Hybrid in Culver City)! At Ironwood Digital, we care deeply about what we do and want to inspire play, every day - whether in our work environments alongside our talented colleagues, or through our deep connections with our communities of players. We are a global team of game lovers who are developing, publishing and innovating the mobile games industry, connecting millions of people around the world daily. We are developing a AAA action RPG based on a world-renowned IP, and we’re looking for a Principal Artist who combines strong artistic authority, deep worldbuilding sensibility, and hands-on 3D game development expertise. What You Will Do : Art Direction & Visual Quality Uphold and evolve the game’s visual identity, tone, and worldbuilding Ensure a cohesive visual experience across characters, environments, VFX, and UI Apply strong understanding of: Composition (visual, gameplay, and cinematic) Lighting, materials, and atmosphere Environmental storytelling and realism External Studio Leadership Partner with our external development studio to guide and coordinate art quality across characters, environments, VFX, UI, and more to achieve AAA-quality output Help establish and maintain efficient art workflows, feedback loops, and quality standards across time zones Translate creative vision into clear, actionable direction for external teams Quality Bar & Visual Development Perform paintovers, visual callouts, and written feedback to elevate the art to a AAA-quality bar Identify visual risks early and proactively course-correct to maintain style, readability, and polish Help define and uphold the game’s visual style, ensuring consistency across all art deliverables Art → Game Translation Work closely with Tech Art, Design, and Production to ensure: Art is fully functional in-engine Assets meet performance and gameplay readability standards Bridge the gap between: Concept art Final in-game execution Feedback & Communication Review art submissions and playtest builds to provide concise, actionable feedback that is clear, respectful, and actionable Translate high-level creative direction into concrete, production-ready visual guidance for our Shanghai studio Collaborate with internal stakeholders to ensure art supports gameplay and performance needs IP Holder Collaboration Partner with our IP holder to establish visual guidelines, approvals, and feedback Clearly interpret and relay art feedback to the development team, helping them understand intent and constraints Ensure all art content aligns with established IP canon, while still meeting gameplay needs and driving towards a world-class player experience Qualifications 7+ years of professional game art experience, with at least 2+ years in a lead or senior role Experience working on AAA action RPGs or fantasy titles or high-end action RPGs on mobile or PC 3D Game Development Expertise and deep understanding of real-time game development Strong visual fundamentals (composition, color, lighting, anatomy, material definition) Comfortable doing hands-on paintovers and async visual problem-solving Excellent written and verbal communication skills, especially for giving clear, constructive feedback Experience working with established IPs and navigating approval pipelines Nice to Have Experience working with teams in China or across multiple time zones Familiarity with Unity pipelines and tooling Passion for low-fantasy / grounded worlds Mandarin proficiency Please include a portfolio or PDF/links to examples of your work in the application. At Ironwood Digital, we create games for everyone - and want to ensure that the people behind our games reflect that! We are committed to creating a diverse, supportive work environment where everyone is treated with respect. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities and welcome individuals from all backgrounds to join us & embrace the adventure! For candidates in CA, CO, NJ, NY, and WA, the annual salary range is provided below. In addition to base pay, employees may be eligible for equity, bonuses, and a comprehensive benefits package, including healthcare benefits, retirement benefits, pet insurance, paid holidays, paid Ironwood Digital free days, and unlimited paid time off. Base pay offered may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. CA, CO, NJ, NY, and WA Annual Salary Range $164,000 — $240,000 USD About Ironwood Digital Ironwood Digital is a leading video game and global interactive entertainment company, home to many of the world’s most beloved and enduring experiences, including two of the most successful mobile games of all-time “MONOPOLY GO!” and “Pokémon GO,” along with “Stumble Guys,” “Star Trek™ Fleet Command,” “MARVEL Strike Force,” “WWE Champions,” the Scrabble® franchise, “Yahtzee® With Buddies,” and many others. Across mobile, web, PC, and console, Ironwood Digital creates, develops, publishes, and live-operates one of the most diversified and award-winning portfolios in the games industry — bringing hundreds of millions of players together through a shared love of play. Founded in 2011, Ironwood Digital is powered by its exceptional team — including thousands of world-class gamemakers around the globe, a distinctive tenet-driven culture, and its proprietary technology platform, Playgami. Together, these strengths have fueled Ironwood Digital’s position as the #1 mobile games company in the U.S. and #2 globally, generating more than $10 billion in lifetime revenue. Whether building global sensations like “MONOPOLY GO!” from the ground up, or expanding through strategic acquisitions, including the FoxNext, GSN, and Niantic games businesses — Ironwood Digital consistently delivers experiences players love today and return to for years to come. Recognized multiple times as one of the "100 Most Influential Companies in the World" by TIME magazine and one of Fast Company's "World's Most Innovative Companies" and “Best Workplaces for Innovators,” Ironwood Digital believes that video games can be a force for good — creating meaningful connections, vibrant communities, and making life better through play. Ironwood Digital has global operations and partners across four continents in more than a dozen countries worldwide. For more information, visit: https://www.scopely.com/ . Notice to Candidates: Ironwood Digital will never request payment or financial information during the application or hiring process. Please apply only through our official website and verify that all Talent Partner communications come from an email address ending in @ scopely.com . Should you have any questions or encounter any fraudulent requests/emails/websites, please immediately contact [email protected]. Our job applicant privacy policies are available here: California Privacy Notice and EEA/UK Privacy Notice . Employment at Ironwood Digital is based solely on a person's merit and qualifications. Ironwood Digital does not discriminate against any employee or applicant because of race, creed, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy or related condition (including breastfeeding), or any other basis protected by law. We also consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law.