ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Character Concept Artist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Human Computer Lab

Character Artist

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$142K - $149K/yr

What to expect We're looking for a character artist to help define how LeLamp looks, moves, and ... You'll work on everything from early concept sketches and mood boards to the motion, gesture, and ...

Side

3D Character Artist - Talent Pool (N Americas)

$123K - $130K/yr

Create high-quality 3D character assets, including organic and hard surface elements, from concept ... Artistic Skills : * Strong eye for detail, form, and style consistency. * Ability to adapt to and ...

2K

Lead Character Artist

Novato, CA · Remote

$150K - $180K/yr

As a Lead Character Artist at Cloud Chamber, under the supervision of the Art Director, you will ... Work closely with Directors, Leads, Concept, Environment, Design, Gameplay, and Animation teams to ...

Cloud Chamber

Lead Character Artist

Novato, CA · On-site

$150K - $180K/yr

As a Lead Character Artist at Cloud Chamber, under the supervision of the Art Director, you will ... Work closely with Directors, Leads, Concept, Environment, Design, Gameplay, and Animation teams to ...

Cloud Chamber

Lead Character Artist

Novato, CA · Remote

$150K - $180K/yr

As a Lead Character Artist at Cloud Chamber, under the supervision of the Art Director, you will ... Work closely with Directors, Leads, Concept, Environment, Design, Gameplay, and Animation teams to ...

2K

Lead Character Artist

Novato, CA · On-site

$150K - $180K/yr

As a Lead Character Artist at Cloud Chamber, under the supervision of the Art Director, you will ... Work closely with Directors, Leads, Concept, Environment, Design, Gameplay, and Animation teams to ...

previous pagenext page

Showing results 21-40

All JobsArts And Entertainment JobsArts JobsFine Artist JobsCharacter Concept Artist Jobs

Character Concept Artist information

See salary details

$104.5K

$120.5K

$128.5K

How much do character concept artist jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 11, 2026, the average yearly pay for character concept artist in the United States is $120,531.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $121,000.00 and $127,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a character concept artist?

A Character Concept Artist is responsible for designing and visualizing original characters for video games, animation, films, and other media. They create sketches, digital paintings, and detailed concept art that help define a character's appearance, personality, and overall aesthetic. Working closely with art directors, game designers, and 3D modelers, they ensure the character designs align with the project's artistic and narrative vision. Strong drawing skills, creativity, and a deep understanding of anatomy, costume design, and storytelling are essential for this role.

What does a character concept artist do?

A typical day for a Character Concept Artist involves brainstorming and sketching multiple character ideas, refining designs based on feedback, and collaborating closely with other artists, art directors, and game designers. You may attend team meetings to discuss visual direction, present your concepts, and make revisions to align with the project's needs. In addition to creating digital illustrations, you might also prepare turnaround sheets or expression studies to support the 3D modeling team. The pace can be fast, especially when deadlines approach, but daily tasks are varied and allow for a high degree of creative expression. This collaborative and iterative workflow helps ensure the game's or project's characters are visually compelling and cohesive with the overall art style.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a character concept artist?

To thrive as a Character Concept Artist, you need strong drawing and design skills, a good understanding of anatomy, and a portfolio showcasing creative character concepts, typically backed by a degree in art, illustration, or a related field. Proficiency in industry-standard software like Adobe Photoshop, Corel Painter, and digital tablet hardware is essential, and additional certification in digital artistry can be beneficial. Excellent communication, openness to feedback, and the ability to collaborate with other artists and departments help you stand out. These abilities ensure your creative work aligns with the project's vision and production needs, making you a valuable member of the art team.

More about Character Concept Artist jobs

What cities are hiring for Character Concept Artist jobs?

Cities with the most Character Concept Artist job openings:

What are the most commonly searched types of Character Concept Artist jobs?

The most popular types of Character Concept Artist jobs are:

What states have the most Character Concept Artist jobs?

States with the most job openings for Character Concept Artist jobs include:

What are popular job titles related to Character Concept Artist jobs?

For Character Concept Artist jobs, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Character Concept Artist jobs near you
Infographic showing various Character Concept Artist job openings in the United States as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 80% Full Time, 4% Part Time, 12% Temporary, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 80% In-person, and 20% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $120,531 per year, or $57.9 per hour.

Character Artist

San Francisco, CA • On-site

Human Computer Lab
See more jobs at Human Computer Labexternal

$142K - $149K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 8 days ago

Job description

Human Computer Lab is a research lab building character robots that feel alive and responsive. Our first robot, LeLamp, explores a new category of consumer robotics where everyday objects become interactive and help us reshape our attachment to technology.
Our goal is to push the frontier of human-robot interaction by making technology more legible, emotionally intuitive, and human-centered. We are building the foundation for a new generation of robots designed for everyday environments.
What to expect
We're looking for a character artist to help define how LeLamp looks, moves, and feels - the visual and expressive language that makes a robot read as alive rather than mechanical. You'll work on everything from early concept sketches and mood boards to the motion, gesture, and lighting cues that give the robot its personality, translating character intent into something the hardware and software teams can actually build and ship. This role requires tight, fast-cycling collaboration with electrical, mechanical, and software teams - character decisions here don't stay on paper, they become motor curves, timing, and light behavior. You'll work closely with the CEO and founding team to shape the character identity of LeLamp and the robots that follow.
In this role, you will:
  • Create concept art, mood boards, and character studies that define LeLamp's personality and visual identity.
  • Collaborate with the hardware team on form factor, silhouette, materials, and color to keep the physical design aligned with the character.
  • Design expressive motion - gestures, "emotional" states, and behaviors expressed through movement, light, and sound.
  • Prototype and iterate quickly, moving between sketches, renders, and physical mockups.
  • Partner with robotics and software engineers to translate character intent into concrete behavior parameters (motion curves, timing, lighting cues).
  • Build and maintain style guides and a character bible to keep the robot's expression consistent as the team grows.
  • Review hardware and software prototypes against the character vision and give clear, actionable feedback.
  • Support brand and marketing assets to keep the character consistent across every touchpoint.

You may be a good fit if you:
  • Are pursuing a degree in screen-writing, animation, character design, industrial design, or a related field - or have equivalent hands-on portfolio experience.
  • Have a portfolio that shows character design or expressive design work, in 2D or 3D.
  • Document clearly and can explain the reasoning behind a design choice, not just the choice itself.
  • Are comfortable iterating quickly, moving from rough sketch to testable prototype without waiting for a perfect brief.
  • Are genuinely interested in physical products, not just screen-based or purely digital characters.

You will be a strong fit, if you:
  • Have designed characters or mascots that had to work within real hardware or physical constraints, not just on a screen.
  • Understand core animation principles (timing, weight, squash and stretch, anticipation) and know how to translate them into motors, servos, and lighting.
  • Are comfortable collaborating directly with engineers, turning an abstract sense of "feel" into concrete specs they can build against.
  • Move quickly through iteration cycles and don't wait for perfect information to make progress.
  • Take ownership over your work end to end, from first sketch to a behavior that's live in the robot.
  • Work well in small, collaborative teams where character, electrical, and mechanical are in constant conversation.
  • Care about what the character enables: warmth, expressiveness, and the feeling that the robot is alive.

The early team becomes the DNA of the company. We set ourselves and others to a high standard, and we respond with kindness when things get hard but keep everyone accountable. This requires us to be curious, creative, and diverse in our thinking and approach.
We're proud to be an equal opportunity employer and consider all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. Even if you don't meet every single requirement, we encourage you to apply. Studies show that women and underrepresented groups often hold back unless they meet 100% of the criteria - we don't want that to be the reason we miss out on great talent.

Apply