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Character Design Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Thatgamecompany

3D Character Artist (Mid-Senior)

$81K - $114K/yr

Brainstorm ideas and create rapid 3D prototypes during the concept and design phase * Support the rest of the 3D team to create character assets * Review and fix bugs of all complexities * Contribute ...

AGBO

Expression of Interest - Character Artist

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$130K - $136K/yr

The Character Artist will be responsible for creating highly realistic and expressive character ... They will collaborate with a team of artists and developers to conceptualize, design, and execute ...

Finch Care

Product Designer

Design product concepts that balance product vision, speed, and business potential. * Work cross-functionally with engineering, product management, character design and character animation. Projects ...

SciPlay

2D Game Artist

Austin, TX · On-site

Exceptional understanding of character design, color theory, composition, lighting, graphic design and text treatments is required. * Expert proficiency in Adobe Photoshop is required. * Experience ...

SciPlay

2D Game Artist

Austin, TX · On-site

Exceptional understanding of character design, color theory, composition, lighting, graphic design and text treatments is required. * Expert proficiency in Adobe Photoshop is required. * Experience ...

Amazon

Principal UX Designer , Fauna

New York, NY · On-site

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS - 10+ years of professional experience in UX design, interaction design, or experience design - Portfolio demonstrating work on character-driven, embodied, conversational, or ...

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Character Design information

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$10

$19

$37

How much do character design jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 3, 2026, the average hourly pay for character design in the United States is $19.08, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $13.46 and $24.28 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is character design?

Character design is the process of creating the visual appearance, personality, and style of characters for use in media such as animation, video games, comics, and films. Character designers combine art skills and storytelling to develop unique and memorable characters that fit the project's narrative and aesthetic. This includes designing physical features, clothing, expressions, and poses, often collaborating with writers, directors, and animators to ensure the characters support the story and appeal to the target audience.

How does a character designer typically collaborate with other team members during the production process?

Character Designers work closely with art directors, animators, writers, and sometimes 3D modelers to ensure their designs align with the project's visual style and narrative. Regular meetings and feedback sessions are common, where designers present sketches, receive input, and make iterative changes. Effective communication and openness to feedback are essential, as character designs often need to be adapted for animation, merchandising, or game mechanics. Collaboration helps ensure the characters not only look appealing but also function well in different media formats.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a character designer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Character Designer, you need strong drawing skills, a solid understanding of anatomy, color theory, and visual storytelling, often supported by a degree in art, illustration, or animation. Proficiency with digital illustration tools like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and drawing tablets is typically required. Creativity, adaptability, and effective communication help character designers collaborate with teams and bring unique concepts to life. These skills are essential for creating compelling, memorable characters that visually support narratives and resonate with audiences.

What is the difference between Character Design vs Character Modeling?

AspectCharacter DesignCharacter Modeling
Primary FocusCreating the visual concept, style, and personality of charactersBuilding the 3D digital model based on designs
Required SkillsDrawing, illustration, concept art, creativity3D modeling, software proficiency (e.g., Maya, Blender)
Work EnvironmentConcept art studios, animation, gaming companies3D animation studios, game development, VFX
Common UsageDesigning characters' appearance and personalityCreating detailed 3D models for animation or games

While both roles are essential in character creation, Character Design focuses on conceptualizing and visualizing characters, whereas Character Modeling involves transforming those concepts into detailed 3D models. Understanding these differences helps professionals and employers identify the right skill set for each stage of character development.

How to get a job as a character designer?

To become a character designer, build a strong portfolio showcasing your creativity and drawing skills, often using digital tools like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator. Gaining experience through internships, freelance work, or art communities can improve your chances, and understanding character development, anatomy, and storytelling is essential for success in the field.

What degree should I get if I want to be a character designer?

Character designers typically hold a bachelor's degree in fields such as fine arts, illustration, animation, or graphic design. Developing strong drawing skills, a portfolio, and proficiency with digital tools like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator are also important for this role.

What jobs involve character design?

Jobs that involve character design include roles such as character designer, concept artist, and animation artist, primarily in industries like video games, film, television, and animation studios. These positions require skills in drawing, digital illustration, and knowledge of design software like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator. Character designers create visual concepts for characters used in various media projects and often collaborate with directors and writers to develop character personalities and styles.
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Character Design jobs near you
Infographic showing various Character Design job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 90% Full Time, 7% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 85% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $39,680 per year, or $19.1 per hour.

Senior Character Artist (Contingent)

Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE)

Santa Monica, CA • On-site

$69.09 - $86.35/hr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision

Re-posted 2 hours ago

Job description

This position is for temporary engagement through our staffing partner, Yoh Enterprise Solutions. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States for this position.

This is a hybrid / onsite position.

For nearly 40 years, Naughty Dog has been crafting best-selling, critically acclaimed games that constantly push the boundaries of narrative, gameplay, and technology. Naughty Dog recently released The Last of Us Part II Remastered as well as a current generation remake of The Last of Us Part I for the PS5. We're also proud to say that The Last of Us Part I and Part II are now available for the first time on PC. Currently, we're busy at the kennel working on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, and we'd love to find talented individuals to join us!

Naughty Dog games have long been lauded for their evocative, character-driven stories and attention to detail. We are committed to innovation within our games and as such have curated some of the top creative and technically innovative minds in the industry. We welcome diverse candidates and believe that a broad range of cultural and life experiences contribute to the overall well-being and success of the studio and the titles we craft together.

The Character Art team is looking for a highly technical and artistic Senior Character Artist to join our team in creating the next generation of award-winning story telling! We are looking for an artist who can help create characters, creatures AND develop pipelines that help streamline and push boundaries to create compelling characters that fit seamlessly within the narrative-driven worlds we build. By working alongside other departments and disciplines to inform, inspire, collaborate and develop artistic solutions to technical obstacles, you'll help ensure our character pipeline is at the forefront of AAA development.

What you will do:

  • Work with artists, technical artists, and engineers to design, implement and maintain new workflows that will help streamline and enhance our tools, shaders, and processes
  • Use provided concept art and references to create highly detailed character and creature models
  • Create high poly models, UVs, in game topology and textures to ensure high quality in game characters that work within our technical constraints, while also looking for areas to develop and push past our current boundaries
  • Monitor the needs of rigging, animation, and design to ensure clear characters in game Maintain a clear and consistent workflow under an established schedule Work closely to FX and Lighting artists to create characters that meet artistic and technical requirements
  • Provide direction to character artists for aesthetic and technical considerations
  • Work closely with the Tool and Engine Team to develop new or improve upon old techniques to improve character model quality
  • Work closely with Leads, Principals and Directors to keep quality and style consistent across all characters
  • Help document new and existing pipelines to streamline processes for internal and external artists
  • Act as a power user to evaluate and demo new software and tools from 3rd party developers for the character pipeline

What skills will you use:

  • Highly skilled at working with and defining standards for PBR materials, topology, and in game character pipelines
  • Experience developing shaders with technical artists and programmers
  • Intermediate knowledge of python scripting, not required, but a plus
  • Highly skilled at sculpting, modeling, texturing, shading characters and assets for games
  • High level knowledge of hair curve and card creation for next gen games
  • Keen eye to form, lighting, colors and composition
  • Very strong portfolio showing high quality characters
  • At least 5 years of experience as a character artist, working on at least one AAA title

#LI-AB1

At SIE, working with our partners, we consider several factors when setting each role's base pay range, including the competitive benchmarking data for the market and geographic location.
Please note that the individual base pay range may vary based on job-related factors which may include knowledge, skills, experience, and location.
In addition, this role is eligible for benefit offerings that include medical, dental, and vision. Click hereto learn more.

The estimated base pay range for this role is listed below, this is an hourly rate.
$69.09-$86.35 USD

Please note, Sony Interactive Entertainment conducts background checks at the offer stage for all new employees (which may include criminal background checks for some roles) and will need to process personal information to support these checks.

Please refer to ourCandidate Privacy Noticefor more information about what personal information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and your data protection rights.

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