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Concept Artist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

What you will be doing We're looking for a Concept Artist to lead the visual imagination of the company - you'll own the art direction, concepting, and illustration of how our systems are deployed ...

Concept Artist

Torrance, CA · On-site

$103K - $144K/yr

Manage multiple concurrent concept projects of varying scope and complexity You should have the following * 5+ years as concept artist in games, film or entertainment * Expert knowledge in 2D ...

CGI Concept Artist

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$136K - $157K/yr

... sell a concept, the one Engineering checks before committing to tooling, and the one a customer sees on their screen before they ever touch the real thing. We're looking for the artists who ...

Airrack Thumbnail Concept Artist

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$136K - $157K/yr

THE ROLE We're looking for a world-class freelance Thumbnail Concept Artist -- the creative brain that comes before the design software ever opens. You take a video title or a raw idea and engineer a ...

Senior Concept Artist

$112K - $154K/yr

Senior Concept Artist Req ID: 10157163 ESPN is seeking a highly imaginative and versatile Senior Concept Artist to help shape the future of sports storytelling across broadcast, digital, social ...

THE ROLE We're looking for a world-class freelance Thumbnail Concept Artist - the creative brain that comes before the design software ever opens. You take a video title or a raw idea and engineer a ...

Airrack Thumbnail Concept Artist

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$136K - $157K/yr

THE ROLE We're looking for a world-class freelance Thumbnail Concept Artist - the creative brain that comes before the design software ever opens. You take a video title or a raw idea and engineer a ...

Senior Concept Artist

Bridgeport, CT · On-site +1

$112K - $154K/yr

ESPN is seeking a highly imaginative and versatile Senior Concept Artist to help shape the future of sports storytelling across broadcast, digital, social, experiential, and emerging platforms. This ...

Senior Concept Artist

Norwalk, CT · On-site +1

$112K - $154K/yr

ESPN is seeking a highly imaginative and versatile Senior Concept Artist to help shape the future of sports storytelling across broadcast, digital, social, experiential, and emerging platforms. This ...

We're looking for an Associate Merchandise Concept Designer to join that team in Austin, TX. This is a hands-on role for a designer who wants to own ideas from the blank page all the way to the ...

Senior Concept Artist

Meriden, CT · On-site +1

$112K - $154K/yr

ESPN is seeking a highly imaginative and versatile Senior Concept Artist to help shape the future of sports storytelling across broadcast, digital, social, experiential, and emerging platforms. This ...

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Concept Artist information

See salary details

$120K

$132.8K

$146.5K

How much do concept artist jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 1, 2026, the average yearly pay for concept artist in the United States is $132,826.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $127,000.00 and $146,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a concept artist?

As a concept artist, your job duties are to take clients’ ideas and create visualizations of their thoughts that serve as a springboard for the design phase of projects. Concept art could be a storyboard or a collection of rough drawings and sketches, depending on the client and the nature of their project. You can work in many industries as a concept artist, including film and digital entertainment, the video game industry, architecture and building, and even interior design. You can find concept artist jobs at design studios or work as a contractor for companies that need your services.

How do concept artists typically collaborate with other departments during a game or film project?

Concept artists work closely with art directors, 3D modelers, animators, and sometimes writers to ensure their visual ideas align with the creative vision and technical requirements of a project. Regular feedback sessions and team meetings are common, allowing concept artists to refine their designs based on input from other departments. This collaborative approach helps translate early sketches into detailed references that guide the production pipeline, ensuring consistency and feasibility throughout the project.

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

To thrive as a Concept Artist, you need strong drawing skills, a solid grasp of color theory, composition, and anatomy, often complemented by a degree in art or design. Proficiency in digital illustration tools like Adobe Photoshop, Corel Painter, or Procreate is essential, along with familiarity with 3D modeling software like Blender or ZBrush. Creativity, adaptability, and the ability to collaborate effectively with other team members are standout soft skills in this role. These abilities are crucial for transforming ideas into compelling visuals that guide the look and feel of games, films, or products.

What is the difference between Concept Artist vs Character Designer?

AspectConcept ArtistCharacter Designer
CredentialsPortfolio, artistic skills, possibly a degree in art or designPortfolio, strong drawing skills, often a background in character design or illustration
Work EnvironmentFilm, video games, animation, entertainment industryVideo games, animation, comics, entertainment industry
Employer & Industry UsageStudios, production companies, game developersGame studios, animation houses, comic publishers

While both roles involve creating visual concepts, a Concept Artist develops broad visual ideas and environments for projects, whereas a Character Designer focuses specifically on designing characters' appearances and personalities. Both roles require strong artistic skills and often overlap, but their primary focus and deliverables differ within the creative process.

Do concept artists get paid well?

Concept artists typically earn competitive salaries that vary based on experience, location, and industry. Entry-level positions may start lower, while experienced artists working in gaming, film, or animation can earn higher wages, often supplemented by freelance work or contract opportunities.

How do I get a job as a concept artist?

To get a job as a concept artist, build a strong portfolio showcasing your artistic skills and creativity, often including character, environment, and object designs. Gain proficiency in digital art tools like Photoshop or Corel Painter, and develop a good understanding of art fundamentals such as anatomy, perspective, and color theory. Relevant education or self-study, along with networking within the industry, can also improve your chances of securing a position.

What jobs can concept artists do?

Concept artists can work in industries such as video game development, film, animation, and advertising, creating visual designs and character concepts. They often collaborate with designers, directors, and developers, using tools like Photoshop and drawing tablets. These roles typically require strong artistic skills, creativity, and an understanding of storytelling and visual communication.

What cities are hiring for Concept Artist jobs?

Cities with the most Concept Artist job openings:

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

The most popular types of Concept Artist jobs are:

Who are the top companies hiring for Concept Artist jobs?

The top employers for Concept Artist jobs are:

What states have the most Concept Artist jobs?

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

What are popular job titles related to Concept Artist jobs?

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

Infographic showing various Concept Artist job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 85% Full Time, 12% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 90% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $132,826 per year, or $63.9 per hour.

$103K - $144K/yr

Full-time

Posted 7 days ago


Job description

Who we are

Neros is a defense technology company rebuilding America's drone industrial base. We design and manufacture high-performance unmanned systems that are tested in combat, iterated at startup speed, and built at massive scale. Our team culture is fast, hands-on, and obsessed with closing the gap between design and deployment.

As drones transform the character of warfare, Neros is delivering the systems America and its allies needs to compete on the modern battlefield and deter future conflicts, or else win them. We're building a lean Marketing organization of creatives and operators who want to move fast, take extreme ownership, build a brand from the ground up, and tell the Neros story.

What you will be doing

We're looking for a Concept Artist to lead the visual imagination of the company - you'll own the art direction, concepting, and illustration of how our systems are deployed, and build creative that resonates across military end users, government procurement, and the public at large.

You'll define our illustration styles spanning marketing, technical guides, and concept of operations presentations. You'll get deeply immersed in our current and future products, as well as the battlefield realities that American and allied warfighters encounter.

This role straddles visual development, art direction, technical illustration, and storytelling.

Responsibilities

  • Own 2D and 3D art direction for product concepts and illustrations spanning our Marketing channels, customer presentations, and technical guides
  • Define how Neros visually depicts current and future product capabilities, as well as the warfighter scenarios where they're employed
  • Define our concept of operations illustration style, rendering how our systems are employed across mission profiles, operational scenarios, deployment sequences, and battlefield constraints
  • Evolve our visual design language across illustration surfaces: cutaways, callouts, sequences, diagrams, TTP, hero illustrations, etc
  • Translate technically complex product specs and features into intuitive visuals
  • Work collaboratively with brand marketing to art direct and execute artworks for customer-facing content like social media, motion graphics, merchandising and large scale trade shows and events
  • Manage multiple concurrent concept projects of varying scope and complexity

You should have the following

  • 5+ years as concept artist in games, film or entertainment
  • Expert knowledge in 2D illustration and conceptual storytelling with 3D tooling experience like ZBrush, Blender, Rhino, Unreal Engine or Keyshot
  • Enthusiasm to join a low-structure, high velocity startup where you'll lean on your judgment and creative instincts more than pre-defined process
  • Demonstrated experience in executing 2D concept design, storyboarding and visual storytelling
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • High attention to detail and ability to document work processes and establish systems
  • A portfolio showcasing a range of design styles in 2D and 3D. Projects that clearly delineates where you were sole creative owner versus shared responsibility, and what specific deliverables you owned in group efforts

Nice to have

  • Experience working in defense, aerospace, robotics, frontier technology or hardware development is preferred
  • Experience illustrating for physical events, print, and team wear
  • Experience with technical visualization specifically for defense tech or military hardware
  • Experience working cross functionally with other teams like marketing or brand design
  • 3D modeling or technical animation experience

US Salary Range

$103,500 - $144,500 USD

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are considered part of Neros' total compensation package.

We're an equal opportunity employer. We welcome all applicants without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.