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Game Character Design Internship Jobs in California

Naughty Dog

Senior Character Artist

Santa Monica, CA

$135K - $142K/yr

The Character Art team is looking for a highly technical and artistic Senior Character Artist to ... Monitor the needs of rigging, animation, and design to ensure clear characters in game Maintain a ...

Naughty Dog

Senior Character Artist

Santa Monica, CA · On-site

$69.09 - $86.35/hr

The Character Art team is looking for a highly technical and artistic Senior Character Artist to ... Monitor the needs of rigging, animation, and design to ensure clear characters in game • Maintain ...

TrueShort

Reference Designer

Los Angeles, CA · On-site +1

Examples of character, prop, or environment design work * Optional: links to any animation, film, game, or visual development projects * A brief overview of your workflow and preferred creative tools

Bonfire Studios

Gameplay Animator (Senior/Principal)

Irvine, CA · On-site +1

$113K - $129K/yr

... design, combat and audio. We play the game daily and our deep understanding of it allows us to ... Creating high-quality, in-game character animations that bring combat, movement, and moment-to ...

Naughty Dog

Senior Game Designer (Combat)

Santa Monica, CA · On-site

$145K - $181K/yr

Pitch, design, implement, and own enemy NPC archetypes * Work with AI programmers to develop ... Fluent in modern character action-adventure and shooter combat games. Maintains knowledge of the ...

AGBO

Expression of Interest - Character Artist

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$130K - $136K/yr

They will collaborate with a team of artists and developers to conceptualize, design, and execute ... Qualifications & Skills: * 5+ years of proven experience as a Character Artist in the gaming, film ...

2K

Lead Character Artist

Novato, CA · Remote

$150K - $180K/yr

Work closely with Directors, Leads, Concept, Environment, Design, Gameplay, and Animation teams to prototype assets and ensure character specifications align with project goals. * Collaborate with ...

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Game Character Design Internship information

What is a game character design internship?

A Game Character Design Internship is a temporary position where aspiring artists or designers work with game development teams to create, refine, and visualize characters for video games. Interns typically assist with concept art, 3D modeling, texturing, and sometimes animation under the guidance of experienced character designers. The internship provides hands-on experience in the gaming industry, helping interns build a portfolio and gain practical skills. It is ideal for students or recent graduates interested in pursuing a career in game art and design.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a game character design intern?

To thrive as a Game Character Design Intern, you need a solid understanding of character anatomy, drawing skills, and familiarity with design principles, often supported by coursework in art, animation, or game design. Proficiency in digital art tools like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and 3D modeling software such as Blender or Maya is typically required. Creativity, attention to detail, and strong collaboration skills help you stand out in team-based, iterative environments. These abilities are crucial for producing compelling, visually consistent characters that enhance gameplay and storytelling.

What types of collaborative projects can I expect to work on during a game character design internship?

As a Game Character Design Intern, you’ll typically collaborate closely with concept artists, 3D modelers, animators, and game designers. You may contribute to brainstorming sessions, help iterate on character concepts, refine visual details based on feedback, and assist in preparing assets for integration into the game engine. This teamwork offers valuable exposure to the full game development pipeline and helps you build professional relationships that can lead to full-time roles in the industry.

What is the difference between Game Character Design Internship vs Game Environment Design Internship?

AspectGame Character Design InternshipGame Environment Design Internship
Required SkillsConcept art, 3D modeling, character anatomyLevel design, environment modeling, landscape creation
Work EnvironmentDesign studios, gaming companies, remoteDesign studios, gaming companies, remote
Industry UsageUsed in character creation teams within game developmentUsed in level and environment teams within game development

Both internships are common in the gaming industry and often require skills in design software and a portfolio. The main difference lies in their focus: Game Character Design Internships concentrate on creating characters, while Game Environment Design Internships focus on designing immersive game worlds. Candidates should choose based on their interest in characters or environments within game development.

How to become a game character design intern?

To become a game character design intern, candidates typically need a portfolio showcasing their art and character concepts, proficiency in design software like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator, and relevant education such as a degree or coursework in game design, art, or illustration. Gaining experience through personal projects, internships, or participation in game jams can also improve chances of securing an internship in this field.

What are the most commonly searched types of Game Character Design jobs in California?

The most popular types of Game Character Design jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Game Character Design Internship jobs in California?

For Game Character Design Internship jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Game Character Design Internship jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Game Character Design Internship jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Game Character Design Internship jobs?

Cities in California with the most Game Character Design Internship job openings:

Game Character Design Internship jobs near you
Infographic showing various Game Character Design Internship job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 12% Internship, 44% Full Time, and 44% Part Time. Highlights an 96% In-person, and 4% Hybrid job distribution.

Senior Character Artist

Naughty Dog

Santa Monica, CA

$135K - $142K/yr

Full-time

Posted 18 days ago

Job description

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 

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