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World Building Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Technical Artist, Environment

Raleigh, NC

$123K - $147K/yr

Author and manage world-building shaders; Own terrain blending materials, procedural surface layering, weathering systems, and landscape material functions * Set and enforce technical budgets for ...

Author and manage world-building shaders; Own terrain blending materials, procedural surface layering, weathering systems, and landscape material functions * Set and enforce technical budgets for ...

... world. Building on the Ismaili Community's health care efforts in the first half of the 20th century, AKHS now provides primary health care and curative medical care in Afghanistan, India, Kenya ...

Senior Environment Artist

Boston, MA · On-site

$99K - $163K/yr

World building locations with these kits and set-dressing the environment with props authored by our X-Dev team. * If you are primarily an asset or prop artist, your skillset may be a better fit for ...

... world. Building on the Ismaili Community's health care efforts in the first half of the 20th century, AKHS now provides primary health care and curative medical care in Afghanistan, India, Kenya ...

Technical Artist, Environment

Raleigh, NC · On-site

$123K - $147K/yr

Author and manage world-building shaders; Own terrain blending materials, procedural surface layering, weathering systems, and landscape material functions * Set and enforce technical budgets for ...

Author and manage world-building shaders; Own terrain blending materials, procedural surface layering, weathering systems, and landscape material functions * Set and enforce technical budgets for ...

Senior Environment Artist

Boston, MA · On-site +1

$99K - $163K/yr

World building locations with these kits and set-dressing the environment with props authored by our X-Dev team. * If you are primarily an asset or prop artist, your skillset may be a better fit for ...

World building locations with these kits and set-dressing the environment with props authored by our X-Dev team. * If you are primarily an asset or prop artist, your skillset may be a better fit for ...

Senior Environment Artist

Boston, MA · On-site +1

$99K - $163K/yr

World building locations with these kits and set-dressing the environment with props authored by our X-Dev team. * If you are primarily an asset or prop artist, your skillset may be a better fit for ...

You will write the dialogue, character arcs, and world building that make our games feel alive, partnering closely with game designers, artists, and community support team so that story beats are ...

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World Building information

See salary details

$28K

$98.1K

$148K

How much do world building jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 11, 2026, the average yearly pay for world building in the United States is $98,146.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $78,000.00 and $120,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

Is worldbuilder a job?

A worldbuilder is a role that involves creating detailed fictional worlds for books, games, movies, or other media. It requires skills in storytelling, creativity, and often knowledge of design tools or writing. While not a formal job title in all industries, professional worldbuilders work as writers, designers, or concept artists in entertainment fields.

What is world building?

World building is the process of creating an imaginary setting with its own history, geography, cultures, laws, and rules. It is commonly used in fiction writing, game design, and film to make immersive and believable worlds for stories or gameplay. Effective world building helps to establish the context for characters and plot, making the narrative more engaging and authentic for the audience.

What is the difference between World Building vs Game Designer?

AspectWorld BuildingGame Designer
Primary FocusCreating the setting, lore, and universeDesigning gameplay, mechanics, and player experience
Required SkillsCreativity, storytelling, world developmentGame mechanics, user experience, storytelling
Work EnvironmentCreative teams, writers, artistsDesign teams, developers, project managers
Industry UsageVideo games, tabletop RPGs, moviesVideo games, interactive media

World Building focuses on creating immersive universes and lore, while Game Designers develop gameplay mechanics and player interactions. Both roles often collaborate but serve different core functions within game development and related industries.

What jobs are ADHD people good at?

World Building involves creative and detail-oriented tasks that can suit individuals with ADHD, especially those who excel in visual thinking, brainstorming, and flexible schedules. Careers in creative writing, design, or project development often benefit from strong imagination and adaptability, which are common strengths among people with ADHD.

How does a World Builder typically collaborate with writers, artists, and game designers during the development process?

World Builders play a crucial role in shaping the creative vision of a project by closely collaborating with writers, artists, and game designers. They work with writers to ensure consistency in lore and setting, assist artists by providing detailed descriptions and references for environments, and coordinate with game designers to integrate world elements that support gameplay mechanics. Regular meetings and feedback cycles are common, making strong communication and adaptability essential skills for fostering a cohesive and immersive world. This collaborative environment allows World Builders to contribute creatively while also learning from other disciplines, opening pathways for career growth into narrative design, art direction, or lead world-building roles.

Which 3 jobs will survive AI?

In the field of world building, jobs such as creative writers, concept artists, and narrative designers are likely to persist because they require human creativity, storytelling skills, and cultural understanding that AI cannot fully replicate. These roles often involve collaboration, emotional intelligence, and nuanced world development that remain challenging for automation. Skills in visual design, storytelling, and interdisciplinary knowledge will continue to be valuable in this profession.

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

To thrive as a World Builder, you need a strong background in creative writing, storytelling, and design, often supported by experience in game design, literature, or related fields. Familiarity with digital world-building tools, 3D modeling software, or interactive platforms like Unity or Unreal Engine is typically important. Exceptional imagination, attention to detail, and collaboration skills help create immersive, coherent worlds and work effectively with multidisciplinary teams. These abilities are crucial for developing engaging environments that enhance storytelling and user experience in games, films, or literature.

Is there a job that pays you to explore the world?

A career in world building, such as a travel writer, documentary filmmaker, or field researcher, involves exploring different locations and cultures for work purposes. These roles often require strong research, communication skills, and sometimes specialized equipment or certifications. Such jobs can provide opportunities to explore the world while earning a living.
More about World Building jobs
What states have the most World Building jobs? States with the most job openings for World Building jobs include:
What job categories do people searching World Building jobs look for? The top searched job categories for World Building jobs are:
Infographic showing various World Building job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 84% Full Time, 13% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 83% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 16% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $98,146 per year, or $47.2 per hour.
Environment Artist - GameSim - Talent Pipeline

Environment Artist - GameSim - Talent Pipeline

Keywords Studios

New Orleans, LA • On-site, Remote

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 8 days ago


Job description

GameSim is a game development studio that partners with clients to build games across PC/console and a range of art styles. We care about craftsmanship, collaboration, and shipping work we're proud to put our names on. If you love building environments and believable spaces we'd like to meet you. Our headquarters is based in Orlando, FL!

Talent Pipeline Posting Notice
Please note that this posting is not tied to an immediate vacancy. We are proactively building a pipeline of qualified candidates in anticipation of potential hiring needs over the coming months. Applications will be reviewed and retained for future consideration as opportunities arise.

We are looking for an Environment Artist / Generalist with strong hands-on art skills, solid technical judgment, and the potential to grow into broader lead responsibilities over time.

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys both creating high-quality 3D art and helping teams work more clearly, consistently, and efficiently. Depending on the project, this person may contribute directly to asset creation, world building, scene assembly, feedback, task breakdowns, workflow documentation, quality reviews, and cross-studio collaboration.

Because our projects can vary widely in style, scope, platform, and client needs, we are looking for an adaptable artist with a strong art eye, a practical production mindset, and the ability to help translate creative direction into actionable work for other artists.

This is a hands-on production role with opportunities to support team alignment, mentor other artists, improve workflows, and grow toward lead-level responsibilities.

This role offers flexible work options, including remote, hybrid or in-office arrangements.

Responsibilities
  • Create high-quality 3D environment art, props, modular assets, materials, set dressing, and world-building content across a variety of visual styles.
  • Work from concept art, reference, style guides, blockouts, client direction, or incomplete/vague creative briefs to produce clear and polished results.
  • Build, assemble, and integrate assets and environments in Unreal Engine, with attention to composition, readability, performance, and technical requirements.
  • Support the full environment art pipeline, including modeling, UVs, baking, texturing, material creation, optimization, engine integration, and final polish.
  • Review artwork from internal teammates, partner studios, or external vendors and provide clear, constructive, actionable feedback.
  • Help translate broad client or project feedback into specific tasks, priorities, notes, and acceptance criteria that artists can execute against.
  • Assist with maintaining visual consistency across assets, scenes, and artists by helping define quality bars, style expectations, and review standards.
  • Collaborate with art directors, leads, producers, technical artists, designers, engineers, and artists across multiple studios and time zones.
  • Help identify production risks early, including unclear direction, workflow gaps, quality issues, technical constraints, or schedule concerns.
  • Contribute to workflow and pipeline improvements that help the team work more efficiently and consistently.
  • Document processes, best practices, feedback, and workflow guidance when needed using tools such as Confluence, Miro, or Jira.
  • Balance visual quality, production efficiency, and performance requirements while supporting the needs of each project.

Requirements

  • 5+ years of professional experience as a 3D Environment Artist, Generalist, World Artist, or similar role in games or real-time production.
  • At least one shipped game or comparable real-time interactive project.
  • Strong portfolio demonstrating high-quality environment art, world building, prop creation, materials, and/or scene assembly.
  • Strong artistic eye for form, composition, lighting, material definition, scale, visual hierarchy, and style consistency.
  • Ability to work across different visual styles, from realistic to stylized, depending on project needs.
  • Experience creating both individual assets and assembled environments/scenes.
  • Solid understanding of the full environment art pipeline, including modeling, UV layout, baking, texturing, materials, optimization, and engine implementation.
  • Professional experience with Unreal Engine.
  • Proficiency with common production tools such as Maya, Blender, ZBrush, Substance Painter, Substance Designer, Photoshop.
  • Practical understanding of real-time performance considerations, including LODs, draw calls, texel density, texture memory, collision, lightmaps, shaders/material complexity, scene organization, and asset budgets.
  • Strong communication skills, especially when giving feedback, clarifying direction, documenting decisions, or breaking down complex problems.
  • Ability to take vague or high-level direction and turn it into clear, actionable work.
  • Comfortable collaborating with artists, leads, producers, and cross-discipline partners.
  • Able to give and receive feedback professionally, clearly, and constructively.
  • Strong ownership, follow-through, and problem-solving ability.
  • Interest in growing into broader leadership responsibilities over time.
Nice to Have
  • Previous experience mentoring artists, reviewing work, or informally supporting lead-level responsibilities.
  • Experience working with outsourcing, co-development, partner studios, or external vendors.
  • Experience collaborating with teams across different countries, cultures, and time zones.
  • Experience providing feedback through written notes, paintovers, drawovers, video reviews, live calls, or structured review documents.
  • Proficiency with common production tools such as Perforce, Jira, Miro, and Confluence.
  • Experience helping define style guides, quality bars, workflow documentation, or art review standards.
  • Experience breaking down client feedback into Jira tasks, art notes, production plans, or acceptance criteria.
  • Experience with procedural workflows, Houdini, Blueprint, Python, scripting, or tool-assisted content creation.
  • Experience with optimization passes, performance profiling, memory budgets, or platform-specific art constraints.
  • Experience with both realistic and stylized production art.
  • Experience in multiple engines or real-time pipelines.
  • Experience working directly with clients or helping support client-facing reviews.
Portfolio Requirements

Please include a portfolio that clearly demonstrates your environment art and/or generalist capabilities.

Strong portfolios should include:

  • Finished 3D environments, scenes, props, or world-building examples.
  • Examples rendered or captured in a real-time engine, preferably Unreal Engine.
  • Breakdowns showing your process, including blockout, modeling, UVs, baking, texturing, materials, set dressing, lighting, and final integration where applicable.
  • Examples that show your ability to work across different visual styles.
  • Examples of modular kits, reusable asset systems, material workflows, or production-friendly environment pipelines.
  • Any examples that show technical problem solving, optimization, performance-aware decisions, or efficient workflows.
  • If showing team-created work, please clearly explain what you personally contributed.
  • Nice to have: examples of feedback, mentorship, documentation, workflow improvements, style matching, or before/after improvements you helped guide.
  • Nice to have: written context explaining the goal of the work, constraints, tools used, your role, and any production challenges you helped solve.
Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is not just a strong artist, but someone who naturally thinks about how the whole team succeeds.

You may be a great fit if you:

  • Care about making great-looking art and making the process better for the team.
  • Enjoy solving production problems, not just completing assigned assets.
  • Can look at a scene or asset and identify what is working, what is not, and how to improve it.
  • Communicate feedback in a way that is clear, respectful, and useful.
  • Can help artists understand not just what to change, but why it matters.
  • Are comfortable adapting to different clients, art styles, pipelines, and project needs.
  • Have the judgment to balance quality, speed, technical constraints, and team bandwidth.
  • Are interested in growing toward lead responsibilities while remaining hands-on in production.
How to apply
  • Resume + portfolio link required.
  • An art test may be required as part of the process.

his position is currently open to candidates residing in the following U.S. states only:

Arizona (AZ), Connecticut (CT), Florida (FL), lowa (IA), Illinois (IL), Massachusetts (MA), Maine (ME), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), New Hampshire (NH), Nevada (NV), Ohio (OH), Oregon (OR), South Carolina (SC), Tennessee (TN), Texas (TX), Virginia (VA), Wisconsin (WI), Montana (MT), Alabama (AL), Georgia (GA), Indiana (IN), Louisiana (LA), North Carolina (NC), New Jersey (NJ), Oklahoma (OK), and Utah (UT).

While applicants from all listed states will be considered, the ideal candidate will be located in Orlando (FL) Austin (TX) or New Orleans (LA). Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States and reside in one of the eligible states listed above.

Salary Range: $70,000 USD to $75,000 USD

Benefits

What's in it for you?
  • Opportunity to work on different projects
  • 3 weeks of accrued paid time off
  • Benefits package including medical, dental and vision
  • Sick Leave
  • Disability Coverage
  • Corporate holidays
  • 401(k) Retirement Plan with company matching
  • Professional Development
  • Snacks, drinks, ping pong, and more!

GameSim is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and identities and evaluate candidates based on skills, experience, and alignment with the role.

Keywords Studios is dedicated to following a well-established Equal Opportunities Policy. We endeavor to create a workplace which provides for equal opportunities for all employees and potential employees.

PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION POLICY

By providing your information in this application, you understand that we will collect and process your information in accordance with our Applicant Privacy Notice. For more information, please see our Applicant Privacy Notice athttps://www.keywordsstudios.com/en/applicant-privacy-notice

E-Verify Notification

This Organization Participates in E-Verify

Esta Organizacion Participa en E-Verify


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About Keywords Studios

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Whatever the scale of your project, whatever the time frame, whatever your location: Keywords is here for you, bringing our network of 13,000+ people and 70+ studios together to deliver the unified solutions you need. We offer everything necessary to ensure your project achieves its full potential and that strategic opportunities are turned into long-term growth. The games industry is complex and fast-moving. Working with Keywords allows you to remain lean and agile, and to remain focused on creating the world’s most immersive playing experiences. Our network of studios brings best-in-class experience, expertise, technology and capacity across the full development, release and player-support lifecycle.

Industry

Arts, entertainment, and recreation

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Burbank, CA, US

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