Lead Concept Artist [Retro Studios]

Nintendo • Austin, TX

98d

About The Position

Retro Studios, a subsidiary of Nintendo, is seeking a talented Concept Artist to collaborate with the Art Director and cross-disciplinary teams to define and execute the visual style of various projects. The role involves creating high-quality concept art for characters, environments, and props, adapting to different visual styles as needed. The Concept Artist will drive concept development, ensuring visual cohesion and innovation while providing mentorship and guidance to internal artists. Additionally, the position requires partnering with Producers to manage concept art resources and advocating for the concept art team within the studio.

Requirements

• 8+ years of professional experience in concept art, with at least 2 full product cycles and 1 shipped project in a lead role.
• A strong portfolio demonstrating expertise in character and environmental concept design.
• Mastery of 2D art fundamentals including composition, color, lighting, anatomy, and perspective.
• Versatility across a wide range of art styles.
• Proficiency in standard industry tools; 3D skills (modeling, sculpting, materials, lighting) are a strong plus.
• Experience with project management tools such as Flow or Jira is a plus.
• Excellent communication skills, highly self-motivated, and team-oriented.
• Degree in an art-related field, formal art training, or equivalent experience.

Nice To Haves

• 3D skills (modeling, sculpting, materials, lighting).
• Experience with project management tools such as Flow or Jira.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the Art Director and cross-disciplinary teams to define and execute the visual style of the project.
• Create high-quality concept art across a variety of subjects including characters, environments, and props—from thumbnails to final illustrations.
• Adapt to a wide range of visual styles, from realistic to stylized, based on project needs.
• Own and drive concept development while aligning with Design, Art, and Engineering teams to ensure visual cohesion and innovation.
• Provide contextual visual support for gameplay design throughout development.
• Offer mentorship, guidance, and actionable feedback to internal artists, fostering their growth and career development.
• Partner with Producers to plan, schedule, and manage internal and external concept art resources.
• Advocate for the concept art team within the studio and help define best practices and pipelines.
• Conduct regular 1:1s, performance reviews, and support individual career goals for direct reports.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees