Senior Concept Artist - Halo Studios

Microsoft • Redmond, WA

2d

About The Position

Overview
· Drives high-impact visual development for key areas of the project (e.g., characters, creatures, environments, worldbuilding)
· Translates high-level direction into clear, production-ready design solutions
· Creates clarity and alignment within tasks by clearly and confidently articulating goals, intent, and process to leads, stakeholders, and peers
· Shapes and elevates visual language, style consistency, and overall quality through example-setting work
· Balances exploratory ideation with production needs (callouts, turnarounds, material definition)
· Proactively identifies and resolves ambiguity, risks, and gaps through visual problem-solving
· Operates independently, taking ownership and driving work forward with minimal oversight
· Demonstrates strong understanding of production workflows and pipelines to create actionable designs that support 3D artists and downstream development
· Collaborates closely with Art Direction, Design, and Narrative to deliver player-focused solutions
· Provides direction and feedback to external partners, ensuring alignment and quality of outsourced work
· Actively seeks and incorporates feedback, integrating stakeholder insight into stronger outcomes
· Contributes to team health through mentorship, feedback, and continuous improvement of workflows

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree or Certificate in Design, Fine Arts, Human Computer Interaction, Visual Communications or related art field AND 4+ years experience in art design or a related art field working on computer games or entertainment.
• OR equivalent experience.
• Proven experience using related software and packages (e.g., Maya, 3DS Max, Photoshop/Adobe suite, Mental Ray, Substance Designer/Painter/Zbrush, SideFX Houdini, After Effects, Unity, Softimage).
• Detailed portfolio demonstrating design excellence, visual storytelling, and production-ready thinking
• Deep understanding of composition, color, lighting, form, and materials
• Demonstrated ownership and accountability in delivering high-impact work
• Strong understanding of production pipelines and how concept work translates to implementation
• Experience working within outsourced or distributed development pipelines
• Experience defining visual standards, documentation, or pipeline improvements

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor's Degree or Certificate in Design, Human Computer Interaction, Visual Communications or related art field and 5+ years experience in art design or a related art field working on computer games or entertainment
• OR equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of concept art experience in games, film, or related industries supporting a major franchise or large-scale production

Responsibilities

• Create high-quality, production-ready concept art across characters, creatures, environments, and assets
• Create clarity and alignment by clearly communicating goals, intent, and process
• Solve complex visual problems through exploration, iteration, and stakeholder alignment
• Be hungry for feedback and clearly articulate methods for incorporating stakeholder insights into the work
• Operate autonomously, taking ownership and driving work forward with minimal oversight
• Apply production pipeline knowledge to deliver actionable designs supporting 3D and downstream teams
• Partner with cross-discipline teams to deliver cohesive, player-facing content
• Deliver production support (callouts, turnarounds, material studies)
• Provide clear briefs, direction, and actionable feedback to external vendors
• Review outsourced work and guide it to final quality through paint-overs and critique
• Contribute to team quality by setting a high bar and supporting peers
• Identify opportunities to improve pipelines, communication, and development processes

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level