Art Director (Video Games)

About Dirk:

Dirk is an emerging video games startup in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. We are a games studio dedicated to artistic and technical excellence, built on continuous craft mastery and a deep commitment to humility and service for our players. Our work is guided by thoughtful design and clear decision-making, while empowering individuals with high autonomy to contribute and excel. We are in production of an ambitious, AA-sized game on PC.

About the Role:

Dirk is seeking a highly skilled and visionary Art Director / Art Lead to build up our art team and define the visual identity of our games. This is a leadership role for an artist with exceptional aesthetic judgment, a deep understanding of the video games art pipeline, and the ability to inspire and mentor a talented team. You will be instrumental in translating the game's vision into stunning and performant in-game visuals and setting the artistic standards for our company.

Responsibilities:

• Define and champion the artistic vision and style guide for projects, ensuring consistency and quality across all art assets (characters, environments, UI, etc.).
• Lead, mentor, and manage the art team, providing clear direction, setting goals, and fostering a collaborative and creative environment.
• Maintain high aesthetic and technical standards, demonstrating mastery in 3D art (sculpting, modeling, texturing, PBR) and understanding of shaders.
• Communicate complex artistic concepts effectively to diverse stakeholders and collaborate closely with leads from other departments.
• Problem-solve complex artistic and technical issues, making informed decisions that prioritize player experience, feasibility, and project constraints.
• Contribute to the creation of high-quality 2D and 3D assets, providing hands-on support and setting the quality bar for the art team.

Core Qualifications:

• High-quality portfolio showcasing strong 3D and 2D art skills.
• Extensive knowledge of game art workflows and relevant software (e.g., Maya, ZBrush, Substance, Photoshop).
• Solid understanding of PBR workflows and material creation within Unreal Engine.
• Proven experience leading, mentoring, and managing a team of artists.
• Exceptional communication, interpersonal, and collaboration skills.

Nice To Have:

• 4+ Years of Experience in Game development, with a portion in a senior art role or leadership position.
• Shipped Products under your portfolio or work experience.

Pay Range (Negotiable): $35 - $45/hr CAD

Please note that this position requires the applicant to be legally authorized to work in Canada. We are unable to sponsor work permits for this role at this time.