Lead 3D Artist at Climax Studios, Scotland

Climax Studios is seeking an experienced, multi-talented, and visionary Lead 3D Artist to take the creative helm of our art team in Edinburgh. In this critical leadership role, you will be responsible for conceiving, defining, and driving the artistic execution of innovative visual experiences for upcoming AAA titles.

The ideal candidate is a blend of an elite visual craftsman and an empathetic manager. You must possess the artistic range to establish a diverse array of visual styles, a deep technical comfort layout with current-generation hardware capabilities, and a proven track record of managing production pathways. Operating fully onsite, you will serve as the primary artistic liaison between your team, studio directors, and external clients, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget, and to an impeccable standard of visual excellence.

Job Details
Specification

Job Title Lead 3D Artist

Location Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom

Working Pattern
Full-Time, 100% Onsite

Employment Framework Permanent or Fixed-Term Contract options available

Core Function Game Development — Create (Art Service Line)

Key Technical Focus Current-Gen Pipeline Design, Client Presentation, Resource Allocation

Climax Studios stands as one of the leading creative lights of independent video game development, boasting an outstanding, decades-long lineage of top-tier published titles. Operating as part of the global Keywords Studios family, Climax provides an inspiring, highly collaborative, and cutting-edge environment for creators to push the envelope of interactive entertainment.

Based out of our premium Edinburgh studio—perfectly situated in the historic heart of the city with breath‑taking views overlooking Edinburgh Castle—we balance a relaxed, friendly culture with a fierce ambition to deliver world‑class AAA gaming experiences. At Climax, Climax Studios believe in supporting our people with robust healthcare, continuous training, and an active social fabric that makes coming to work rewarding every single day.

As a Lead 3D Artist, your responsibilities will span across creative direction, team management, pipeline engineering, and client-facing communication:

• Conceive, iterate, and enforce the high-fidelity visual pillars and aesthetic direction for ambitious AAA titles.
• Provide clear, constructive, and inspiring visual and verbal feedback to internal and external art teams to maintain stylistic alignment.
• Utilize a deep understanding of cutting-edge artistic techniques, tools, and hardware pipelines to implement robust practical workflows for the art department.

• Take complete autonomy over managing art production budgets, project deadlines, and delivery milestones.
• Evaluate project briefs to architect, implement, and maintain solid art production pipelines spanning a 2–3 year development horizon.
• Exercise exceptional judgment and resource management when assigning artists of varying skill sets to specific project needs across the studio.
• Proactively identify production risks and craft elegant, creative solutions when troubleshooting technical or stylistic bottlenecks.

• Manage, mentor, and elevate the studio’s art team, fostering a highly collaborative, motivated, and timely production culture.
• Act as the authoritative, professional face of the art department during client pitches, milestone presentations, and regular stakeholders alignment meetings.
• Cultivate a friendly, transparent, and high-performance atmosphere centered around a shared passion for gaming.

Climax Studios is looking for a seasoned industry veteran who thrives in a dynamic studio environment:

• Industry Tenure: At least 6+ years of professional experience in console game development.
• Shipped Titles: A minimum of 2 successfully shipped console titles, with at least 1 shipped credit acting definitively in a Lead Artist capacity.
• Pipeline Mastery: 2–3 years of direct experience developing, deploying, and refining stable art production pathways.