Associate Art Director

Climax Studios

Edinburgh, UKonsitePosted Jun 16, 2026

Skills

photoshopblendersketchmaya

About the role

Climax is one of the leading creative lights of independent games development with an outstanding line of top published titles. It truly is an exciting and inspiring place to work and you'll be based out of our Edinburgh studio based in the heart of the city overlooking the historic castle.

You take your creativity seriously and games should be what get you fired up and passionate. At Climax we embrace those who see things in a different way and aren’t afraid to try-out new things and push themselves out of their comfort zones.

For this stand out opportunity we are seeking a fully onsite Associate Art Director. The opportunity could also appeal to a motivated Lead Artist looking for their next challenge. Our ideal candidate would consider themselves both creative and technical and enjoy working in a multi-disciplinary environment.

Requirements

Requirements

Experience working as a Lead or an Associate Art Director for several years.

A proven track record of leading an art team in creating top tier mainstream AAA console games.

Be willing to take ownership and drive forward art style in their areas of responsibility.

Be able to draw and sketch ideas on the fly when creating new game ideas with the studio designers.

Demonstrate an excellent knowledge of a wide variety of art styles and their implementation from initial pitch to full game production.

A broad knowledge of the various art tools in use, preferably Maya, Blender, Photoshop, Zbrush and Substance.

Experience in using 3rd party game engines.

Have a solid understanding of all disciplines.

You will need to have plenty of experience of dealing with clients and publishers and have demonstrable verbal communication skills.

Must have an absolute passion for games.

Demonstrable communication and presentation skills that sells the vision to fellow team members, product management and external clients.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Able to curate and critique the art for multiple projects running simultaneously.

You will be brain storming and developing art styles, helping to illustrate game designs and pitches - often with hands on drawing.

Taking ownership of the art style of the game.

To deliver the highest quality art possible.

Working directly with the other directors and studio head on a day to day basis.

Presenting art style to clients/publishers.

Work closely with studio production staff to produce estimates and schedules.

Review milestones with other directors for sign off before submissions.

Managing the art team, ensuring the right staff are assigned to each project and fit into the resource plan.

Work closely with the lead artists.

Be aware of new software and work practices and their relevance to the art produced at Climax.

Promoting Climax in local universities and around the world.

Recruiting new artists and performance managing existing staff.

Benefits

Excellent holiday package

Regular social events

A friendly, focused, ambitious and relaxed working environment

Ongoing training and development, with career progression

Group Private Medical Insurance provided by BUPA

Group Life Insurance

Employee Assistance Programme

Private Dental Insurance

Group Income Protection

Company Pension Scheme

Cycle To Work Scheme

Eye-Care Vouchers

Perks

In-house clubs and socials. From board games, tennis, football to D&D nights, there are lots of opportunities to socialise.

Regular Socials including Project Wrap Parties, team and studio events, Christmas and annual Summer parties and some great charity fundraising events.

Role Information: EN

Studio: Climax Studios

Location: Europe, United Kingdom, Edinburgh

Area of Work: Game Development

Service: Create

Service Type: Art

Employment Type: Permanent/ Fixed Term Contract

Working Pattern: Full Time, Onsite

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

Keywords Studios is strongly committed to protecting your personal information. By sending your CV/Resume, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and consent to your data being managed and retained in accordance with our data privacy and retention policy https://www.keywordsstudios.com/en/applicant-privacy-notice/.

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