About Lab42

Lab42 is a best-in-class cross-platform game developer based in the UK. Our headcount has grown with fantastic, experienced people supported by a veteran management team with backgrounds from Activision, Codemasters and EA.

We developed the officially licensed photo-realistic, sports/simulation Snooker19 with World Snooker for all major Consoles and PC. That’s in addition to providing a range of development services and special projects to a growing client list which features Paradox, Sega, Codemasters and Curve Digital.

Lab42 is made up of a diverse mix of fantastic people, although sometimes, some groups are still under-represented. We are working to remove obstacles that can make it difficult for those groups to progress their careers in the games industry. We welcome applications from under-represented people in the gaming industry, including, but not limited to BAME, LGBQT+, women, people with physical disabilities, neurodiversity or mental health issues, and parents or carers.

The opportunity @ Lab42

Lab42 is moving to the next phase of our development as a studio - we are building our art team from the ground up to with the express remit to create new games and IP, and we need you as our Lead character artist!

You will create high-quality characters for our games, setting the quality bar and working practices to deliver great-looking Heroes and Villains that our players want to be. This is also a bigger opportunity to own character art for our growing studio – to create and direct a character team as only you can.

Within this role you will:

• Craft high poly character models across multiple genres and art style,
• Use your experience to collaborate with the Art Director, Tech Artists and Concept team to mitigate against design problems before modelling commences,
• Transfer your high poly models into low poly models that adhere to required guidelines,
• Have a deep knowledge of creating efficient meshes that are good for performance, rigging and animation, working closely with the animation lead,
• Create well laid out, high-quality textures suitable for both traditional and PBR pipelines,
• Be able to direct tech art on shader requirements and other technical processes related to characters,
• Keep up to date with modern processes and tools in the character art pipeline,
• Assist expansion of the character art team through portfolio appraisals and interviewing candidates,
• Mentor character artists and share your personal experience to drive the character production process to your vision,
• Create or direct others to create documentation for techniques and pipelines in the character production process and knowledge sharing with other teams and junior artists.
• In tandem with production create a backlog of tasks, schedule your own and the teams time to meet the project deadlines,
• Actively seek out feedback,
• Set the benchmark for character art at the studio.

To be successful you will have:

• Ideally, 8+ years’ experience creating characters for games as a senior or lead artist,
• Been through the full development cycle of at least 3 games,
• Be an exceptionally talented Character Artist with a keen artistic eye and a good understanding of the technical requirements of the character art pipeline,
• Strong demo reel/portfolio showing game-ready assets,
• Experience of working with the other disciplines, advising on best practices and pitfalls where appropriate,
• Technically skilled across all areas of character production and be up to date with modern processes,
• Self-motivation, proactivity, and the desire to work within a collaborative team environment,
• The ability to implement and troubleshoot your own work in game engines,
• Experience in UE4 or unity is desirable,
• An in depth understanding of the game development process.

What We Offer:

• Annual Bonus & Annual Salary Reviews
• Electric car scheme
• Salary Sacrifice Pension Scheme
• Flexible Working
• 27 Days Holiday, including your birthday a duvet day and Christmas
• Holiday ‘buy and sell’ scheme
• 5 Paid Learning Days, including 1 volunteer day per year
• Access to 4,000 Udemy Courses, The Gnomen Workshop, GDC Vault and more
• Enhanced Mat/Paternity & Adoption pay
• Free Life Assurance - 4x Salary
• Free Income Protection Scheme -up to 75%
• Free Dental Insurance
• Supportive Employee Assistance Programme with confidential 24/7/365 helpline & app
• Access remote GP, Mental Health, Physio appointments & medical second opinions
• Additional flexible benefits scheme
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Mental Health First Aiders
• Payroll Giving Scheme
• Game & Book Libraries
• Long service & project completion awards
• Wrap Parties
• Alternative Travel Prize Draw
• The Sumo GameJam
• Great family events
• Studio clubs, inc. running, board games, film…
• Life Drawing
• Yoga Classes
• Free fruit and drinks
• Employee Referral Bonus
• Career Development
• Relocation Support to the UK
• Visa Sponsorship

Why should you work at Lab42? 

Lab42 was formed with just one developer, and we have grown organically over the last five years. Now part of the Sumo Group we’re based in the heart of Royal Leamington Spa; a thriving town with a bustling game-development scene.

It’s an exciting time to be part of the Sumo family, winners of the Develop: Star Awards 2019 Best Studio and GI Biz 2020 Best Places to Work; big things are on the horizon and we want you to be part of our continued journey. Join us!

We are a small, dedicated bunch with experience, drive, passion and creativity. Lab42 has a flexible working environment that make this a relaxed and friendly place to work. By prioritising the happiness and wellbeing of our staff we have been able to hire many industry veterans, and we are proud to have one of the lowest rates of staff attrition in game development.