Visual Development Artist; San Francisco

What You'll Do at Volley

• Create visual IP from scratch, developing protagonist and antagonist characters, themed environments, and overall visual worlds that support engaging game experiences
• Lead style exploration and visual direction, researching competitors, exploring multiple visual approaches, and defining distinctive looks that capture the essence of each game concept
• Design characters with personality and appeal, ensuring they resonate with family audiences across all ages and work effectively within TV / Smart TV technical constraints
• Develop comprehensive style guides including color scripts, mood boards, character sheets, environment concepts, and key art that establishes the visual language for entire games
• Partner with game designers to bring thematic visions to life, translating gameplay concepts and narrative beats into compelling visual moments
• Collaborate with user research to test concepts early, incorporating player feedback and iterating on character designs and visual directions to ensure broad appeal
• Work closely with UI / UX designers to ensure your visual language translates effectively into functional game screens and maintains consistency throughout
• Create key art and marketing visuals that can be used for promotional materials and platform featuring
• Consider technical constraints including Smart TV performance, texture budgets, and the need for clear readability at 10-foot viewing distances

• 5+ years in visual development, concept art, or character design with a strong portfolio showcasing original IP creation, character work, and style exploration
• Exceptional character design skills with ability to create appealing, memorable characters that work for family audiences and diverse age groups
• Strong visual storytelling and world-building abilities, translating thematic concepts into cohesive visual languages
• Experience developing style guides and design language that other artists can successfully implement and maintain
• Collaborative mindset for working with game designers, UI designers, motion designers, and user researchers throughout the creative process
• Comfort with iteration and feedback, pivoting visual directions based on play testing and stakeholder input while maintaining creative vision
• Understanding of casual / party game aesthetics and what makes visuals appealing for family-friendly, entertainment-focused experiences

• Experience with casual games, party games, or entertainment-focused game IP
• Comfort using AI tools as part of the creative process to accelerate iteration and exploration (we see AI as augmenting artistic vision, not replacing craft)
• Background in animation or motion-friendly character design
• Familiarity with designing for TV / console platforms and technical constraints
• Experience creating character rigs or assets for implementation by other artists
• Understanding of accessibility and inclusive character design principles

4-month contract at $100-150 / hour (based on experience), remote position with flexible start dates based on project needs.

Volley is building innovative gaming experiences that reach millions of players across Smart TV platforms. As a Visual Development Artist, you'll create original IP and visual foundations for games that bring families and friends together. You'll work with a collaborative team that values creative excellence and player-focused design, with the opportunity to establish visual identities that could expand across multiple games and platforms.