Mattel

Lead Artist - Digital Gaming

Mattel$96K — $137K *
Consumer Technology
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • BA/BS in illustration, Graphic Design, Fine Arts, or equivalent.
  • 5+ years of experience as a Lead Artist or above in the mobile game industry.
  • Proven experience supporting external development teams with actionable feedback.
  • Shipped 2-3 mobile game titles and contributed to live operations.
  • Proficiency in industry-standard software like Photoshop, Illustrator, Figma, Maya, Unity.
  • Exceptional organizational, multitasking, and time management skills.
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills with a supportive mindset.

Responsibilities

  • Develop and execute high-quality art assets for multiple mobile game projects.
  • Directly support external developers by providing artistic guidance and feedback.
  • Ensure brand consistency across all assets produced internally or externally.
  • Create mood boards and compelling marketing art aligned with project requirements.
  • Collaborate with other departmental leads to align on project vision and objectives.
  • Assist in the hiring process for additional art personnel as needed.
  • Demonstrate flexibility across multiple art styles and genres.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive benefits package and competitive total pay programs.
  • Supportive and inclusive workplace culture that promotes belonging.
  • Opportunities for professional growth and continuous learning.
Full Job Description
Job Description

The Opportunity:

We are seeking a highly organized and versatile Lead Artist to join our art team. Reporting to the Art Director, you will play an essential role in helping define and manage the artistic vision for our mobile games based on beloved Mattel IPs. The ideal candidate is a seasoned artist with strong experience supporting external developers, collaborating across departmental leadership, and showcasing versatility across a range of art styles. A positive attitude, excellent communication skills, and a growth mindset are key to success in this role.

What Your Impact Will Be:
  • Develop, refine, and execute high-quality art assets across multiple mobile game projects.
  • Directly support external developers by providing artistic guidance, feedback, asset review, paint-overs, illustrating concepts, and clear direction to ensure adherence with project goals.
  • Ensure brand consistency and adherence to style guidelines across all assets, whether produced internally or by external partners.
  • Create mood boards, refine pitch decks, illustrate concepts, produce compelling marketing and UA art that aligns with brand vision and project requirements.
  • Collaborate effectively with other departmental leads and leadership, including Design, Engineering, Product Management, and Marketing, to align project vision and objectives.
  • Assist in hiring additional art personnel as needed, including reviewing portfolios, interviewing candidates, and contributing to the selection process.
  • Demonstrate a flexible artistic approach, adapting easily across multiple art styles and genres.
  • Support and step in for the Art Director as needed and take ownership where applicable.
  • For marketing, aid in visual storytelling via storyboards or promotional visuals.
  • Work closely with production, participate in brainstorming, sprint planning, and pipeline reviews.
  • Proactively contribute ideas and solutions, maintaining an organized workflow, meeting project milestones, and staying attentive to details.


Qualifications

What We're Looking For:
  • BA/BS in illustration, Graphic Design, Fine Arts, or equivalent.
  • Minimum of 5+ years of experience as a Lead Artist or above in the mobile game industry.
  • Proven experience supporting and providing clear, actionable feedback to external development teams.
  • Shipped at least 2-3 mobile game titles and supported them through live operations.
  • Strong proficiency in industry-standard art software (e.g., Photoshop, Illustrator, Figma, Maya, Unity).
  • Exceptional organizational, multitasking, and time management skills, with a commitment to meeting deadlines and maintaining high-quality standards.
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills with a supportive, team-oriented mindset.
  • Proactively incorporate feedback, take swift action, and provide timely updates without prompting.
  • Passionate about Mattel's iconic IPs and excited about contributing to their continued evolution and appeal in the mobile gaming space.
  • An enthusiastic attitude, adaptability, and eagerness to collaborate effectively in a dynamic environment.
  • A portfolio demonstrating the associated skills needed for this role.
  • Demonstrated a growth mindset by staying curious and continuously learning, embracing challenges, and improving themselves.

Preferred Qualifications (Nice to Have):
  • Prior experience with IP games and marketing art for mobile platforms.
  • Familiarity with live operations and post-launch art asset production.
  • Knowledge of current industry trends and familiarity with market-leading mobile games.
  • Experience working in Unreal.

The annual base salary range for this position is between $96,800 and $137,000.
**This range is indicative of projected hiring range, however annual base salary will be determined based on a candidate's work location, skills and experience. Mattel offers competitive total pay programs, comprehensive benefits, and resources to help empower a culture where every employee can reach their full potential.

Additional Information

Don't meet every single requirement? At Mattel, we are dedicated to an inclusive workplace and a culture of belonging. If you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we still encourage you to apply. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

About Mattel

Mattel, Inc. is a global toy company that designs, manufactures, and markets a wide range of toys and games. The company's brands include Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, American Girl, and more. Mattel's products are sold in over 150 countries and the company has manufacturing facilities in 10 countries. Mattel is committed to sustainability and has set a goal to achieve 100% recycled, recyclable, or bio-based plastic materials in all products and packaging by 2030. The company is also committed to diversity and inclusion and has been recognized for its efforts in this area.
Learn more about Mattel
Size
36,300 employees
Market Cap
$5.9 billion
Industry
Net Income
$126.6 million
Founded
1945
5 Year Trend
-4.3%
Revenue
$4.5 billion
NASDAQ

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