Lead External Development Artist

Company Description

To create revolutionary, story-driven RPGs which go straight to the hearts of gamers — this is our mission. Want to dive deeper into our company’s culture? Explore our social media and check out our YouTube channel and Beyond the Game Blog where we share behind-the-scenes insights and stories direct from our team members!

Job Description

CD PROJEKT RED is  looking for an Lead External Development Artist to join our studio in Boston to work on Cyberpunk 2, the follow-up to Cyberpunk 2077 and the next major video game in the Cyberpunk franchise. In this position, you will have a foundational role in creating a world-class pipeline that allows outside vendors to collaborate with internal teams, review work for quality, while growing and leading your team. 

Daily responsibilities:

• Plan and manage a robust External Development pipeline, some from the ground up - workflows, software solutions, etc.
• Work with Directors and leads to create an X-Dev strategy.
• Work with direct reports on goal setting, career development, and performance.
• Continue to build a team of experienced External Development artists.
• Collaborate with our procurement staff in finding and vetting X-Dev partners.
• Train vendors in our workflows and performance standards.
• Provide artistic and technical feedback to external partners via documentation and direct communication.
• Integrate approved assets into the game engine as necessary.
• Model and texture assets to fit the established style of the game.
• Set up materials and shaders to achieve excellence.
• Review briefs from internal teams to ensure they meet the needs of vendors.
• Cooperate effectively with other artists and designers, and ensure best practices within internal and external teams.
• Provide the team with clear and transparent progress status regarding the ongoing work.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of relevant experience working in the video game industry in an External Development role and at least one shipped AAA title.
• Experience leading teams of 5 or more people. 
• Proficiency with the following development packages: Blender, Maya, Substance packages, etc.
• Good knowledge of composition, color theory and lighting.
• Experience with physically based rendering (PBR).
• Able to deliver and receive feedback in a productive and accountable manner.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and collaboration skills.

Nice to have:
(Please note these skills are not required to apply for the position)

• Experience with Unreal Engine 5, Nanite, Lumen, etc. 
• Experience with procedural content creation packages (Houdini, Designer, etc.) is a plus.

Candidates should include a portfolio in their application. Applications without a portfolio will not be considered.

Additional Information

The application window for this position will close by 09/17/2026.

This job requires working in Boston, US.
Working mode: in-office in a hybrid or full-time capacity. 

Health & Well-Being

• Company-paid medical healthcare (dental, vision, and mental).
• Free mental health support, including access to counseling, psychiatric care, and a variety of well-being webinars.
• Paid leave — 26 days of vacation, 10 sick days, & 12 calendar holidays per year
• 401K with employer matching. 
• Lifestyle Spending Account (LSA) – $100 per month to use towards fitness, wellness, internet, home office equipment, learning, streaming services, and more.
• Menstrual leave — employees who menstruate can take one extra day off when experiencing period pain.
• RED Parents Network — support for working parents.
• Flexible working hours.

Perks & Professional Growth

• Trainings, lectures, and courses — internal workshops, knowledge-sharing initiatives, online tutorials, and e-learning classes are all available.
• A welcome pack filled with goodies — to help you feel right at home once you join the team.

Life in the Office

• Dog-friendly office — bring your pooch with you and look after them while working! There’s always a furry friend or two to meet.
• Truly international working environment — a chance to meet and work with a diverse selection of people from all around the world.
• No dress-code — we like to keep it casual.

This position is a backfill.

Estimated pay range for this position: $140,200 - $192,700 USD annual