---
title: 'Associate Art Director at Stellar Entertainment Software Ltd'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/associate-art-director-stellar-entertainment-software-ltd-guildford-p9q8gqgk11w6'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-13'
---

# Associate Art Director at Stellar Entertainment Software Ltd

- **Company:** Stellar Entertainment Software Ltd
- **Location:** Guildford, United Kingdom
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** hybrid
- **Posted:** 2026-07-09
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-13
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/stellarentertainment/2c053416-6eaf-43d7-9932-c3a9eaf9437d

## Job description

The Studio We are a video game development studio with offices in Guildford, UK and Utrecht, Netherlands. Sitting within the heart of thriving communities of game developers and publishers, we focus on quality and excellence, and our partners and players are always at the front of everything we do.

Games are not just about gameplay. We believe in the importance of balancing every single aspect of a game that you, as a player will interact with; what you see, how you play and how it makes you feel.

It couldn’t be a more exciting time to join us as we embark on a new unannounced project, pushing the boundaries of all aspects of the game to create a truly AAA experience.

## The Role

Our studio is going from strength to strength and we’re now looking for an Associate Art Director to join us to continue building upon our high-quality art aspirations but also leading a team of high achieving artists. This role sits on a new, unannounced project – so if you’re looking to grow and nurture teams, while shaping the creative vision, this could be the role for you.

You will collaborate with the Art Director and teams across many disciplines including UI, Hard Surface, World, VFX, Animation, Engineering and Production to define and drive the quality in our games.

Alongside leveraging your artistic abilities, you’ll also mentor and manage a variety of artists in different disciplines, providing guidance and support to help them reach their full potential. We’re passionate about career development, and our Associate Art Director will play a key role in the progression of our teams. You’ll be a naturally strong communicator and team leader, who can maintain the balance of artistic creativity and technical constraints to help us deliver visually stunning and immersive game experiences.

As our Associate Art Director, you will:

- Help to refine and sculpt the artistic vision of the game alongside our Art Director and Head of Creative
- Collaborate across teams to ensure the art direction complements gameplay
- Lead and mentor our team of talented artists, giving regular feedback and check-ins on the work produced
- Work to grow the team’s overall capabilities, maintaining and fostering a healthy culture that means everyone is hungry to be class leading across all disciplines.
- Ensure we are delivering quality and consistency regarding the artwork we are creating for our projects
- Communicate and celebrate art progress alongside highlighting risks and concerns looking to optimise the maximum potential of the team

## Requirements

What we’re looking to see on your CV:

- Proven experience as an Associate Art Director or Lead Artist on released game projects within the AAA space.
- Exceptional portfolio showcasing a strong understanding of artistic fundamentals, including composition, lighting, and visual storytelling.
- Proficiency in industry-standard art tools (e.g., Photoshop, Maya, Blender, ZBrush, Substance Suite) and game engines (e.g., Unreal Engine).
- Strong leadership and mentorship skills, with a track record of guiding and developing artistic talent.
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to clearly convey artistic vision and provide constructive feedback across multiple disciplines.
- Ability to balance creative ambition with production realities and technical constraints to deliver high-quality results on time.
- Strong understanding of the game development process and the intersection of art and technology in game production.

Bonus Points For

- Experience working on large-scale, open-world, or multiplayer games.
- Knowledge of advanced rendering techniques and tools (e.g., shaders, lighting systems).
- Experience in developing art pipelines and workflows that improve productivity and efficiency.
- Passion for video games and a strong understanding of the latest industry trends in game art and visual styles.

## Benefits

What you can expect from us:

- Flexible hybrid working (we work 3 days per week on-site)
- Holiday Accrual Scheme
- International AAA game projects;
- Access to cutting-edge hardware;
- Discretionary bonus scheme
- Private Healthcare Plan incl. Dental and Eye care
- Pension Plan
- Life Assurance
- Employee Assistance Programme - Wellness Support
- Regular Team Incentives and Social Events

We’re on an important journey with our teammates, candidates and industry partners to tackle barriers to equality and promote diversity, inclusion and accessibility across the markets we work in. If you need any support during the interview process or any feedback on our processes, please let us know.

## About Stellar Entertainment Software Ltd

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Stellar Entertainment is a people-centric game development studio that partners with high-profile industry partners to create high-quality interactive entertainment software.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Bootstrapped/Independently owned)
- **Headquarters**: Guildford, United Kingdom (also has an office in Utrecht, Netherlands)
- **Founded**: 2016
- **Founders**: Not publicly available (scan of leadership shows alumni from AAA studios)

## Core Business
- Primary industry: **Video Game Development** (Ready-made interactive leisure and entertainment software)
- Target customers: B2B (publishing partners) and B2C (gamers/players)
- Mission: "To create & amaze" — delivering work of exceptionally high quality that speaks for itself.

## Products & Services
Stellar Entertainment is known as a **co-development partner** rather than an original IP holder. They work on high-profile franchise titles:
- **Vehicle Handling & Physics Engineering**: Specialized in realistic driving and vehicle physics for racing/simulation games.
- **Full-Game Co-Development**: Partnering with major publishers to build AAA-quality titles.
- **Rendering & Graphics Technology**: Cutting-edge rendering engineering and technical art.

Specific game titles are not listed on their public site, but their expertise and LinkedIn talent patterns (alumni from Splash Damage, Criterion Games, Wargaming) suggest work on major racing and action titles.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not publicly available (Private company)
- **Annual Revenue**: Not publicly available (SIC code 62011 - Interactive leisure software)
- **Total Funding**: Not publicly available — the company appears to be self-funded or operating on a project-based, fee-for-service model.
- **Notable Partners & Clients**: High-profile (but unnamed) industry partners; member of UKIE (UK games trade association); supports Women in Games.
- **Growth Signals**:
    - **Headcount**: 55 employees (+8.5% YoY)
    - **Geography**: Operates across 6 countries (UK, Netherlands, Spain, France, South Korea, Austria)
    - **Active Hiring**: 8 active job postings (as of mid-2026), up +100% quarterly and down -27.3% yearly — indicating a stabilising but active growth phase.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Talent Magnet**: High retention of senior and director-level talent (28% Senior, 12% Director). Ex-employees go on to major studios (nDreams, Criterion, Jagex, Aardman), suggesting excellent training and career launchpad.
- **Specialized Expertise**: Deep specialization in vehicle handling, physics, and rendering engineering gives them a defensible niche in a market where such talent is scarce.
- **"Stellar Code" Culture**: Emphasizes trust, flexibility, and taking on "the difficult work" so partners and players can enjoy an unparalleled experience. Known for a high-quality bar without a "crunch" culture.

## Strategic Focus
- **International Expansion**: Has a formal international placement scheme allowing UK employees to work in the Netherlands (Utrecht office).
- **People-First Scaling**: Growing headcount by 8.5% annually while maintaining a strong culture. Focused on attracting "fresh faces to decorated veterans."
- **Partnership Model**: Continues to deepen relationships with major publishers rather than developing original IP, reducing financial risk and allowing focus on pure engineering/art excellence.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture & Flexibility**: "Life happens — we work a hybrid flexible working system." Core days in the office with flexible hours. Remote and hybrid roles available (e.g., Principal Rendering Engineer can be remote UK).
- **Benefits**:
    - 24 days holiday (UK), 25 days (NL), increasing to 30 days with tenure
    - Office closed over Christmas period
    - Private medical insurance (UK) with online GP, nutritional support, wellbeing portal
    - Dental, optical, and hearing support
    - Flu jab reimbursement
    - Discretionary bonus scheme with regular check-ins
    - Pension scheme
    - Cycle-to-work scheme
    - International working scheme (relocation to Netherlands)
    - "13e maand" (13th month payment) for NL employees
- **Mental Health**: Dedicated Employee Assistance Programme and wellbeing events year-round.
- **Social Culture**: Summer socials, Christmas parties, weekly Friday "hangout hour" at 4pm.
- **Diversity & Inclusion**: Supports Women in Games (with two ambassadors at Stellar), UKIE membership, and actively encourages all candidates regardless of background.

## Sources
1. [stellarentertainment.software](https://stellarentertainment.software/)
2. [stellar.games/about-us](https://www.stellar.games/about-us/)
3. [stellar.games/join-us](https://www.stellar.games/join-us/)
4. [UK Government Companies House](https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/NI640434)
5. [LinkedIn - Stellar Entertainment Software](https://uk.linkedin.com/company/stellar-entertainment-software)
6. [Built In - Stellar Entertainment Software](https://builtin.com/company/stellar-entertainment-software)

## Other roles at Stellar Entertainment Software Ltd

- [Lead UI Artist](https://feeny.ai/job/lead-ui-artist-stellar-entertainment-software-ltd-guildford-bs392p3383fz) — Guildford, United Kingdom
- [Technical Artist](https://feeny.ai/job/technical-artist-stellar-entertainment-software-ltd-guildford-8xa62czvn7dj) — Guildford, United Kingdom
- [Associate Technical Director](https://feeny.ai/job/associate-technical-director-stellar-entertainment-software-ltd-guildford-9s70j15bh383) — Guildford, United Kingdom
- [Optimisation Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/optimisation-engineer-stellar-entertainment-software-ltd-guildford-bwvstayqmm3m) — Guildford, United Kingdom
- [Systems Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/systems-engineer-stellar-entertainment-software-ltd-guildford-asfj2nx377ez) — Guildford, United Kingdom
- [Senior Systems Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-systems-engineer-stellar-entertainment-software-ltd-guildford-czksznk0jnbk) — Guildford, United Kingdom
- [Senior Generalist & Physics Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-generalist-physics-engineer-stellar-entertainment-software-ltd-guildford-ft9mz7s4dzdq) — Guildford, United Kingdom
- [Senior Gameplay Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-gameplay-engineer-stellar-entertainment-software-ltd-utrecht-vy24jkanayk8) — Utrecht, Canada
- [Rendering Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/rendering-engineer-stellar-entertainment-software-ltd-guildford-5s86xk98019k) — Guildford, United Kingdom
- [Senior Vehicle Handling Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-vehicle-handling-engineer-stellar-entertainment-software-ltd-guildford-3p8hjwzs0dw3) — Guildford, United Kingdom