Lead, Concept Art & Illustration

Royal Caribbean Cruises - Miami, FL

Full-time - Mid Level

Remote - Miami, FL

Administrative and Support Services

About the position

The Royal Caribbean Creative Development & Advanced Concept Design Studio, also known as the Creative Studio, is on a mission to enhance current product offerings while envisioning future capabilities and experiences for the company. This role is pivotal in applying creative insights to improve guest and crew experiences across various touchpoints. The Lead Concept Artist & Illustrator will be responsible for creating conceptual art and visual assets that communicate the tone, look, and feel of various projects. This position requires collaboration with designers and other stakeholders to ensure that the visual assets align with the intended product, service, or experience concepts. In this role, the Lead Concept Artist & Illustrator will leverage both established and emerging technologies, working closely with technology vendors and service providers to invent new concepts that blend physical and digital elements. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in concept art, storyboarding, and visual development, and will be tasked with exploring and defining the initial experience and aesthetic of projects. This position not only requires artistic expertise but also the ability to collaborate effectively within a team environment. The Lead Concept Artist & Illustrator will report to the Director of Creative Development & Advanced Concept Design and will be responsible for managing multiple concurrent projects while providing informal leadership to junior team members. The role demands a proactive approach to exploring new techniques and trends in the industry, as well as the ability to generate strategic ideas that enhance the Creative Studio's processes and projects.

Responsibilities

• Provide Concept Art and Illustration expertise for Creative Studio projects.
• Conduct and present visual research for functional and aesthetic reference.
• Ideate and explore creative directions through rough-to-polished concept sketches, storyboards, illustrations, keyframe visuals, renderings/paintings, photo bashing, presentation visuals, and 3D models.
• Assist team resources in producing final project assets and documentation; provide hands-on assistance and collaboration where needed.
• Collaborate with Creative Studio Director, Designers, Fabricators, and Product Development Product Owners to ensure 2D and 3D assets convey desired look, feel, function and overall intent of a proposed product, service, or experience concept.
• Take responsibility and ownership for assigned work, exercising initiative to contribute beyond what's assigned.
• Informally lead junior resources on the Creative Studio team, helping them develop higher levels of practice and understanding.
• Exemplify partnership and collaboration with internal teams, helping the team navigate competing priorities while delivering excellence.
• Explore and investigate emerging techniques, technologies, trends, events, and companies to leverage and/or partner with on advanced concept projects; share findings with the team.
• Function as visual art SME for the team, providing instruction and skill enhancement to other team members.
• Generate new strategic ideas for the Creative Studio, be it process, practice, or project.
• Manage involvement in multiple concurrent project work streams.
• Provide informal support and assistance to junior team members for individual growth.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Illustration, Entertainment Design, Visual Arts, or similar.
• 5-8 years relevant experience.
• Exceptional visual artist across multiple visual categories and levels of fidelity: rough and tight sketching, storyboarding, painting/rendering, keyframe art, and visual development/design.
• Deep expertise with relevant tools and techniques, both analog and digital (traditional media, Photoshop, Illustrator, Procreate, ZBrush, Blender or other 3D modeling programs, rendering engines).
• Strong grasp of experience design and narrative structure and how to use their constituent elements to design a compelling, immersive, effective experience.
• Effective and efficient manager of available resources, be it time, budget, or materials; excellent time management and organizational skills.
• Excellent verbal communication skills: explanation, presentation, persuasion.
• Strong collaboration skills: communicating, teaming, delivering shared work, learner mindset.

Nice-to-haves

• Facility with graphic design, typography, logo design, signage/wayfinding.
• Experience with a wide variety of project categories (e.g. Entertainment, Food & Beverage, Experiential/Exhibition, Hospitality, Retail, etc.).
• Broad perspective and informed creative opinion on experience design and interaction.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation package
• Career development opportunities
• Work from home on Fridays
• Health insurance
• Paid holidays
• Flexible scheduling