Senior UI Artist

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UI Artist

Company: Hutch

Location: London, Greater London, United Kingdom

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Art & Design / Game Development Operations

Date Posted: 2026-03-30

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the visual excellence and player interaction design for Hutch's mobile gaming titles through expert UI artistry.

• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including game designers, product owners, and engineers, to translate creative vision into intuitive and engaging user interfaces.

• Develop and maintain a high-quality UI art style that aligns with game objectives and player expectations, ensuring visual consistency and aesthetic appeal.

• Champion best practices in UI/UX design and art implementation within Unity, mentoring junior artists and contributing to the overall growth of the UI art discipline at Hutch.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Senior UI Artist within a mobile game development studio. The emphasis on "delivering visually impressive free to play gaming experiences" and "defining how they interact with our games" indicates a critical role in shaping the player's journey and overall game satisfaction. The "small empowered teams" structure suggests a high degree of autonomy and direct impact on project outcomes, common in successful GTM operations.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Game Designers and Product Owners to conceptualize and refine UI designs, contributing to creative direction and pitching innovative ideas.

• Partner with the Art Director and Product Owner to establish and maintain a cohesive and compelling UI art style for current and upcoming titles.

• Produce high-fidelity UI artwork, including icons, buttons, menus, and other graphical assets, ensuring they meet the game's visual quality standards.

• Develop interactive UI wireframe prototypes to effectively communicate user flows, interaction patterns, and functional layouts.

• Work closely with client engineers to implement UI assets within the Unity engine, ensuring seamless integration, optimal performance, and bug-free execution.

• Design elegant and user-centric UI/UX layouts, including wireframes and user flow diagrams, in conjunction with the design team.

• Participate actively in regular design meetings, team presentations, and planning sessions, contributing to project scheduling and resource allocation.

• Mentor and guide other UI Artists, fostering skill development and elevating the studio's overall UI art capabilities.

• Proactively lead and advance UI/UX design decisions at the project level, collaborating effectively with all key stakeholders to drive successful outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities listed emphasize a blend of creative artistry, technical implementation, and cross-functional collaboration, typical for senior roles in game development operations. The inclusion of "mentoring other UI Artists" and "proactively drive and advance project-level UI/UX design decisions" clearly indicates a leadership component, requiring not just execution but also strategic contribution and team development.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio demonstrating equivalent practical experience and proficiency in UI art and design principles is paramount.

Experience: A minimum of 5-10 years of dedicated UI Art experience within the games industry, with a proven track record of at least one shipped game title included in the portfolio.

Required Skills:

• Proven UI Art experience within the games industry, with at least one shipped game title in your portfolio.

• High quality visual art and design pieces within portfolio, demonstrating exceptional aesthetic capabilities.

• Excellent logo and iconography design skills, essential for clear and effective game communication.

• Demonstrated experience across the full design workflow, from initial paper-level concepts through wireframes to functioning prototypes.

• Practical understanding of UX/communication design conventions and their impact on player behavior, with awareness of current and emerging trends.

• Excellent visual design skills encompassing proportion, layout, graphical form, typography, color, composition, and negative space.

• An outstanding sense of color and composition, with an innate understanding of visually appealing aesthetics.

• Proficiency in Unity, with a demonstrated ability to implement UI assets effectively.

• Expertise with Figma and Adobe Creative Cloud software suite.

• Experience with UX prototyping design software such as Figma, Adobe XD, or Flinto.

• Familiarity with AI tools and AI-generated imagery for creative exploration and asset generation.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in VFX, 2D animation, and motion graphics to enhance UI dynamism.

• Experience with 3D art software such as 3DS Max, Maya, Blender, or Substance for asset creation.

• Experience with re-branding and evolving existing Intellectual Property (IP).

• Experience in creating assets for App Store Optimization (ASO), User Acquisition (UA), and social media campaigns.

• An interest in working on mobile games, demonstrating passion for the platform.

• A desire to have a significant impact within a small, empowered team environment.

• Experience in working with 3rd party IP brand holders & licensing teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "at least one shipped game title in your portfolio" is a critical filter for this role, indicating a need for candidates who have navigated the full development cycle and understand live product considerations. The emphasis on specific software like Figma and Unity, alongside broader design principles, points towards a need for both technical and artistic fluency. The "familiarity with AI tools" is a forward-looking requirement, suggesting the company is open to integrating new technologies into their creative workflows.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate a strong portfolio showcasing high-quality UI art, including logos, icons, and complete interface mockups for at least one shipped game title.

• Include case studies or examples of your involvement in the full UI/UX design workflow, from initial concept and wireframing to final asset implementation.

• Provide examples of UI wireframe prototypes and user flow diagrams that illustrate your understanding of player interaction and navigation design.

Process Documentation:

• Illustrate your process for collaborating with designers and product owners to define UI art styles and creative direction.

• Detail your methodology for creating and iterating on UI wireframes and prototypes based on feedback and player behavior insights.

• Explain your approach to asset creation and implementation within Unity, including considerations for performance optimization and bug resolution.

• Present examples of how you have mentored other artists or contributed to improving UI/UX design processes within a team.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior UI Artist role, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to go beyond just showcasing pretty pictures; it must demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the UI/UX design process, collaborative capabilities, and the practical application of skills within a game development environment, particularly Unity. The emphasis on "shipped game title" implies a need to see how the candidate has contributed to a product that has reached players.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for Senior UI Artists in London with 5-10 years of experience in the gaming sector, the estimated salary range is £60,000 - £85,000 per annum. This estimate accounts for the cost of living in London, the specialized skills required, and the company's "excellent salary" offering.

Benefits:

• 4-Day Work Week: Employees work a maximum of 4 days per week (30 hours/week) Monday-Thursday, with no reduction in pay.

• Flexible Working Hours: Ability to adjust working hours to accommodate personal needs and optimize productivity.

• Remote Working: Option to work remotely for 2 days per week, offering a hybrid work model.

• Excellent Salary: Competitive remuneration package reflecting the senior level and expertise.

• Private Health Care: Comprehensive private medical insurance for employees.

• Enhanced Maternity Leave: 18 weeks of enhanced maternity leave.

• Enhanced Paternity Leave: 6 weeks of enhanced paternity leave.

• Mental Health Initiatives: Access to private mental health coaching and support services.

• Learning & Development: Support and resources for professional growth, skill development, and career progression within Hutch.

• On-site Amenities: Free snacks and drinks provided at the office.

• Social & Team Events: Regular social events, game launch parties, and Thursday night drinks to foster team camaraderie.

Working Hours: The standard working week is 30 hours, typically structured Monday through Thursday. The company offers flexible working hours, allowing employees to manage their schedules within these parameters.

📝 Enhancement Note: The 4-day work week (30 hours) is a significant differentiator and a key benefit. When estimating salary, it's important to consider that while the hours are reduced, the expectation of senior-level output and impact remains. The salary range reflects the London market for experienced game artists and the premium associated with a 4-day week.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Mobile Games Development & Publishing. Hutch operates in the highly competitive and dynamic mobile gaming market, focusing on automotive-themed free-to-play titles. This industry demands continuous innovation, a strong understanding of player engagement, and rapid adaptation to market trends.

Company Size: Hutch is described as having small, empowered teams, with studios in London, Dundee, and Canada. While specific employee numbers aren't provided, this suggests a mid-sized to large organization with a distributed workforce, likely numbering in the hundreds rather than thousands, fostering a culture of agility and direct impact.

Founded: The founding date is not explicitly stated, but the company has achieved significant milestones, evidenced by its games being played by over 300 million people and having new titles in development. This history points to a stable and growing company with established operational processes.

Team Structure:

• Hutch emphasizes small, empowered teams that operate with independence and autonomy, encouraging creative and technical problem-solving.

• The reporting structure likely involves team leads or department heads (e.g., Art Director, Head of Design) who report to higher management. For this Senior UI Artist role, direct collaboration with Designers and Product Owners is key, with mentorship responsibilities toward other UI Artists.

Methodology:

• Hutch employs a "test, learn, repeat" methodology, indicative of an agile and data-driven approach to game development and live operations. This involves iterative design, A/B testing of UI elements, and continuous analysis of player feedback and in-game metrics.

• Workflow planning and optimization are critical, ensuring efficient development cycles and timely delivery of high-quality features and assets. UI artists are expected to contribute to planning and scheduling.

• Automation and efficiency practices are implicitly encouraged through the use of tools like Unity and Figma, aiming to streamline asset creation and implementation processes.

Company Website: https://www.hutch.io/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture at Hutch is characterized by a strong emphasis on employee well-being ("putting our people first," "happy and healthy"), autonomy within small teams, transparency, and a player-centric approach. The "test, learn, repeat" methodology is vital for understanding how operations roles, like that of a UI Artist, contribute to iterative product improvement and player satisfaction.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior UI Artist role, signifying a position of significant experience and technical expertise. A Senior UI Artist is expected to not only execute high-quality work but also to contribute to strategic UI/UX decisions, mentor junior team members, and potentially influence art direction. They are key players in ensuring the user experience aligns with product goals and player expectations, a critical component of the GTM strategy for live games.

Reporting Structure: The Senior UI Artist will report to a lead within the art department, likely the Art Director, and will work very closely with Product Owners and Game Designers. They will also be responsible for mentoring other UI Artists, indicating a leadership aspect within the UI art team.

Operations Impact: The Senior UI Artist's impact is directly tied to the player's experience and engagement with the game. By creating intuitive, visually appealing, and functional user interfaces, they directly influence player retention, satisfaction, and monetization. This role is crucial for the success of "free to play" mobile games, where the UI is a primary touchpoint for player interaction and monetization mechanics.

Growth Opportunities:

• UI Art Specialization: Opportunities to deepen expertise in specific areas of UI art, such as animation, motion graphics, or advanced UX prototyping, with potential for lead roles on major projects.

• Cross-Disciplinary Skill Development: Exposure to other areas of game development, such as VFX, 2D animation, or even 3D art, through the "bonus points" section and company culture of learning.

• Leadership and Mentorship: Progression into a Lead UI Artist role, managing a team of UI artists, defining art strategies, and taking on more significant project ownership.

• Product Strategy Contribution: Greater involvement in the strategic planning of game features and user experience, influencing the overall product roadmap based on UI/UX best practices and player insights.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title implies that candidates are expected to hit the ground running with minimal supervision and to contribute to the strategic direction of UI/UX. The growth opportunities highlight pathways for specialization or leadership, which are key considerations for ambitious operations professionals.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hutch has a hybrid work model, with an office located in Shoreditch, central London. This suggests a modern, potentially open-plan office environment designed to foster collaboration and creativity.

Office Location(s): The primary office for this role is in Shoreditch, a vibrant tech and creative hub in central London. This location offers excellent transport links and a dynamic surrounding environment. Additional offices are located in Dundee and Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia.

Workspace Context:

• The workspace is designed to be collaborative, with small empowered teams working together. This likely means shared physical spaces and digital collaboration tools that encourage interaction and idea exchange among UI artists, designers, and engineers.

• Access to necessary operations tools and technology, including Unity, Figma, Adobe Creative Cloud, and other relevant design and prototyping software, is a given for this role.

• Opportunities for team interaction are plentiful, facilitated by the office environment, regular team meetings, social events, and the company's emphasis on collaboration.

Work Schedule: The standard work week is 30 hours, Monday to Thursday, with flexible working hours. This structure aims to promote work-life balance while ensuring consistent progress on projects.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model and flexible hours are key aspects of the work environment. For operations roles, understanding how this balance is managed is crucial for productivity and well-being. The Shoreditch location implies a creative and fast-paced atmosphere.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Application & Portfolio Review: Candidates will submit their CV and a portfolio showcasing relevant UI art and design work. The hiring team will assess for technical skills, artistic quality, and experience with shipped titles.

• Technical Interview/Skill Assessment: This may involve a practical exercise or a deep dive into portfolio pieces, focusing on problem-solving, UI design principles, and Unity implementation knowledge. Candidates might be asked to critique existing UI or propose solutions.

• Team/Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion about experience, collaboration style, mentorship approach, and how the candidate fits with Hutch's culture and team dynamics. This stage often includes a presentation of a case study from the portfolio.

• Final Interview: Typically with a senior leader (e.g., Head of Art, Studio Director) to discuss strategic alignment, long-term vision, and final cultural fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate for Impact: Select your strongest, most relevant UI art and UX design examples, prioritizing those from shipped mobile games.

• Showcase Process: For each project, clearly outline your role, the challenges faced, your design process (wireframes, prototypes, iterations), and the final outcome. Use visuals effectively to tell the story.

• Highlight Collaboration: If possible, include examples or descriptions of how you collaborated with designers, engineers, or product owners.

• Demonstrate Technical Proficiency: Include examples that show your understanding of asset implementation within Unity, or discuss your experience with the engine.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, discuss how your UI/UX contributions positively impacted player engagement, retention, or monetization.

Challenge Preparation:

• UI Design Challenge: Be prepared for a task that might involve designing a specific UI screen or flow for a mobile game, focusing on clarity, aesthetics, and usability within a given timeframe.

• Unity Implementation Discussion: Be ready to discuss your workflow for implementing UI assets in Unity, potential challenges, and best practices for optimization.

• Mentorship Scenario: Prepare to discuss how you would mentor a junior UI artist on a specific task or skill.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio review and potential practical challenges highlights the hands-on nature of this role. Candidates should be ready to demonstrate not just their artistic talent but also their understanding of the game development pipeline and player-centric design.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Unity: Essential for game development and UI asset implementation. Proficiency expected in integrating UI elements, understanding scene setup, and collaborating with engineers on performance.

• Figma: A key tool for UI design, wireframing, prototyping, and collaborative workflows. Expertise in creating design systems and sharing assets is highly valued.

• Adobe Creative Cloud: Includes Photoshop for raster asset creation, Illustrator for vector assets (icons, logos), and potentially After Effects for motion graphics or UI animations.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

Other Relevant Tools:

• Adobe XD / Flinto: Alternative UX prototyping software.

• 3DS Max, Maya, Blender, Substance: For 3D asset creation, if the candidate possesses these skills (preferred).

• AI Tools: Familiarity with AI tools for asset generation or concept exploration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core technical stack revolves around Unity and industry-standard design tools like Figma and Adobe Creative Cloud. Candidates need to demonstrate strong practical skills in these areas, especially regarding asset implementation within Unity.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Transparent: Open communication and sharing of information are encouraged, fostering trust and integrity within teams and across the organization. This applies to design decisions, project status, and feedback.

• Humble: A culture of humility, ego-lessness, and self-awareness is promoted, enabling individuals to be receptive to feedback and to focus on collective success rather than individual accolades.

• Collaborative: Teamwork is highly valued, with an emphasis on shared effort and achieving results together. UI Artists are expected to actively collaborate with designers, engineers, and product owners.

• Driven: A strong sense of drive and ambition is expected, pushing individuals to strive for the best results and continuously improve, rather than settling for mediocrity.

• Adaptable: The ability to adapt to changing situations, new technologies, and project requirements is crucial for growth and thriving in the dynamic mobile gaming industry.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: UI Artists are integral to the development process, working closely with various departments to ensure seamless integration of UI/UX into the game. This involves active participation in design reviews and problem-solving sessions.

• Process Review & Feedback: A culture of constructive feedback is essential, where UI designs and implemented assets are regularly reviewed by peers and stakeholders to ensure quality and alignment with project goals.

• Knowledge Sharing: The company likely fosters an environment where knowledge about UI design trends, Unity implementation, and player behavior is shared among team members, perhaps through internal workshops or informal discussions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values of Transparency, Humility, Collaboration, Drive, and Adaptability are central to Hutch's operational philosophy. For a Senior UI Artist, this means being an open communicator, a supportive team player, eager to learn and improve, and resilient in the face of challenges.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Aesthetics and Functionality: A key challenge will be to create visually stunning UI that is also highly functional, intuitive, and performant on a wide range of mobile devices.

• Iterative Design in a Live Environment: Working on live games means adapting to ongoing player feedback, data analysis, and evolving business requirements, which can necessitate frequent UI adjustments.

• Cross-Disciplinary Alignment: Ensuring consistent UI/UX vision across different teams (design, engineering, art) and stakeholders can be complex, requiring strong communication and negotiation skills.

• Staying Ahead of Trends: The mobile gaming UI landscape evolves rapidly; keeping pace with new design trends, technologies, and player expectations will be an ongoing challenge.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced UI/UX Specialization: Opportunities to deepen expertise in specific areas of UI/UX design, potentially leading to specialized roles or lead positions.

• Industry Conferences & Certifications: Support for attending relevant industry events or pursuing certifications in design or game development tools.

• Mentorship Programs: Formal or informal mentorship opportunities with senior artists or leads, fostering leadership and strategic thinking.

• Exposure to New Technologies: Hands-on experience with emerging tools like AI in art generation, and continuous engagement with the latest features in Unity and design software.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the dynamic nature of game development operations. The growth opportunities are structured to support both deep specialization and broader skill acquisition, which are crucial for career advancement in the competitive gaming industry.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to balance conflicting design requirements from different stakeholders (e.g., Design vs. Engineering vs. Product). How did you navigate this and what was the outcome?" (Focus on communication, negotiation, and finding optimal solutions.)

• "Walk us through your process for designing a new UI feature from concept to implementation. What tools do you use, and how do you ensure it aligns with the game's overall art style and UX goals?" (Prepare a concise case study from your portfolio.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Hutch's mission and the games we develop? How do you see your role contributing to our player community?" (Research Hutch's games and values.)

• "How do you stay updated on the latest UI/UX trends in the mobile gaming industry, and how do you decide which trends are relevant to implement?" (Demonstrate proactive learning and critical thinking.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structured Narrative: For each project, clearly explain the problem, your role, your process (sketches, wireframes, prototypes, final assets), the tools used, and the results or impact.

• Visual Clarity: Use high-resolution images and clear examples. Show the evolution of designs where appropriate.

• Focus on Collaboration & Impact: Emphasize how you worked with others and, if possible, how your UI design positively affected player engagement or business metrics.

• Technical Details: Be prepared to discuss your technical implementation process in Unity and your proficiency with design software like Figma.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation for a Senior UI Artist role should focus on demonstrating not just artistic talent but also strategic thinking, collaborative skills, and a deep understanding of the game development lifecycle and player-centric design within the mobile gaming context.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UI Artist position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Workable.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight your strongest UI art and UX design examples from shipped mobile games, emphasizing your process and impact. Clearly label your contributions for each project.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly details your years of experience, specific achievements in UI art and design, proficiency with Unity, Figma, and Adobe Creative Cloud, and any experience with shipped titles. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio case studies, articulating your design process, and answering strategy and behavioral questions related to collaboration, mentorship, and problem-solving.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Hutch's current games, mission, values, and recent news to demonstrate genuine interest and cultural alignment during interviews. Understand their approach to player engagement and development.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.