2D UI/UX Artist & Animator for Video Games (Sprite Design, Rigging, VFX)

We're looking for a talented 2D artist/designer to create user interfaces, sprites, and visual effects for our video games. We work across multiple projects. A solid understanding of game UI fundamentals and technicalities is essential. This role isn't just about making things look good — we need someone who designs with intent. That means understanding visual hierarchy (what should draw the player's eye first), and adapting the UI's style, tone, and feel to match the world and atmosphere of each specific game, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all template. Core responsibilities & skills: Game UI/UX design — menus, HUDs, buttons, icons, and overall visual flow, designed with clear intent and hierarchy (highlighting what matters most, guiding the player's attention naturally) World-adaptive design — ability to shift visual style, mood, and UI language to fit the setting and tone of each individual game Sprite design — clean, optimized sprite creation and sprite sheet/atlas organization Technical UI implementation knowledge — including 9-slicing, scalable/responsive UI elements, and multi-resolution design (PC, mobile, console) 2D sprite animation — UI transitions, character animation, environmental animation 2D rigging — rigging 2D characters/assets for animation (e.g., using Spine or similar tools) Visual effects (VFX) — particles, transitions, feedback effects, polish elements that enhance game feel Nice to have: Experience with Unity and/or Unreal Engine (their UI systems, e.g., Unity's Canvas/UGUI/TextMeshPro or Unreal's UMG) Proficiency in tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, Spine, or After Effects 3D asset creation — a significant plus, but not required A portfolio showing shipped or playable game work across different engines To apply, please include: A portfolio showcasing UI design, sprite work, 2D animation/rigging, and VFX Any relevant game project examples Brief note on how you approach designing UI differently across different game genres/settings Your estimated rate and availability We're looking for someone detail-oriented, communicative, and genuinely excellent at their craft — someone who thinks like a designer first and an artist second, and takes pride in polish and purpose behind every visual choice.