Senior & Lead Look Dev Artist

TL;DR

Senior & Lead Look Dev Artist (Look Dev/Shading): Creating advanced surfacing solutions and textures for photo-realistic feature films with an accent on physically based shading, rendering, and proprietary toolset utilization. Focus on managing multiple complex assets, debugging rendering setups, and collaborating across departments to deliver high-quality visual results under tight deadlines.

Location: Must be based in Wellington, New Zealand

Company

hirify.global is a world-renowned visual effects company recognized for its high-quality work in feature films.

What you will do

• Develop and maintain shading networks, materials, and textures for diverse assets including characters, creatures, and environments.
• Work with proprietary tools to manipulate shading networks and ensure seamless integration within in-shot scenes.
• Provide technical support and solutions for Lighting and FX departments to maintain visual coherence.
• Manage multiple assets simultaneously and execute tasks efficiently within a fast-paced production pipeline.
• Paint textures for a wide range of assets, ensuring artistic quality and adherence to project requirements.
• Solve complex rendering challenges and contribute to creative, efficient surfacing workflows.

Requirements

• At least 5 years of professional experience in feature film production or equivalent.
• Strong artistic and technical skills in look development, shading, and texturing.
• Excellent understanding of physically based shading and rendering principles.
• Familiarity with Linux and Katana is essential.
• Strong problem-solving initiative and ability to maintain deadlines under pressure.
• Experience in managing multiple assets and interpreting artistic direction from references.

Nice to have

• Working knowledge of Houdini, Solaris, Mari, and Python scripting.
• Familiarity with USD pipelines.
• Experience in Substance Designer, Substance Painter, or Zbrush.
• Proven track record of leading small groups or teams of artists.

Culture & Benefits

• Collaborative and highly creative studio environment.
• Commitment to diversity, equality, and a respectful workplace.
• Opportunity to work on major upcoming film projects.
• Supportive atmosphere focused on high-quality artistic output.