Lead Lighting Artist (AAA Games)

Location: Novato, California, United States

Salary: $150,400–$222,580 USD per year

Company

Cloud Chamber develops evocative, immersive BioShock games as part of hirify.global's AAA game portfolio.

What you will do

• Manage, mentor, recruit, and develop a team of lighting artists while maintaining quality, productivity, and accountability.
• Partner with the Art Director and department leads to establish and elevate lighting style and quality standards.
• Create visually compelling real-time lighting that supports immersive storytelling and in-game cinematics.
• Develop efficient lighting workflows, research new techniques, and resolve technical roadblocks.
• Work with the Core Tech Team to meet technical specifications and optimize real-time rendering performance.
• Collaborate with production to define timelines, track progress, and manage project priorities.

Requirements

• 7+ years of experience in real-time lighting and final rendering.
• Lead Artist experience on at least one shipped AAA title.
• In-depth practical knowledge of Unreal Engine 5, Lumen lighting tools, UE Sequencer, and physically based rendering.
• Experience lighting in-game cinematics and optimizing high-quality lighting within runtime performance constraints.
• Proven experience managing, recruiting, mentoring, and retaining artistic talent.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with experience working across disciplines.

Culture & Benefits

• Collaborative work across design, art, engineering, animation, and audio disciplines.
• Culture focused on high standards, learning, ownership, openness, and continuous improvement.
• Full-time employees may receive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage.
• Benefits include paid holidays, vacation or discretionary time off, sick leave, parental and compassionate leave, and wellbeing support.
• Additional benefits may include family planning support, commuter benefits, fitness reimbursements, bonus or equity awards, a 401(k) plan, and an Employee Stock Purchase Program.