PRINCIPAL GRAPHICS ENGINEER (18 Month FTC)

Bulkhead; Derby; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative studio is seeking a Principal Graphics Engineer to elevate visual fidelity and performance in their projects. This role is perfect for someone with extensive experience in Unreal Engine and C++. You'll be responsible for designing and optimising advanced rendering features, while mentoring a talented team of engineers. Collaborate closely with art and design teams to ensure the artistic vision translates into high-performance, scalable solutions. If you're passionate about pushing the boundaries of real-time rendering and creating stunning visuals, this is the opportunity for you!

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in graphics or rendering engineering.
• Expert-level C++ skills and deep knowledge of Unreal's rendering architecture.

Responsibilities

• Design and optimise advanced rendering features and tools in Unreal Engine.
• Mentor engineers and collaborate with cross-functional teams for cohesive development.

Skills

C++

Unreal Engine

Real-time rendering

Problem-solving

Job description

We are looking for a Principal Graphics Engineer to help drive visual fidelity and performance across our projects. This role is ideal for someone with deep Unreal Engine experience, strong C++ skills, and a passion for pushing the boundaries of real-time rendering.

You’ll work closely with our art, design, and engineering teams to optimise performance across platforms, and build tools that empower artists to bring worlds to life.

What you'll be doing

• Design, implement, and optimise advanced rendering features, shaders, lighting models, and post-processing effects in Unreal Engine.
• Translate artistic vision into performant and scalable technical solutions across platforms.
• Profile and optimise rendering systems to achieve smooth frame rates and visual consistency.
• Provide technical leadership in Unreal Engine graphics architecture, workflows, and best practices.
• Develop and maintain tools and pipelines that improve content creation and iteration speed.
• Mentor and support other engineers to raise technical standards across the team.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with design, production, and art to ensure development is cohesive and efficient.

What we need from you

• 5+ years of experience in graphics or rendering engineering, ideally within Unreal Engine (UE4 or UE5).
• Expert-level C++ skills with a strong understanding of real-time rendering pipelines.
• Deep knowledge of Unreal’s rendering architecture and material/shader systems.
• Experience optimising rendering performance for games across multiple platforms.
• Strong problem-solving skills with a keen eye for visual quality and performance trade-offs.
• A track record of contributing to the visual success of shipped titles.

If you're passionate about building world-class visuals and want to play a key role in the technical direction of our projects, we’d love to hear from you.