Technical Artist Unreal (Contract) PRELOADED

LTG; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading game development studio is seeking a versatile Technical Artist to join their team. In this hybrid/remote position, you will work closely with game designers and artists to implement shaders, dynamic visual effects, and asset integration. Ideal candidates will have proven experience in game development, deep expertise with Unreal Engine, and proficiency with industry-standard 3D software. This role offers an opportunity to contribute to innovative gaming projects and enhance visual quality across various platforms.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Technical Artist in game development.
• Deep expertise with Unreal Engine including rendering and animation pipelines.
• Strong understanding of real-time rendering principles, lighting, and shading.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with artists and designers to maintain efficient content creation pipelines.
• Create and optimise 3D art assets for Unreal Engine.
• Develop tools, scripts, and shaders to streamline the artistic workflow.

Skills

Unreal Engine

3D modeling

Problem-solving

Communication

Tools

Maya

Blender

Houdini

Substance Painter

Job description

Contract: (Hybrid / Remote)

Overview

We're seeking a versatile Unreal Engine-focused Technical Artist to join our team. You’ll serve as the bridge between art and tech working closely with game designers and artists to bring our creative vision to life. Your expertise will be crucial in developing and implementing shaders, dynamic visual effects, and the integration of assets.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with artists, designers and programmers to develop and maintain efficient content creation pipelines.
• Create and optimise art assets (e.g. 3D models, textures, animations) for use in Unreal Engine ensuring high visual fidelity while adhering to performance targets.
• Develop custom tools, scripts and shaders to streamline the artistic workflow.
• Troubleshoot and resolve technical issues related to art asset integration, rendering and performance.
• Provide technical support and training to the art team as needed.
• Research and prototype new techniques and technologies to push the boundaries of visual quality.
• Create real‑time visual effects authoring both in Unreal Engine and DCC tools.

What We're Looking For

• Proven experience as a Technical Artist in game development or a related industry.
• Deep expertise with Unreal Engine including rendering pipelines, animation pipelines and character systems.
• Hands‑on experience integrating assets, shaders, animation systems and tools directly in-engine.
• Proficiency with industry‑standard 3D software such as Maya, Blender, Houdini or Substance Painter.
• Strong understanding of Unreal Engine animation tools including Animation Blueprints, Blend Spaces, Animation Graphs, State Machines and Control Rig.
• Solid understanding of real‑time rendering principles, lighting and shading.
• Excellent problem‑solving skills and the ability to diagnose and resolve complex technical issues.
• Proficient with Unreal Engine Blueprints or C++ for gameplay logic, shaders, animations and tool development.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across multiple disciplines.

Nice to Have

• Comfortable working within an R&D / prototyping environment.
• Experience with emerging technologies across multiple platforms such as mobile, XR, Web.

About PRELOADED

We are a BAFTA-winning games studio inventing new ways to play for everyone. We harness the power of play to create the experiences of tomorrow.

Founded in 2000, PRELOADED believes that play in all contexts and for all audiences has the potential to impact our world positively. As a cross‑disciplinary team of artists, designers, play specialists and creative technologists we are united by this shared mission – what we call Play with Purpose.

Together we craft a diverse range of playful experiences. We help organisations, brands and institutions engage next‑generation audiences and collaborate with technology platforms to imagine the future of play.

Key Skills

3ds Max, Computer Graphics, Perforce, Zbrush, Unreal Engine, Maya, Painting, Teaching, Adobe Photoshop, Digital Art, Music Therapy, Unity