CGI Lighting

thelab; New York (NY); On-site; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

thelab seeks a CGI Lighting Artist to craft photorealistic lighting and rendering for digital assets across product visualization, advertising, and e-commerce content. Working within HOME, Wellcom's AI-enabled production ecosystem, you will collaborate with modelers, texture artists, and developers to achieve realism and brand consistency.

Applicants should hold a bachelor's degree in CG or related fields and have hands-on experience with CGI lighting, PBR workflows, and storytelling through

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Computer Graphics, Animation, Digital Arts, Visual Effects, or related field.
• Experience with CGI lighting and rendering for commercial, retail, or advertising projects.
• Strong understanding of lighting theory, color, composition, and photorealism.
• Experience with physically based rendering (PBR) workflows.
• Excellent attention to detail and visual storytelling.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Create realistic and visually compelling lighting for CGI assets across product visualization, advertising, retail, and marketing campaigns.
• Develop lighting setups that enhance mood, realism, and brand consistency.
• Optimize rendering workflows to balance visual quality with production efficiency.
• Collaborate with modeling, texturing, compositing, and production teams throughout the creative process.
• Maintain consistency across multiple assets, environments, and deliverables.
• Troubleshoot rendering and lighting issues while ensuring deadlines are met.
• Work with AI Developers and production teams to evaluate AI-assisted lighting, rendering, and workflow automation opportunities within HOME.
• Contribute to lighting standards, documentation, and best practices across production teams.
• Stay informed on advancements in CGI rendering, lighting techniques, and AI technologies relevant to production.

Skills

Lighting theory and photorealism

PBR workflows

Collaboration and communication

AI-assisted rendering familiarity

Rendering optimization

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Graphics, Animation, Digital Arts, Visual Effects, or equivalent

Tools

3ds Max

Houdini

Python scripting

V-Ray

Karma

Job description

Position Summary:

The CGI Lighting Artist is responsible for creating high-quality lighting and rendering solutions for digital assets across a wide range of client projects. Working within HOME, Wellcom's AI-enabled production ecosystem, this role combines artistic expertise with emerging technologies to produce photorealistic imagery while supporting efficient, scalable production workflows.

The CGI Lighting Artist collaborates closely with modelers, texture artists, compositors, developers, and production teams to establish lighting that enhances realism, reinforces brand standards, and supports creative objectives. They will also help evaluate and integrate AI-enabled tools that improve lighting workflows without compromising quality.

Key Responsibilities:

• Create realistic and visually compelling lighting for CGI assets across product visualization, advertising, retail, and marketing campaigns.
• Develop lighting setups that enhance mood, realism, and brand consistency.
• Optimize rendering workflows to balance visual quality with production efficiency.
• Collaborate with modeling, texturing, compositing, and production teams throughout the creative process.
• Maintain consistency across multiple assets, environments, and deliverables.
• Troubleshoot rendering and lighting issues while ensuring deadlines are met.
• Work with AI Developers and production teams to evaluate AI-assisted lighting, rendering, and workflow automation opportunities within HOME.
• Contribute to lighting standards, documentation, and best practices across production teams.
• Stay informed on advancements in CGI rendering, lighting techniques, and AI technologies relevant to production.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Graphics, Animation, Digital Arts, Visual Effects, or equivalent professional experience.
• Experience in CGI lighting and rendering for commercial, retail, or advertising projects.
• Strong understanding of lighting theory, color, composition, and photorealism.
• Experience with physically based rendering (PBR) workflows.
• Strong attention to detail and visual storytelling.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with AI-assisted rendering or production workflows.
• Knowledge of physically accurate materials and shader development.
• Experience working with large-scale production pipelines.
• Familiarity with automation tools or scripting (Python is a plus).
• Experience supporting photography, product visualization, or e-commerce content production.
• Understanding of cloud rendering and distributed rendering environments.

Technical Skills:

3D Software

• 3ds Max
• Houdini

Rendering Engines

• V-Ray
• Karma

Production

• Physically Based Rendering (PBR)
• HDRI lighting
• Color management
• Render optimization
• Asset management

Emerging Technologies

• AI-assisted rendering tools
• Workflow automation
• Basic scripting (Python preferred)
• Familiarity with HOME AI workflows

Success in This Role:

A successful CGI Lighting Artist will:

• Produce photorealistic lighting that elevates the quality of digital content.
• Optimize rendering workflows for speed, consistency, and scalability.
• Collaborate effectively with creative, production, and technology teams.
• Help identify opportunities where AI can improve efficiency while maintaining creative excellence.
• Contribute to the continued evolution of HOME by supporting innovative production workflows that combine artistic craftsmanship with emerging AI technologies.