Real-Time 3D Asset Engineer: Pipelines & Shaders

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory; Laurel (MD); On-site; USD 100,000 - 245,000; Full time

Job summary

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) is seeking a Real-Time 3D Asset Engineer to build and optimize real-time assets, materials, and scenes for training systems and visualization tools. You will pair production judgment with technical art skills to create efficient content pipelines for engineering-focused applications.

You will design production-ready models and shaders, streamline asset workflows, and collaborate with artists and engineers to troubleshoot pipelines

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in related field or equivalent experience.
• 3+ years of real-time 3D art experience for games, AR/VR, or training systems.
• Portfolio showing finished 3D models, textures, or scenes based on real-world material.
• Experience with 3D tools and real-time engine workflows (Blender/Maya/3ds Max/Houdini, Unity, Unreal).
• Experience with scripting/shader authoring or programming to improve pipelines.
• Eligibility for Interim Secret clearance and ability to obtain Secret; U.S. citizenship.

Responsibilities

• Create, optimize, and integrate real-time 3D assets, materials, and scenes for training systems and visualizations.
• Build production-ready models, textures, and materials from reference photos, CAD data, or scans.
• Optimize assets for real-time performance (polycount, draw calls, texture memory, LODs).
• Develop and maintain source-to-engine asset pipelines (Unity, Unreal, etc.).
• Create tools, scripts, shaders, and asset-processing utilities for content production.
• Collaborate with artists, engineers, and developers to troubleshoot pipelines and rendering issues.

Skills

Real-time 3D art production

Shader writing

Scripting pipelines

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Tools

Blender

Maya

3ds Max

Houdini

Substance tools

Unity

Unreal Engine

Git

GitLab

PlasticSCM

Job description

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) is seeking a Real-Time 3D Asset Engineer to build and optimize real-time assets, materials, and scenes for training systems and visualization tools. You will pair production judgment with technical art skills to create efficient content pipelines for engineering-focused applications.

You will design production-ready models and shaders, streamline asset workflows, and collaborate with artists and engineers to troubleshoot pipelines