Technical Artist, Environment Optimization Intern [Spring 2027]

Crystal Dynamics; United States; Remote; USD 29,000 - 33,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Professional development reimbursement

Hybrid on-site/off-site work

Job summary

Crystal Dynamics offers a remote Spring 2027 internship for Technical Artist, Environment Optimization Intern. The program runs 12 weeks in the United States, with onboarding at a San Carlos, CA studio site and remote participation.

You will work with world-class teams, guided by mentors, on active AAA projects to develop industry-ready skills in Unreal Engine, environment optimization, and asset performance.

Qualifications

• Portfolio showing foundational tech art skills, e.g., environment optimization work or modular asset workflows.
• Experience with industry tools and engines beyond classroom projects.
• Willingness to learn, take feedback, and adapt to new tools or workflows.
• Strong communication and collaboration in team settings.

Responsibilities

• Use Unreal Engine, Maya, and Python to develop environment-focused workflows.
• Contribute to a mentored project from prototype through design, implementation, and polish.
• Support senior artists by building/refining tools and troubleshooting pipelines.
• Help optimize assets and automate tasks to reduce content debt and improve performance.

Skills

Unreal Engine

Maya

Python

Environment optimization

Education

Animation-related degree

Job description

Technical Artist, Environment Optimization Intern [Spring 2027]

Remote/Flexible - United States

Crystal Dynamics is constantly seeking the best gaming talent worldwide to add to our 30-plus year legacy of game development creating new and iconic franchises. We are committed to making great games with great people and living the dream while doing it.

Benefits for our regular full-time positions include, but are not limited to, a competitive regional salary, 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance options, professional development reimbursement, flexible hybrid on-site/off-site work opportunities, company paid holidays, plus additional paid days in December when the studio is closed for holiday break, and the ability to accrue additional paid time-off.

Join us and help shape an amazing studio culture, where we’re building award-winning franchises like Tomb Raider and more!

Crystal Dynamics is now accepting applications for a remote spring internship, open to candidates across most U.S. states. As part of this 12-week program, you will take part in meaningful, hands-on work that contributes directly to active AAA projects. Throughout the program, you will step into a professional development environment where ongoing projects, experienced mentors, and collaborative teams give you a direct view into AAA game creation. This internship is designed to help you build industry ready skills, form strong professional relationships, and deepen your understanding of how world-class games are made!

Eligibility Criteria:

• Graduated from a college or university program in 2026 (Spring, Summer, Fall, or Winter).
• Degree in Animation, Art, Game Art, Technical Art, Game Design, Game Development, Engineering, or related fields.
• Availability to work full-time (40 hrs / week), during core business hours, for the duration of the program (February 1st - April 23rd, 2027), including the first week onsite at our studio in San Carlos, CA for onboarding.
• Legal eligibility to work in the United States.
• Submission of a complete application that includes a resume, cover letter, and a link to your portfolio or GitHub.

What You Will Gain:

• Practical Project Involvement: Contribute to active game development efforts while learning production scope, workflows, and the advanced tools used across modern AAA pipelines.
• Professional Mentorship: Receive guidance from experienced professionals with deep industry knowledge.
• Skill Development: Expand your skill set, establishing a solid foundation for your professional journey.
• Team Collaboration: Work alongside our dedicated onsite and remote teams including fellow interns, building valuable professional relationships within the gaming industry.

What You Will Do:

• Acquire essential skills using industry-standard tools, software and scripting languages such as Unreal Engine, Maya and Python, with an emphasis on environment-focused workflows.
• Participate in the technical art tools and pipeline workflow on a small, mentored project, moving from proposal and prototype through technical design documentation, implementation, iteration, and polish for environment content.
• Support mid, senior, and lead technical artists by building and refining tools or scripts, troubleshooting pipelines and DCC to engine integration issues, supporting environment optimization workflows, reducing content debt through automation, and documenting fixes clearly.
• Enhance your understanding of advanced game development technology, with a focus on Unreal Engine, environment optimization, and efficient asset performance.

What Makes You Stand Out:

• Portfolio demonstrating foundational tech art skills, including one or more of the following:
  • Environment art examples, modular asset workflows, set dressing support, and/or environment optimization work.
  • Maya or Unreal scripts, tools, or workflows that improve environment performance and production efficiency.
• Industry involvement outside classroom curriculum such as game jams, personal projects and/or contributions to group projects that show going above and beyond.
• Exposure to industry-standard development software tools and engines.
• Willingness to tackle challenges, learn from feedback, and adapt to new tools or workflows.
• Ability to communicate your ideas with eagerness to learn and put feedback into action.

Compensation & Benefits:

Compensation for this internship is $21-24/hr. Compensation is location-based and will be aligned to the intern’s confirmed work location during the program. Interns are also eligible for a medical, dental, and vision benefits package.

Check out our Crystal Dynamics Internship FAQ page for additional questions.

Thank you for your interest in an internship at Crystal Dynamics. We can't wait to see what you bring to our world of game development!

Internship Pay Rate (United States)

$21 - $24 USD

Not sure if you are qualified? We hope that you will still choose to apply so we may review your application!

Please be advised that our company is aware of scammers impersonating us, and we assure you that all legitimate communication will come from the official Crystal Dynamics email address domain "@crystald.com" or will be an automated response from our applicant tracking system using "[e-mail]".If you have any concerns about the validity of a message from our staff, feel free to contact us .

Crystal Dynamics is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to identifying and implementing positive and persistent measures to ensure equal opportunity in the recruitment, hiring, development, training, promotion and compensation of a diverse team employee group. This includes persons of different race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender identity or gender expression, pregnancy, breastfeeding or medical conditions related to breastfeeding, genetic characteristic, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, medical condition, political affiliation, age, veteran status, uniform service member status, marital status, physical or mental disability, or citizenship, as well as any other classifications protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.Crystal Dynamics is committed to providing reasonable accommodations in accordance with applicable laws. If you require any accommodations, please notify us at your earliest convenience during the interview process.

By submitting an application, you acknowledge that you have read and understand Crystal Dynamics's Privacy Notice.

Crystal Dynamics is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to a program of diversity for our employees. To help Crystal Dynamics monitor its compliance, statistical analysis and measuring our advertising and recruitment efforts, we ask candidates to respond to the self-identification survey below.

Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. A decision to provide or not provide such information will have no effect on the company's employment decision. Your responses will be used (in aggregate only) to help us identify areas of improvement in our process. Your responses will not be associated with your specific application and will not in any way be used in employment decisions.