Lead Lighting Artist

Placements24; Paarl; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Benefits package

Professional development

Paarl wine region

Job summary

Placements24 seeks an experienced Lead Lighting Artist in Paarl to guide a team of lighting artists and shape the mood and storytelling through lighting across environments and characters.

You will collaborate with art directors and technical artists to craft visually compelling scenes, optimize performance for real-time rendering, and develop lighting style guides while staying current with industry advances.

Qualifications

• 6+ years in game lighting or related fields (film/animation)
• Strong portfolio in lighting, mood, color theory, composition
• Proficient in industry-standard 3D software and game engines (Maya, 3ds Max, Unreal, Unity)
• Deep understanding of PBR workflows and real-time lighting
• Excellent artistic judgment and problem-solving skills
• Strong leadership and communication abilities to guide creative teams

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of lighting artists, setting artistic direction and quality standards.
• Develop visually pleasing and technically sound lighting for environments and characters.
• Collaborate with art director and other tech artists to achieve the desired mood and narrative intent.
• Optimize lighting performance to meet project requirements and maintain frame rates.
• Create and maintain lighting style guides and documentation.
• Stay updated on advancements in lighting technology and techniques.

Skills

Leadership

Lighting direction

Mood and color theory

Composition

Portfolio

Team mentorship

Maya

3ds Max

Unreal Engine

Unity

PBR workflows

Real-time lighting

Problem-solving

Communication

Tools

Maya

3ds Max

Unreal Engine

Unity

Job description

About the Role

Our client is looking for an experienced and artistically driven Lead Lighting Artist to join their acclaimed studio in Paarl . This role is fundamental in shaping the mood, atmosphere, and visual storytelling of our projects through masterful use of light and shadow. You will guide a team of lighting artists, establish lighting standards, and ensure the highest quality of environmental and character illumination across all scenes. This is a unique opportunity to elevate the visual experience of our games and work with a passionate team in a beautiful wine region setting like Paarl .

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of lighting artists, setting artistic direction and quality standards.
• Develop and implement aesthetically pleasing and technically sound lighting solutions for environments and characters.
• Collaborate closely with the art director, environment artists, and technical artists to achieve the desired visual mood and narrative intent.
• Optimize lighting performance to meet project requirements and maintain frame rates.
• Create and maintain lighting style guides and documentation.
• Stay updated on the latest advancements in lighting technology and techniques.

Requirements

• Minimum of 6 years of experience in game lighting or related fields (film, animation), with at least 2 years in a lead or supervisory capacity.
• A strong portfolio showcasing expertise in lighting, mood, color theory, and composition.
• Proficiency with industry-standard 3D software and game engines (e.g., Maya, 3ds Max, Unreal Engine, Unity).
• Deep understanding of physically based rendering (PBR) workflows and real-time lighting techniques.
• Excellent artistic judgment and problem‑solving skills.
• Strong leadership and communication abilities, with experience guiding creative teams.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.
• Opportunity to shape the visual atmosphere of critically acclaimed projects.
• Professional development opportunities and training.
• Work within a stunning vineyard region setting in Paarl .
• A supportive and collaborative team environment.