Lead Technical Artist (Shaders & VFX)

Placements24; Mtubatuba Local Municipality; Hybrid; ZAR 700,000 - 1,100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary package

Comprehensive health and wellness

Professional growth opportunities

Flexible work environment

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Technical Artist in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal to lead the shader/VFX pipeline and drive real-time rendering excellence. You will mentor a team, define standards, and deliver optimized shaders for multiple rendering pipelines.

The role requires deep expertise in HLSL/GLSL, node-based editors, and hands-on VFX creation, with a focus on performance and art-quality balance. Join a modern studio and shape cutting-edge visuals.

Qualifications

• 8+ years as Technical Artist with lead/senior experience.
• Expert in shader languages (HLSL/GLSL) and node-based editors.
• Proven ability to lead a team and mentor artists.
• Experience with real-time rendering, PBR, and performance optimization.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor the technical art team focused on shaders and VFX.
• Develop, implement, and optimize advanced shaders for rendering pipelines.
• Create high-impact visual effects (VFX) for gameplay, environments, and cinematics.
• Establish and maintain best practices for shader and VFX asset creation and integration.
• Collaborate with art and engineering teams to balance visuals with performance budgets.
• Identify and solve complex technical art challenges related to rendering and real-time effects.
• Develop tools and workflows to improve the efficiency of the technical art team.
• Stay current with advancements in real-time rendering, shader tech, and VFX.

Skills

Shaders

VFX

Leadership

HLSL

GLSL

Unreal Engine

Unity

Shader Graph

Python

MEL

PBR

Optimization

Communication

Tools

Unreal Engine

Unity

Shader Graph

Material Editor

Job description

About the Role

Our client, an innovative game development studio known for its cutting-edge visuals, is searching for a Lead Technical Artist specializing in Shaders & VFX to join their growing team in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal. This crucial role involves leading the technical art pipeline for visual effects and shader creation, ensuring both artistic quality and performance optimization. You will be instrumental in defining standards, developing advanced shaders, creating compelling visual effects, and mentoring a team of talented technical artists. The ideal candidate possesses a deep understanding of real-time rendering, shader languages, VFX principles, and has a proven ability to solve complex technical art challenges. This is a fantastic opportunity to shape the visual identity of our ambitious projects and contribute to the evolution of real-time graphics. We are committed to artistic excellence and technical innovation.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor the technical art team focused on shaders and VFX.
• Develop, implement, and optimize advanced shaders for various rendering pipelines.
• Create high-impact visual effects (VFX) for gameplay, environments, and cinematics.
• Establish and maintain best practices for shader and VFX asset creation and integration.
• Collaborate closely with the art and engineering teams to achieve desired visual outcomes while maintaining performance budgets.
• Identify and solve complex technical art challenges related to rendering and real-time effects.
• Develop tools and workflows to improve the efficiency of the technical art team.
• Stay current with the latest advancements in real-time rendering, shader technology, and VFX.
• Conduct technical art reviews and provide constructive feedback.
• Document technical art processes and guidelines.

Requirements

• Minimum of 8 years of experience as a Technical Artist, with a strong focus on shaders and VFX.
• Proven experience in a lead or senior technical art role.
• Expertise in shader authoring languages (e.g., HLSL, GLSL) and node-based shader editors (e.g., Unreal Engine Material Editor, Unity Shader Graph).
• Proficiency in VFX creation tools and techniques, including particle systems and simulation.
• Strong understanding of real-time rendering principles, PBR workflows, and optimization techniques.
• Experience with game engines such as Unreal Engine or Unity.
• Proficiency in scripting languages (e.g., Python, MEL) for tool development.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to troubleshoot complex technical issues.
• Strong communication and leadership skills, with the ability to mentor and guide a team.
• A portfolio showcasing exceptional shader and VFX work, as well as leadership examples.

Benefits

Our client provides a competitive salary package, comprehensive health and wellness benefits, and opportunities for professional growth and development. You will be working with a talented and passionate team in a modern studio located in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, equipped with state-of-the-art hardware and software. We offer a flexible work environment, generous vacation time, and regular team events. This is an exciting chance to be a key player in shaping the visual future of our games and to work on technically challenging and artistically rewarding projects. We believe in fostering a collaborative and innovative culture where your expertise will be highly valued and rewarded.