Senior Lighting Artist

Placements24; Upington; Hybrid; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Remote work

Health insurance

Career growth

Creative studio culture

Generous PTO

Retirement plan access

Cutting-edge tools

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Lighting Artist to join a fully remote studio renowned for visually stunning digital experiences. You will set up, adjust, and optimize lighting for 3D scenes, shaping mood and visual fidelity from your home.

Collaborate with art directors and technical artists, optimize for real-time rendering, and mentor junior team members. The role offers flexible remote work and access to cutting-edge tools from Upington.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience as a Lighting Artist in game development, VFX, or animation.
• Proficiency with Maya, Blender, 3ds Max, Unreal Engine or Unity, and V-Ray/Arnold.
• Strong understanding of cinematography, color theory, light properties and composition.
• Experience with physically based rendering (PBR) workflows.

Responsibilities

• Design and refine lighting for 3D scenes to set mood and visual impact.
• Collaborate with art directors and technical artists to meet aesthetic goals.
• Optimize lighting for real-time performance across platforms.
• Troubleshoot lighting issues to ensure consistency and quality.
• Stay updated on rendering tech and lighting techniques.
• Provide lighting documentation and best practices within the team.
• Mentor junior lighting artists and review work.
• Ensure lighting integrates with shaders, post-processing and animations.

Skills

Lighting Artist

3D Software

Rendering Engines

PBR Workflows

Color Theory

Remote Collaboration

Tools

Maya

Blender

3ds Max

Unreal Engine

Unity

V-Ray

Arnold

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a highly respected studio renowned for its visually stunning digital experiences, is seeking a talented Senior Lighting Artist to join their remote team. This role is critical in shaping the mood, atmosphere, and visual fidelity of our projects by expertly applying lighting techniques. You will be responsible for setting up, adjusting, and optimizing lighting for 3D scenes, ensuring they meet the artistic vision and technical requirements. We are looking for an artist with a strong understanding of light behavior, color theory, and composition, coupled with proficiency in industry-standard rendering engines and software. As a fully remote position, this opportunity offers the flexibility to work from anywhere, supported by robust digital collaboration tools and a team dedicated to pushing the boundaries of visual artistry. Contribute your expertise to creating captivating visual worlds from your home environment, working with a leading studio known for its innovative output in **Upington**.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and refine lighting for 3D scenes to create desired moods, atmospheres, and visual impact.
• Collaborate closely with art directors, environment artists, and technical artists to achieve the project's aesthetic goals.
• Optimize lighting setups for real-time performance and efficient rendering across various platforms.
• Troubleshoot and resolve lighting-related issues, ensuring visual consistency and quality.
• Stay current with advancements in rendering technology, lighting techniques, and industry best practices.
• Develop and maintain lighting documentation and best practices within the team.
• Provide guidance and feedback to junior lighting artists.
• Ensure lighting integrates seamlessly with other elements such as shaders, post-processing effects, and animations.

Requirements

• A minimum of 6 years of experience as a Lighting Artist in game development, VFX, or animation, with a significant portion in a senior role.
• Proficiency with industry-standard 3D software and rendering engines (e.g., Maya, Blender, 3ds Max, Unreal Engine, Unity, V-Ray, Arnold).
• Strong understanding of cinematography, color theory, light properties, and composition.
• Experience with physically based rendering (PBR) workflows.
• Ability to analyze and interpret art direction to create effective lighting solutions.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, particularly within a remote team setting.
• A portfolio demonstrating exceptional lighting work and artistic sensibility.
• Experience with scripting languages is a plus.

Benefits

• Competitive salary, commensurate with experience and artistic talent.
• Flexible remote work environment, offering work-life balance and autonomy.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance coverage.
• Opportunities for professional growth and development on diverse projects.
• A highly collaborative and creative virtual studio culture.
• Generous paid time off and holiday allowances.
• Contribution to a retirement savings plan.
• Access to cutting-edge digital tools and technologies.