Senior Technical Artist - Shading and Rendering

Placements24; Sandton; Hybrid; ZAR 800,000 - 1,400,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Health and retirement benefits

Learning & development

High-profile projects

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Technical Artist specializing in shading and rendering to join a prestigious studio in Sandton, Gauteng. You will bridge art and technology, developing cutting-edge shaders, optimizing pipelines, and ensuring high visual fidelity across projects.

You will collaborate with artists and engineers to create materials, integrate rendering features, and guide the team on best practices in a hybrid work setup.

Qualifications

• Portfolio demonstrating shading and rendering expertise.
• Experience with one or more engines (Unreal, Unity, Arnold, V-Ray).
• Proficiency in shader languages (HLSL/GLSL) and node-based editors.
• Strong knowledge of PBR workflows and physically accurate materials.
• Experience with Substance tools and Photoshop.
• Scripting in Python or C# for tools.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement advanced shaders and materials for real-time and offline rendering pipelines.
• Optimize rendering performance and memory usage across platforms and engines.
• Create and maintain a library of high-quality PBR materials, textures, and tools.
• Collaborate with art and engineering teams to define and implement visual targets and pipelines.
• Troubleshoot and resolve technical issues related to shading, rendering, and material setup.
• Develop and maintain tools and scripts to improve the efficiency of the art pipeline.
• Stay current with rendering technologies, shader programming, and best practices.
• Provide technical guidance and support to artists regarding material creation and rendering practices.
• Work closely with engineers to integrate and optimize rendering features.
• Document technical processes, shaders, and tools for the team.

Skills

Shading and Rendering

Problem-solving

Team collaboration

Communication

Tools

Unreal Engine

Unity

Arnold

V-Ray

HLSL

GLSL

Substance Designer

Substance Painter

Photoshop

Python

C#

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a prestigious studio celebrated for its visually stunning visual effects and game development, is seeking a highly skilled Senior Technical Artist specializing in Shading and Rendering to join their team in Sandton, Gauteng . This role is crucial for bridging the gap between art and technology, developing cutting-edge shaders, optimizing rendering pipelines, and ensuring the highest visual fidelity across projects. You will collaborate closely with artists and engineers to create and implement visually impressive materials and lighting solutions. This hybrid position allows for flexibility, combining productive in-studio collaboration with focused remote work. If you possess a deep understanding of rendering techniques, material creation, and pipeline optimization, this is an exceptional opportunity to shape the visual quality of groundbreaking projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement advanced shaders and materials for real-time and offline rendering pipelines.
• Optimize rendering performance and memory usage across various platforms and engines.
• Create and maintain a library of high-quality PBR materials, textures, and tools.
• Collaborate with art and engineering teams to define and implement visual targets and pipelines.
• Troubleshoot and resolve technical issues related to shading, rendering, and material setup.
• Develop and maintain tools and scripts to improve the efficiency of the art pipeline.
• Stay current with the latest advancements in rendering technologies, shader programming, and industry best practices.
• Provide technical guidance and support to artists regarding material creation and rendering best practices.
• Work closely with engineers to integrate and optimize rendering features.
• Document technical processes, shaders, and tools for the team.

Requirements

• Proven experience as a Technical Artist with a strong focus on shading and rendering, demonstrated through a compelling portfolio.
• Expertise in one or more industry-standard rendering engines (e.g., Unreal Engine, Unity, Arnold, V-Ray).
• Proficiency in shader authoring languages (e.g., HLSL, GLSL) and node-based material editors.
• Strong understanding of PBR workflows and physically accurate material properties.
• Experience with texture creation tools (e.g., Substance Designer/Painter, Photoshop).
• Proficiency in scripting languages such as Python or C# for tool development.
• Solid understanding of 3D art fundamentals and pipeline workflows.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with experience in a hybrid work environment.
• Based in or willing to relocate to the vicinity of Sandton, Gauteng for hybrid work requirements.

Benefits

• Full-time position with a competitive salary package.
• Hybrid work model providing flexibility.
• Opportunity to work on visually demanding and high-profile projects.
• Comprehensive health and retirement benefits.
• Continuous learning and professional development opportunities.
• A dynamic and forward-thinking work environment.