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Cg Lighting Artist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

The Mill

Technical Artist

Manhattan, NY

$139K - $166K/yr

Work with the CG Lead and Creative Director to design and build interactive experiences using ... Lighting - Be well versed in the various lighting techniques in Unreal and instruct the artists in ...

Swaybox Studios

Unreal Technical Artist

New Orleans, LA · On-site

$122K - $146K/yr

... lighting, rendering, materials, shaders, real-time compositing, and performance optimization. This person will collaborate closely with the VFX Supervisor, Unreal Supervisor, CG artists, and TD team ...

Swaybox Studios

Unreal Technical Artist

New Orleans, LA · On-site

$122K - $146K/yr

... lighting, rendering, materials, shaders, real-time compositing, and performance optimization. This person will collaborate closely with the VFX Supervisor, Unreal Supervisor, CG artists, and TD team ...

Swaybox Studios

Lead 3D Tracking Artist

New Orleans, LA · On-site

$122K - $146K/yr

... Lighting, and Compositing. * Create accurate rotomation of CG character rigs to match puppet and ... Review artist work, identify opportunities for improvement, and help troubleshoot difficult ...

Swaybox Studios

Unreal Generalist

New Orleans, LA

The Unreal Artist (Generalist) will focus on the creation and execution of CG replacements and set extensions, working across layout, texturing, material creation, look development, lighting, and ...

Swaybox Studios

Unreal Generalist

New Orleans, LA · On-site

The Unreal Artist (Generalist) will focus on the creation and execution of CG replacements and set extensions, working across layout, texturing, material creation, look development, lighting, and ...

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How much do cg lighting artist jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 8, 2026, the average hourly pay for cg lighting artist in the United States is $24.65, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $17.55 and $27.88 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a CG lighting artist?

A CG Lighting Artist is responsible for creating the lighting setup in computer-generated (CG) environments to enhance mood, depth, and realism in animated films, visual effects, or games. They work with 3D models, textures, and shaders to ensure that scenes are visually compelling and consistent with the artistic vision. Using software like Maya, Houdini, or Unreal Engine, they adjust light sources, shadows, and reflections to achieve the desired look. Their work plays a crucial role in storytelling by emphasizing emotions and guiding the viewer’s eye.

What are the typical responsibilities and workflow for a CG lighting artist in a production studio?

As a CG Lighting Artist, your primary responsibility is to create and refine lighting setups that enhance the mood, depth, and realism of digital scenes in animation or visual effects projects. You’ll work closely with other departments like modeling, texturing, and compositing to ensure the final images align with the project's artistic direction. Daily tasks often involve setting up light rigs, adjusting render settings, troubleshooting technical issues, and performing quality checks on rendered frames. Collaboration and regular feedback sessions with art directors and supervisors are common, so being adaptable and receptive to critique is important. This role offers opportunities to develop specialized expertise and advance to lead or supervisory positions with experience and demonstrated artistic vision.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the CG lighting artist position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a CG Lighting Artist, you need a solid background in 3D art, a keen understanding of lighting theory, and strong visual storytelling skills, usually supported by a degree in animation, art, or a related field. Proficiency with industry-standard software such as Autodesk Maya, Houdini, and rendering engines like Arnold or V-Ray is essential, and experience with compositing tools like Nuke is often required. Attention to detail, communication skills, and the ability to work collaboratively in creative teams are vital soft skills. These abilities ensure visually compelling results that meet creative vision and project deadlines in fast-paced production environments.

Are Cg lighting artists in demand?

Cg lighting artists are in demand within the entertainment, gaming, and visual effects industries, as companies seek skilled professionals to create realistic and compelling lighting for digital environments. Proficiency in industry-standard software like Maya, Blender, or Unreal Engine, along with a strong portfolio, can improve job prospects in this field.

How much do Cg Lighting Artists make?

Cg Lighting Artists typically earn between $50,000 and $100,000 annually, depending on experience, location, and the complexity of projects. Entry-level artists may start lower, while experienced professionals with strong skills in software like Maya or Unreal Engine can earn higher salaries.
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Cg Lighting Artist jobs near you
Infographic showing various Cg Lighting Artist job openings in the United States as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 33% Full Time, and 67% Contract. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $51,263 per year, or $24.6 per hour.

Technical Artist

Manhattan, NY

The Mill
1 - 10 employees
Learn more about The Millexternal

$139K - $166K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 28 days ago

Job description

Company Description

The Mill has been creating world-class visual effects built on creative excellence and cutting-edge technologies for over twenty-eight years. We believe in creating work that touches people emotionally, that becomes popular culture and that people love, talk about and want to share. We believe in great ideas beautifully told.

Job Description

The Mill is looking for an accomplished Technical Artist with UE4 Blueprints development skills. The ideal candidate will have a thorough understanding of art and animation pipelines in general and of the content creation pipeline and Blueprints system in Unreal. A high level of technical knowledge combined with strong creative and visual instincts is critical. The Technical Artist will assist teams of artists in tackling projects and be equipped to provide support on complicated technical issues within Unreal.

Qualifications

Role Responsibilities:

  • Work with the CG Lead and Creative Director to design and build interactive experiences using Unreal
  • Experience/Gameplay Creation - Create interaction and functionality using Unreal's Blueprints system
  • Material Creation - Design complex materials in Unreal and instruct artists on best practices for material creation
  • Lighting - Be well versed in the various lighting techniques in Unreal and instruct the artists in lighting best practices
  • Optimisation - Optimise content through profiling and enhancing performance with the help of diagnostic tools and instructing the artists on modelling and texturing best practices
  • Collaborate with other developers to develop and test new features, prototype shader code, and provide useful feedback during R&D phases

Technical Requirements:

  • Extensive experience working with Unreal Engine
  • Advanced experience of Unreal's Blueprints system
  • Advanced experience with Maya (3dsMax considered)
  • Comfortable in a range of content creation software including Photoshop, Zbrush/Mudbox, Allegorithmic Substance Designer/Painter

Beneficial Additional Skills (not essential to the role but would help differentiate candidates):

  • Experience with VR/AR authoring in Unreal
  • Maya Rigging experience
  • Shader programming experience
  • Scripting skills with MEL, Python, C#, Javascript and C++
Additional Information

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

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