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Graphics Programmer Jobs in Livermore, CA (NOW HIRING)

GPU Standards Developer

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

$175K - $250K/yr

Bolt Graphics is a semiconductor startup based in Sunnyvale, CA building the fastest and most ... About the role: We're looking for a highly experienced GPU Standards Developer. You will focus on ...

GPU Standards Developer

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

$175 - $250/hr

Bolt Graphics is a semiconductor startup based in Sunnyvale, CA building the fastest and most ... About the role: We're looking for a highly experienced GPU Standards Developer. You will focus on ...

Showing results 41-60

Graphics Programmer information

See Livermore, CA salary details

$129.6K

$158.4K

$183.6K

How much do graphics programmer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 5, 2026, the average yearly pay for graphics programmer in Livermore, CA is $158,353.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $146,600.00 and $170,100.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a graphics programmer?

Graphics programmers are specialized software developers who focus on creating and optimizing visual elements in video games, simulations, and other computer graphics applications. They write code to render 2D and 3D graphics, work with engines like Unity or Unreal, and utilize APIs like DirectX or OpenGL. Their responsibilities often include developing shaders, improving rendering performance, and collaborating with artists and designers to achieve visually compelling results. Graphics programmers need strong mathematical skills, especially in linear algebra and geometry, to solve complex visual problems. They play a crucial role in ensuring that digital graphics run smoothly and look realistic.

What does a graphics programmer do?

A graphics programmer creates software and applications for developing images and animation on a computer. Your duties can focus on programs for computer-aided design and rendering, animation, image manipulation, photo editing, or video game design. You use linear math and algorithms as well as computer programming languages. Your responsibilities involve writing code in languages like C++, Java, and High-Level Shading Language (HLSL). After coding, you test your programs to ensure that each article and image is accurate. If you work on video games, you coordinate with other developers and programmers on a video game design platform like Unreal Engine.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a graphics programmer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Graphics Programmer, you need a solid background in computer science, mathematics, and computer graphics, often supported by a degree in a related field. Expertise in programming languages like C++ and familiarity with graphics APIs such as DirectX, OpenGL, or Vulkan, as well as shader programming, are typically required. Strong problem-solving skills, creativity, and effective teamwork help you design and optimize complex visual systems. These skills and qualities are crucial for developing high-performance, visually appealing graphics that meet the demands of modern applications and games.

How do graphics programmers typically collaborate with artists and designers during a game development project?

Graphics Programmers work closely with artists and designers to ensure that visual assets are rendered efficiently and accurately within the game engine. They often participate in regular meetings to discuss technical constraints, optimize asset pipelines, and implement new graphical features based on creative requirements. This collaboration requires strong communication skills, as Graphics Programmers must translate artistic visions into technical solutions, troubleshoot rendering issues, and provide feedback to artists to achieve the desired visual quality while maintaining performance. Effective teamwork between these roles is essential to deliver high-quality visuals that run smoothly on target platforms.

What is the difference between Graphics Programmer vs Shader Developer?

AspectGraphics ProgrammerShader Developer
Required CredentialsBachelor's in Computer Science, Computer Graphics, or related field; knowledge of graphics APIsSimilar educational background; strong understanding of shading languages
Work EnvironmentDevelops and optimizes rendering engines, works on graphics pipelinesCreates and fine-tunes shaders for visual effects and rendering
Industry UsageUsed across game development, simulation, and visualization industriesPrimarily in game development and real-time rendering projects
Common Search/ComparisonOften compared due to overlapping skills in graphics programmingSpecialized focus on shader code and effects

While both roles require knowledge of graphics APIs and programming skills, Graphics Programmers develop the overall rendering systems and pipelines, whereas Shader Developers focus specifically on writing and optimizing shaders for visual effects. The roles often overlap but differ in scope and specialization within the graphics development process.

What job categories do people searching Graphics Programmer jobs in Livermore, CA look for?

The top searched job categories for Graphics Programmer jobs in Livermore, CA are:

What cities near Livermore, CA are hiring for Graphics Programmer jobs?

Cities near Livermore, CA with the most Graphics Programmer job openings:

Infographic showing various Graphics Programmer job openings in Livermore, CA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 2% Internship, 76% Full Time, 18% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 77% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 19% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $158,353 per year, or $76.1 per hour.

Senior Systems Engineer, Neural Graphics

3M HEALTHCARE

Santa Clara, CA • On-site

$163K - $201K/yr

Full-time

This job post has expired 1 day ago. Applications are no longer accepted.


Job description

Computer graphics is undergoing its most significant transformation since the invention of the GPU. AI and traditional rendering are converging, opening unprecedented possibilities for real‐time visual experiences. At NVIDIA, our Neural Graphics team is where groundbreaking techniques meet production systems used by millions of developers and creators worldwide.

Through technologies like AlpaDreams — our neural world simulation system delivering neural‐reconstruction‐level fidelity in open worlds — we're solving the hardest integration and performance challenges at the frontier of AI and graphics. This is systems work — understanding the full problem, making sharp design trade‐offs, and building something that holds together end‐to‐end under real‐world constraints. We're looking for an outstanding engineer to be a driving force in this evolution.

You'll bring deep expertise in graphics and AI to our production team, taking novel techniques and driving them through the hard last‐mile engineering required to ship real products. You see research and engineering as the same work at different altitudes — and you're motivated by the systems optimization, integration challenges, and steadfast iteration that turn a promising idea into something millions of people use. If that sounds like you, this is an outstanding opportunity to shape the future of visual computing.

What You'll Be Doing:

Take innovative world simulation techniques — like AlpaDreams — and drive them into production‐ready, real‐time pipelines integrated with downstream stacks Own the end‐to‐end path from prototype to shipping product — performance optimization, system integration, quality bar Solve the hard systems challenges — latency, memory, throughput — that stand between a research demo and a product customers depend on Make principled design trade‐offs across the full stack — choosing the right level of complexity, identifying where a simpler approach wins, and understanding how decisions in one stage affect the rest of the pipeline What We Need to See: Degree in Computer Science, Computer Graphics, Machine Learning, or equivalent practical experience 12+ years of experience with a sustained track record of shipping impactful products or technologies Experience taking research concepts through the full lifecycle to production‐quality systems Systems‐level thinking — you naturally reason about end‐to‐end behavior, cross‐cutting concerns, and why a design works, not just that it works Ways to Stand Out: Hands‐on work with world models, diffusion models, LLMs, neural radiance fields, differentiable rendering, or neural content generation in shipped products or production pipelines Experience building scalable systems with AI agents Non‐traditional background bringing fresh, interdisciplinary approaches (e.g., computational physics, materials science, game engine development) A track record of turning ambitious research into technology that actually works at scale You think like a systems architect — you can articulate why a design decision was made, what alternatives were considered, and what trade‐offs were accepted Salary and Equity Your base salary will be determined based on your location, experience, and the pay of employees in similar positions. The base salary range is 224,000 USD - 356,500 USD for Level 5, and 272,000 USD - 431,250 USD for Level 6. You will also be eligible for equity and benefits. NVIDIA is committed to fostering a diverse work environment and proud to be an equal opportunity employer. As we highly value diversity in our current and future employees, we do not discriminate (including in our hiring and promotion practices) on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status or any other characteristic protected by law.