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Senior Lighting Artist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

CD PROJEKT RED

Senior Lighting Artist

Boston, MA · On-site

$118K - $185K/yr

CD PROJEKT RED is looking for a Senior Lighting Artist to join our Boston hub and the team working on Cyberpunk 2, the next mainline Cyberpunk 2077 game. You will report to and work closely with our ...

CD PROJEKT RED

Senior Lighting Artist

Boston, MA · Hybrid

CD PROJEKT RED is looking for a Senior Lighting Artist to join our Boston hub and the team working on Cyberpunk 2, the next mainline Cyberpunk 2077 game. You will report to and work closely with our ...

CD PROJEKT RED

Senior Lighting Artist

Boston, MA · Hybrid

$118K - $185K/yr

CD PROJEKT RED is looking for a Senior Lighting Artist to join our Boston hub and the team working on Cyberpunk 2, the next mainline Cyberpunk 2077 game. You will report to and work closely with our ...

Scattermesh

Senior Lighting Artist

Herndon, VA · On-site

$130K - $156K/yr

Job Summary Scattermesh is expanding its team and we are looking to hire Senior 3D Lighting artists to work across client projects on a full time basis on-site in Herndon, VA. The role requires a ...

Scattermesh

Senior Lighting Artist

Herndon, VA · On-site

$130K - $156K/yr

Job Summary Scattermesh is expanding its team and we are looking to hire Senior 3D Lighting artists to work across client projects on a full time basis on-site in Herndon, VA. The role requires a ...

Swaybox Studios

Senior CG Lighting Artist

New Orleans, LA · Hybrid

$122K - $146K/yr

The Senior CG Lighting Artist will focus mainly on facial performance replacement with a handoff to the compositing team. This person will play a hands-on role in bringing our characters to life ...

Swaybox Studios

Senior CG Lighting Artist

New Orleans, LA · On-site

$122K - $146K/yr

The Senior CG Lighting Artist will focus mainly on facial performance replacement with a handoff to the compositing team. This person will play a hands-on role in bringing our characters to life ...

Eagle Brook Church

Lighting Designer

Centerville, MN · On-site +1

$25 - $28/hr

Reports to the Sr. Lighting Designer ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS * Participates as a part of Stage ... Creative Arts * Team: Production WORK ENVIRONMENT / PHYSICAL DEMANDS * Regular moving about to ...

Eagle Brook Church

Lighting Designer

Centerville, MN · On-site

$25 - $28/hr

Reports to the Sr. Lighting Designer ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS * Participates as a part of Stage ... Creative Arts * Team: Production WORK ENVIRONMENT / PHYSICAL DEMANDS * Regular moving about to ...

IMEG

Lighting Project Designer

Chicago, IL

Manage smaller to middle-size projects and collaborate with senior lighting design team members ... Education and Experience * Bachelor of Science (BS) or Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree in ...

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Senior Lighting Artist information

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$30.5K

$129.5K

$152.5K

How much do senior lighting artist jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 26, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior lighting artist in the United States is $129,541.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $127,000.00 and $152,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some typical daily responsibilities for a Senior Lighting Artist on a game or film production team?

Senior Lighting Artists are responsible for establishing and maintaining the overall mood and atmosphere through lighting setups and adjustments in digital environments. Daily tasks often include collaborating with environment artists and technical directors, troubleshooting lighting-related issues, and optimizing scenes for both aesthetics and performance. You may also review junior artists’ work, provide feedback, and help implement new techniques to improve visual quality. The role combines creative problem-solving with technical skills to ensure each scene meets the project's visual standards and storytelling goals.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Senior Lighting Artist position, and why are they important?

To excel as a Senior Lighting Artist, you need advanced expertise in lighting theory, color grading, composition, and a strong portfolio demonstrating environmental storytelling—usually supported by a degree in art, design, or a related field. Mastery of industry-standard tools such as Autodesk Maya, Unreal Engine, Unity, or other rendering and lighting software is expected, along with familiarity with physically based rendering (PBR) workflows. Strong collaboration skills, problem-solving abilities, effective communication, and mentorship aptitude help you work well with art teams and guide juniors. These skills ensure visually compelling results, streamlined workflows, and a consistent artistic vision across complex projects.

What does a Senior Lighting Artist do?

A Senior Lighting Artist is responsible for designing, implementing, and optimizing lighting in video games, films, or other digital media. They work closely with art directors and technical teams to create visually compelling environments that enhance mood, realism, and storytelling. Their role involves balancing artistic vision with technical performance, ensuring that lighting complements the overall visual style while running efficiently in real-time engines. Additionally, they may mentor junior artists, establish lighting workflows, and troubleshoot rendering or performance issues.

More about Senior Lighting Artist jobs
What cities are hiring for Senior Lighting Artist jobs? Cities with the most Senior Lighting Artist job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Lighting Artist jobs? The most popular types of Lighting Artist jobs are:
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Senior Lighting Artist jobs near you
Infographic showing various Senior Lighting Artist job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 78% Full Time, 18% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 97% Physical, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $129,541 per year, or $62.3 per hour.

Senior Lighting Artist

CD PROJEKT RED

Boston, MA • On-site

$118K - $185K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Posted 10 days ago

Job description

Company Description
To create revolutionary, story-driven RPGs which go straight to the hearts of gamers - this is our mission. As a driven team of talented professionals from all around the globe, we want to earn our place as one of the world's top video-game developers, push narrative boundaries, and build unforgettable stories that set and redefine the standards for the genre.
Job Description
CD PROJEKT RED is looking for a Senior Lighting Artist to join our Boston hub and the team working on Cyberpunk 2, the next mainline Cyberpunk 2077 game. You will report to and work closely with our Lead Lighting Artist, and the cinematic and environment teams to craft unified compositions, visual clarity and help drive action.
We are looking for someone with a proven fluency in the language of lighting and understands how important it is to the finished product.
Daily Responsibilities
  • Work both independently and collaboratively to create an optimal lighting pipeline for the project.
  • Daily work in lighting missions, open world and cinematic spaces.
  • Collaborate in the creation of color scripts as necessary.
  • Create workflows and best practices for the lighting team.
  • Keeping artistic style consistent with defined visual style for the game.
  • Work with design to develop mission and environmental flow as needed.
  • Work with leads and Production to estimate and plan work.
  • Work closely with technical artists to develop new or improved techniques.
  • Write and prepare briefs for work with outsource vendors, review work as necessary.
  • Mentor other Lighting artists, and help build an environment of creativity, trust and excellence.

Qualifications
  • 5+ years of experience as a lighter in games.
  • Ability to work independently and both drive and manage tasks to deliver results.
  • An understanding of both real-time and baked lighting.
  • Solid portfolio demonstrating expertise.
  • Strong knowledge of lighting tools and pipelines in UE5.
  • Strong knowledge of direct and indirect light, luminance and color theory.
  • Clear understanding and ability to evaluate and translate game and narrative beats into lighting scenarios.
  • Ability to clearly communicate in a cross-functional working environment, and comfortable sharing ideas and feedback in ways that support the team and project.
  • Ability to deliver and receive feedback in a productive and accountable manner.

Nice-to Have
(Please note these skills are not required to apply for the job)
  • General 3d modeling skills.
  • Experience in practical lighting for film.

Candidates should include a portfolio or website with examples of their work. Applications without a portfolio will not be considered.
Additional Information
The application window for this position will close by 09/017/2026.
This job requires working in Boston, US.
Working mode: in-office in a hybrid or full-time capacity.
Health & Well-Being
  • Company-paid medical healthcare (dental, vision, and mental).
  • Free mental health support, including access to counseling, psychiatric care, and a variety of well-being webinars.
  • Paid leave - 26 days of vacation, 10 sick days, & 12 calendar holidays per year.
  • 401k with employer matching.
  • Lifestyle Spending Account (LSA) - $100 per month to use towards fitness, wellness, internet, home office equipment, learning, streaming services, and more.
  • Menstrual leave - employees who menstruate can take one extra day off when experiencing period pain.
  • RED Parents Network - support for working parents, including childcare benefits, and family-friendly events.

Perks & Professional Growth
  • Flexible working hours.
  • Trainings, lectures, and courses - internal workshops, knowledge-sharing initiatives, online tutorials, and e-learning classes are all available.
  • A welcome pack filled with goodies - to help you feel right at home once you join the team.

Life in the Office
  • Dog-friendly office - bring your pooch with you and look after them while working! There's always a furry friend or two to meet.
  • Truly international working environment - a chance to meet and work with a diverse selection of people from all around the world.
  • No dress-code - we like to keep it casual.

This position is a backfill.
Estimated pay range for this position: $118,200 - $185,100 USD annually
At CD PROJEKT RED compensation for our roles in North America are determined based on competitive market data, geographic location, and individual factors tied to business needs. The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. Final offers are dependent on job-related factors like experience, qualifications, and location.
If you've observed any irregularities (i.e. legal or ethical violations) in our recruitment process, please click here to report them anonymously.
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