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Senior Material Artist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Joffrey Ballet

Teaching Artist

Chicago, IL · On-site

$50/hr

Our student body includes individuals from early childhood to senior adults. Teaching Artist Responsibilities Include: * Plan and provide class material relevant and appropriate for the age level and ...

Turtle Rock Studios

Lead VFX Artist

Irvine, CA

$135K - $165K/yr

The Lead VFX Artist will maintain consistency across the department providing direction and ... senior/principal role in games environments * Experience working with shaders and materials

ZAGG Inc

Sr 3D Artist / Art Director

Midvale, UT

Midvale, Utah (onsite) Sr 3D Artist / Art DirectorAbout Us At ZAGG Brands, we're at the forefront ... A strong portfolio that demonstrates exceptional taste, mastery of lighting and materials, and the ...

Certain Affinity, Inc

Advanced Technical Artist

Austin, TX · On-site

$125K - $150K/yr

As a Senior Advanced Technical Artist, you will play a hands-on role in improving the visual ... Support VFX pipeline development, simulation workflows, material systems, and content integration ...

New

Certain Affinity, Inc.

Advanced Technical Artist

Austin, TX · On-site

$125K - $150K/yr

As a Senior Advanced Technical Artist, you will play a hands-on role in improving the visual ... Support VFX pipeline development, simulation workflows, material systems, and content integration ...

New

Turtle Rock Studios

Lead VFX Artist

Irvine, CA · On-site

$135K - $165K/yr

The Lead VFX Artist will maintain consistency across the department providing direction and ... senior/principal role in games environments * Experience working with shaders and materials

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Senior Material Artist information

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$30.5K

$129.5K

$152.5K

How much do senior material artist jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 9, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior material 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 the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a senior material artist, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Senior Material Artist, you need advanced skills in digital texturing, shading, and material creation, typically supported by experience in 3D art and a strong portfolio. Mastery of tools like Substance Painter, Substance Designer, Photoshop, and familiarity with game engines such as Unreal Engine or Unity is essential. Strong attention to detail, creativity, and the ability to collaborate effectively with other artists and developers are standout soft skills. These abilities ensure the creation of realistic, high-quality materials that enhance visual storytelling and meet production standards in games and digital media.

What is a senior material artist?

Senior Material Artists are experienced digital artists who specialize in creating high-quality textures and materials for 3D models used in video games, films, and other visual media. They work closely with other artists and technical teams to ensure materials look realistic and meet the artistic vision of the project. Their responsibilities often include developing complex shader networks, optimizing materials for performance, and mentoring junior artists. A Senior Material Artist typically has a strong understanding of both artistic principles and technical workflows.

What is the difference between Senior Material Artist vs Texture Artist?

AspectSenior Material ArtistTexture Artist
CredentialsTypically requires a strong portfolio, experience in material creation, and proficiency in software like Substance Painter, Maya, or 3ds MaxRequires a portfolio demonstrating texturing skills, proficiency in similar software, and understanding of surface detailing
Work EnvironmentWorks in game or film studios, collaborating with lighting, modeling, and shading teamsWorks in similar environments, focusing on creating surface textures for models used in games, films, or animations
Industry UsageCommonly used in AAA game development, VFX, and animation studiosWidely used across gaming, film, and animation industries

The main difference is that a Senior Material Artist specializes in creating complex, realistic materials and shaders, often overseeing the material pipeline, while a Texture Artist focuses on creating detailed surface textures for models. Both roles require similar skills and software knowledge, but the Senior Material Artist typically has more experience and responsibilities in shader development and material optimization.

How does a senior material artist typically collaborate with other departments during a game development project?

Senior Material Artists work closely with environment artists, technical artists, and lighting teams to ensure that materials are visually consistent and optimized for game performance. They often participate in cross-functional meetings to align their work with the project's artistic vision and technical requirements. Effective communication is essential, as they may need to provide feedback, share best practices, and troubleshoot material-related issues with colleagues from different disciplines. This collaborative approach helps ensure cohesive visuals and smooth integration of assets into the game engine.
What cities are hiring for Senior Material Artist jobs? Cities with the most Senior Material Artist job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Material Artist jobs? The most popular types of Material Artist jobs are:
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Senior Material Artist jobs near you

Senior Artist (Virtual Art Department)

Magnopus

Los Angeles, CA

$80K - $130K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 6 days ago

Job description

We are launching an exciting new project within our Virtual Art Department (VAD) that will push the absolute boundaries of real-time world-building and ICVFX. We're building out a world-class team to execute this ambitious vision on a global stage, providing a rare opportunity to showcase the true power of cutting-edge virtual production technology. If you want to help define the future of collaborative and realtime filmmaking, we need your expertise to make this project truly amazing.

We are seeking a talented Senior Artist to join our Los Angeles team!

Responsibilities
  • Advocate for and promote best practices in realtime environment performance, including asset creation, materials, lighting, and related workflows specifically tailored for in-camera visual effects (ICVFX) and LED volumes
  • Serve as an integral contributor within Magnopus's Virtual Art Department development team
  • Create vast, highly detailed, photorealistic procedural landscapes and digital environments optimized for live virtual production execution
  • Exceptional problem-solving skills and the ability to think creatively
  • Partner with Production Designers and Art Directors to provide cohesive lighting solutions
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work collaboratively across teams and with key stakeholders
  • Work closely with the team to tackle complex challenges while shaping and refining best practices and workflows
  • Document tools and techniques for departmental reference
  • Assist Lead Artist with creating schedules and timelines for projects
  • Mentoring junior artists while setting visual quality standards
  • Work with Leads and stakeholders to address notes from clients or creative teams
  • Additional responsibilities as assigned by the Art Lead
Required Qualifications
  • 5+ years of experience with real-time environment art creation in Unreal
  • Demonstrated experience building and lighting virtual environments
  • Expertise in Maya for modeling and UV work
  • Excellent proficiency in Substance Painter/Designer and Photoshop
  • Proven expertise in terrain generation software such as Gaea or World Machine to create vast, expansive, and high-fidelity natural landscapes
  • Strong understanding of authoring texture and material following PBR principles
  • Passion for innovation and a steadfast commitment to leading-edge industry trends and technologies
  • Experience collaborating with multi-disciplinary teams using task-management software (JIRA, Shotgun, etc.)
Nice to Haves
  • Direct experience working on a live LED volume stage or within a dedicated Virtual Art Department (VAD) environment
  • Visual Effects experience
  • Knowledge of shaders/materials and how they work under the hood
  • Basic Scripting Knowledge (C# / Javascript / Python)
  • Background in cinematography, film lighting, or live-action production
  • Animation/Rigging Experience
  • Passion for innovation and a steadfast commitment to leading-edge industry trends, virtual art department pipelines, and AI tool workflows
$80,000 - $130,000 a year
Magnopus is an experience focused technology company founded by a team of Oscar-winning artists, designers, and engineers from games, films, and other unusual places. We're passionate about creating rich experiences that unite the physical and digital worlds.
 
Because we're building the future, we endeavor to create a diverse, creative workplace where people from many perspectives collaborate across disciplines to create amazing things together. We invest in our employee's progression with ongoing education and mentorship opportunities through their guilds, and support their happiness and productivity through generous health care, time off, and other benefits. 
 
We try to foster a safe environment where we can take risks, and learn from our failures. While we value individual talents, we favor collaboration more. We believe that the leadership of the company works for the employees, not the other way around. We feel strongly that our employees guide who we are as a company and the work we create, so we look for characteristics of curiosity, empathy, respect, honesty, and courage in every candidate.
 
Though we've delivered a lot of crazy stuff, here are a few you can check out at home:
 
Mission: ISS
Disney Pixar Coco VR
Blade Runner 2049: Memory Lab
The Lion King - Virtual Production
Elixir
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process - for example, to transcribe interviews and generate summaries. These tools are not used to review applications or analyse resumes, and they do not replace human judgement. All hiring decisions are made by people. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
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