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Shader Programming Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Apple

Technical Artist Engineer

Culver City, CA · On-site

$139K - $166K/yr

This role operates at the intersection of real-time engines, shader programming, procedural workflows, and creative coding-crafting visuals that respond to data, motion, and user interaction. Close ...

Apple

Technical Artist Engineer

Culver City, CA

$139K - $258K/yr

This role operates at the intersection of real-time engines, shader programming, procedural workflows, and creative coding-crafting visuals that respond to data, motion, and user interaction. Close ...

NVIDIA

Neural Graphics Engineer

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

$164K - $203K/yr

... shader programming (Slang, HLSL, GLSL), or compiler development Company : NVIDIA is a computing platform company operating at the intersection of graphics, HPC, and AI. Founded in 1993, the company ...

Nvidia Corporation

Neural Graphics Engineer

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

$164K - $203K/yr

Familiarity with graphics APIs (Vulkan, OpenGL, DirectX), shader programming (Slang, HLSL, GLSL), or compiler development Your base salary will be determined based on your location, experience, and ...

NVIDIA Corporation

Neural Graphics Engineer

Santa Clara, CA

$163K - $201K/yr

Familiarity with graphics APIs (Vulkan, OpenGL, DirectX), shader programming (Slang, HLSL, GLSL), or compiler development Your base salary will be determined based on your location, experience, and ...

Nvidia

Neural Graphics Engineer

Santa Clara, CA

$164K - $203K/yr

Familiarity with graphics APIs (Vulkan, OpenGL, DirectX), shader programming (Slang, HLSL, GLSL), or compiler development Your base salary will be determined based on your location, experience, and ...

Navier AI

Full Stack Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

Knowledge of WebGL or shader programming (GLSL, WGSL) * Experience integrating ML model inference into production apps * Familiarity with containerization (Docker) and cloud deployment (AWS, GCP, or ...

Navier AI

Full Stack Engineer

San Francisco, CA

Knowledge of WebGL or shader programming (GLSL, WGSL) * Experience integrating ML model inference into production apps * Familiarity with containerization (Docker) and cloud deployment (AWS, GCP, or ...

Parallelz

Principal Graphics Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$164K - $203K/yr

OpenGL ES, WebGL, WebGPU, Vulkan, Metal, or DirectX, including shader programming, GPU memory and pipeline optimization, and frame/latency budgeting. * Track record of owning complex, multi-component ...

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All JobsShader Programming JobsShader Programming Jobs in California

Shader Programming information

What is shader programming?

Shader programming involves writing specialized code that runs on a computer's graphics processing unit (GPU) to control how images, lighting, and colors are rendered in computer graphics. Shaders are essential for creating realistic visual effects in video games, movies, and virtual reality. Programmers use languages like GLSL, HLSL, or Cg to write vertex, fragment, or compute shaders, which manipulate geometry, textures, and lighting in real time. This field requires strong mathematical and programming skills, especially in linear algebra and computer graphics concepts.

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

To thrive as a Shader Programmer, you need strong proficiency in computer graphics principles, mathematics (especially linear algebra), and experience with shading languages like GLSL or HLSL, often supported by a degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with graphics APIs (such as OpenGL or DirectX), real-time rendering engines, and version control systems is typically required. Creative problem-solving, attention to detail, and effective collaboration with artists and developers are standout soft skills in this role. These competencies are vital to create visually stunning and efficient visual effects that enhance real-time applications and games.

What is the difference between Shader Programming vs Graphics Programmer?

AspectShader ProgrammingGraphics Programmer
Required credentialsKnowledge of GLSL/HLSL, graphics APIsKnowledge of graphics APIs, C++, shader languages
Work environmentFocus on writing shaders for rendering pipelinesDeveloping graphics engines, rendering techniques
Industry usageUsed in game development, real-time renderingUsed in game studios, visual effects, simulation
Common search intentUnderstanding shader coding differencesUnderstanding graphics pipeline development

Shader Programming primarily involves writing small programs that run on the GPU to control rendering effects, while Graphics Programming encompasses broader development of rendering engines and graphics systems. Both roles require knowledge of graphics APIs and shader languages, but Shader Programmers focus more on creating visual effects at the shader level, whereas Graphics Programmers develop the overall graphics architecture.

What are some common challenges shader programmers face when optimizing graphics performance?

Shader programmers often encounter challenges related to balancing visual quality with real-time performance. Optimizing shaders requires a strong understanding of hardware limitations, such as processing power and memory bandwidth, as well as efficient use of GPU resources. Debugging and profiling shader code can be complex, especially when dealing with platform-specific differences. Collaboration with artists and other developers is essential to ensure that the visuals meet creative goals without exceeding performance budgets.
What are popular job titles related to Shader Programming jobs in California? For Shader Programming jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Shader Programming jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Shader Programming jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Shader Programming jobs? Cities in California with the most Shader Programming job openings:
Shader Programming jobs near you
Infographic showing various Shader Programming job openings in California as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 99% Full Time, and 1% Temporary. Highlights an 89% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution.
Technical Artist Engineer

Technical Artist Engineer

Apple

Culver City, CA • On-site

$139K - $166K/yr

Full-time

Posted 11 days ago

Apple rating

8.1

Company rating: 8.1 out of 10

Based on 661 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

6th of 30 rated technology retailers

Job description

The people here at Apple don't just create products - they create the kind of wonder that's revolutionized entire industries. It's the diversity of those people and their ideas that inspires the innovation that runs through everything we do, from amazing technology to industry-leading environmental efforts. Join Apple, as a Technical Artist Engineer, and help us leave the world better than we found it.
Apple's Product & Design team is seeking a Technical Artist Engineer with a strong procedural and parametric mindset, a sharp aesthetic sensibility, and a passion for building dynamic, evolving visual systems. Responsibilities include developing generative visual systems and creative code solutions using tools such as Metal, GLSL, Processing, p5.js, and Three.js; writing, optimizing, and maintaining shaders (e.g., Metal, GLSL); and prototyping interactive graphics driven by parameters and data inputs. This role operates at the intersection of real-time engines, shader programming, procedural workflows, and creative coding-crafting visuals that respond to data, motion, and user interaction. Close collaboration with Designers, Developers, and technically-oriented Artists is essential to integrate visual systems into real-time applications. Additional duties involve researching and proposing new graphical techniques, adaptive rendering styles, and data-driven effects.
Strong understanding of shader programming (shader performance optimization and platform constraints) and real-time rendering pipelines (e.g., Metal, HLSL, GLSL, shader graphs)Experience with Metal Framework and writing Metal Shaders for visual effects, custom filters, and real-time 3D graphicsProficient in generative and creative coding: Metal, Processing, p5.js, Three.js, WebGL/GLSL- able to turn data into compelling visualsPassionate and curious about pushing graphical boundaries and experimenting with new visual languages and AI generative toolsKnowledge of GPU-driven visuals, custom rendering pipelines, or novel graphical techniquesExcellent eye for visual design, motion, and spatial aesthetics
3D and Animation experience a plus (Houdini, C4D, Blender, Redshift, After Effects, Nuke, etc.)Experience with Swift and SwiftUIA sharp eye for UI and interaction design with a strong sense of motion, detail, and timing

What Apple employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom

Apple logo

About Apple

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Imagine what you could do here! At Apple, new ideas have a way of becoming extraordinary products, services, and customer experiences very quickly. Bring passion and dedication to your job and there's no telling what you could accomplish. Dynamic, intelligent people and inspiring, innovative technologies are the norm here. The people who work here have reinvented entire industries with all Apple Hardware products. The same real passion for innovation that goes into our products also applies to our practices strengthening our dedication to leave the world better than we found it.

Industry

Computer and electronic product manufacturing

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Cupertino, CA, US

Year founded

1976

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