ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Shader Programming Jobs (NOW HIRING)

The Mill

Technical Artist

Manhattan, NY

$139K - $166K/yr

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 ...

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 ...

Weekday AI

CUDA Engineering Expert

$80 - $100/hr

Apply CUDA, HIP, shader programming, or related kernel programming expertise to improve performance outcomes * Document optimization decisions clearly, including when specific profiler metrics are or ...

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 ...

Parallelz

Principal Graphics Engineer

Austin, TX · On-site

$138K - $171K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

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 ...

Parallelz

Principal Graphics Engineer

Austin, TX · Remote

$143K - $177K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

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 ...

Parallelz

Principal Graphics Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site +1

$164K - $203K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

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 ...

Parallelz

Principal Graphics Engineer

San Francisco, CA

$164K - $203K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

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 ...

previous pagenext page

Showing results 21-40

All JobsShader Programming Jobs

Shader Programming information

See salary details

$14K

$46K

$66K

How much do shader programming jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 17, 2026, the average yearly pay for shader programming in the United States is $45,991.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $41,500.00 and $53,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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?

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 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 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.

More about Shader Programming jobs

What cities are hiring for Shader Programming jobs?

Cities with the most Shader Programming job openings:

What states have the most Shader Programming jobs?

States with the most job openings for Shader Programming jobs include:

What job categories do people searching Shader Programming jobs look for?

The top searched job categories for Shader Programming jobs are:

Shader Programming jobs near you
Infographic showing various Shader Programming job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 5% Internship, 68% Full Time, 11% Part Time, 5% Temporary, and 11% Contract. Highlights an 79% In-person, and 21% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $45,991 per year, or $22.1 per hour.

Technical Artist

The Mill

Manhattan, NY

$139K - $166K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 5 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.

Apply