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Substance Designer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Incessantrain

Texturing Artist

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA · On-site

$85 - $120/hr

Use ZBrush, Photoshop, Substance 3D Painter, and Substance Designer * Integrate and optimise textures within Unreal Engine * Develop benchmark materials using Substance Designer * Collaborate with ...

New

PlayStation Global

Senior 3D UI Artist

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

Detail Authoring in Substance - Use Substance Painter and/or Substance Designer to add surface detail, material refinement, and finishing passes to 3D assets in support of the visual target * Codex ...

Framestore

Freelance: CG - Los Angeles

Santa Monica, CA · On-site

$600 - $900/day

Maya, Houdini, Substance Designer, Substance Painter, Mari, and/or Photoshop * A working knowledge of Arnold * High level ability to produce great looking imagery across a range of styles; from photo ...

Virtual Producer

Unreal Tech Artist

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$75 - $175/hr

Comfortable with a range of content creation software including Photoshop, Adobe Substance Designer/Painter, Zbrush/Mudbox, etc. * Strong problem‑solving skills. * Strong interpersonal and ...

New

St. Joseph Center

Substance Abuse Counselor

Venice, CA · On-site

$25 - $33.50/hr

The duties and responsibilities listed are designed to provide typical examples of the work ... or substance use. * Experience and general knowledge of working with individuals who, may be ...

St. Joseph Center

Substance Abuse Counselor

Venice, CA

$25 - $33.50/hr

The duties and responsibilities listed are designed to provide typical examples of the work ... or substance use. * Experience and general knowledge of working with individuals who, may be ...

GLOM Global Inc

Substance Use Disorder Counselor

Houston, TX · On-site

$21.25 - $28.75/hr

Substance Use Services are delivered in accordance with the participant's Individual Recovery Plan (IRP) and are designed to support recovery goals, reduce substance use, and prevent any relapse ...

New

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Substance Designer information

See California salary details

$35K

$82.1K

$108.6K

How much do substance designer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 2, 2026, the average yearly pay for substance designer in California is $82,059.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $57,200.00 and $107,600.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a substance designer?

A Substance Designer is a digital artist who specializes in creating procedural textures and materials using Adobe Substance 3D Designer. They develop high-quality, customizable materials for use in game development, visual effects, and architectural visualization. Their work involves designing node-based workflows to generate textures that can be easily modified for different projects.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a substance designer?

To thrive as a Substance Designer, you need a strong background in 3D art and material creation, with proficiency in texture authoring and an understanding of PBR (Physically Based Rendering) workflows. Expertise with tools such as Adobe Substance 3D Designer, Painter, and familiarity with game engines like Unreal or Unity is highly valuable. Creativity, attention to detail, and effective communication skills are important for collaborating with art teams and delivering visually compelling materials. These skills ensure the production of high-quality, efficient assets that meet both technical and aesthetic requirements in industries like gaming, film, and visualization.

What are common challenges faced by substance designers in game development projects?

Substance Designers in game development often encounter challenges such as balancing visual quality with optimization to ensure materials perform well in real-time environments. They may also need to adapt quickly to shifting art direction and feedback from multiple stakeholders, requiring both flexibility and strong problem-solving skills. Staying updated with rapidly evolving software tools and techniques is essential to remain competitive in the industry. Collaboration with environment artists, technical artists, and developers is a regular part of the role, which makes clear communication and teamwork crucial to project success.

Is it worth learning Substance Designer?

Substance Designer is a valuable skill for roles involving procedural texturing and material creation in game development, VFX, and 3D modeling. Learning this software can enhance your ability to create complex, customizable textures and is often complemented by knowledge of other tools like Unreal Engine or Maya. It is widely used in the industry, making it a worthwhile investment for those pursuing careers in digital content creation.

What does a substance designer do?

A Substance Designer is a professional who creates procedural textures and materials using specialized software like Substance Designer. They develop realistic or stylized surface details for use in video games, films, and visual effects, often requiring skills in texturing, shading, and understanding material properties. The role involves working closely with artists and developers to ensure seamless integration into digital environments.

What are the most commonly searched types of Substance Designer jobs in California?

The most popular types of Substance Designer jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Substance Designer jobs in California?

For Substance Designer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Substance Designer jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Substance Designer jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Substance Designer jobs?

Cities in California with the most Substance Designer job openings:

Substance Designer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Substance Designer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 80% Full Time, 16% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 66% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 33% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $82,059 per year, or $39.5 per hour.

Texturing Artist

Incessantrain

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA • On-site

$85 - $120/hr

Other

Posted yesterday

New

Job description

About the Role

We're looking for a skilled Texturing Artist to create high-quality, detailed textures for characters, props, and environments. You'll work with industry-standard tools, integrate assets into Unreal Engine, and help mentor junior artists in best texturing practices.

Main Responsibilities
  • Create high-quality PBR textures for organic and hard-surface models
  • Use ZBrush, Photoshop, Substance 3D Painter, and Substance Designer
  • Integrate and optimise textures within Unreal Engine
  • Develop benchmark materials using Substance Designer
  • Collaborate with modelers, animators, and tech artists for seamless texture integration
  • Mentor junior artists on texturing techniques, workflows, and best practices
Qualifications Requirements
  • 3 to 5 years of experience in texturing for 3D models and game environments
  • Proficiency in Substance 3D Painter, Substance Designer, ZBrush, and Photoshop
  • Strong understanding of PBR workflows (color, roughness, normal, specular maps)
  • Experience integrating assets into Unreal EngineBachelor's degree or equivalent in Art, Design, 3D Texturing, or related field
Nice to Have
  • Experience with both realistic and stylised texturing styles
  • Familiarity with look development or shader work

Interested? Apply now and join our creative team!

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