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Unreal Lighting Artist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

2K

Lead Lighting Artist

Novato, CA · On-site

As a Lead Lighting Artist at Cloud Chamber, you will join our talented development team to help ... practical expertise with Unreal Engine 5 (specifically Lumen Lighting and Sequencer)

2K

Lead Lighting Artist

Novato, CA · On-site

As a Lead Lighting Artist at Cloud Chamber, you will join our talented development team to help ... practical expertise with Unreal Engine 5 (specifically Lumen Lighting and Sequencer)

Cloud Chamber

Lead Lighting Artist

Novato, CA · On-site

As a Lead Lighting Artist at Cloud Chamber, you will join our talented development team to help ... practical expertise with Unreal Engine 5 (specifically Lumen Lighting and Sequencer)

Cloud Chamber

Lead Lighting Artist

Novato, CA · On-site

As a Lead Lighting Artist at Cloud Chamber, you will join our talented development team to help ... practical expertise with Unreal Engine 5 (specifically Lumen Lighting and Sequencer)

Swaybox Studios

Unreal Technical Artist

New Orleans, LA

$122K - $146K/yr

The Unreal Technical Artist will work hands-on within Unreal Engine to support content integration, lighting, rendering, materials, shaders, real-time compositing, and performance optimization. This ...

Swaybox Studios

Unreal Technical Artist

New Orleans, LA · On-site

$122K - $146K/yr

The Unreal Technical Artist will work hands-on within Unreal Engine to support content integration, lighting, rendering, materials, shaders, real-time compositing, and performance optimization. This ...

The Mill

Technical Artist

Manhattan, NY

$139K - $166K/yr

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 ...

The Mill

Technical Artist

Manhattan, NY · On-site

$139K - $166K/yr

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 ...

Together Group

Senior Unreal Developer

Sarasota, FL · On-site

Our team blends cutting-edge technology with artistic craftsmanship to create immersive, real-time ... Dynamic lighting, time-of-day, and environmental effects. * UMG and in-engine tools for interaction ...

Together Group

Senior Unreal Developer

Sarasota, FL

Our team blends cutting-edge technology with artistic craftsmanship to create immersive, real-time ... Dynamic lighting, time-of-day, and environmental effects. * UMG and in-engine tools for interaction ...

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Unreal Lighting Artist information

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$30.5K

$129.5K

$152.5K

How much do unreal lighting artist jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 1, 2026, the average yearly pay for unreal 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 does an Unreal Lighting Artist do?

An Unreal Lighting Artist specializes in creating, adjusting, and optimizing lighting within Unreal Engine to achieve realistic or stylized visual effects in games, films, or virtual productions. They work closely with other artists and designers to enhance mood, atmosphere, and readability of scenes using various lighting techniques. Their responsibilities include setting up light sources, baking lighting, troubleshooting visual issues, and ensuring performance standards are met. Mastery of Unreal Engine's lighting tools and a strong understanding of color theory and real-world lighting principles are essential for this role.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Unreal Lighting Artist?

To thrive as an Unreal Lighting Artist, you need a strong understanding of lighting principles, color theory, and real-time rendering, often supported by a degree in art, design, or a related field. Proficiency with Unreal Engine, including its lighting tools (such as Lightmass and Lumen), and familiarity with 3D modeling software like Maya or Blender are typically required. Creativity, attention to detail, and effective communication help artists collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and achieve project vision. These skills are crucial for creating immersive, visually compelling environments that enhance the overall quality and realism of interactive experiences.

What are some common challenges Unreal Lighting Artists face when working on large-scale game environments?

Unreal Lighting Artists often encounter challenges such as optimizing lighting setups for performance while maintaining visual quality in expansive game worlds. Balancing dynamic and static lighting, managing lightmaps, and ensuring consistency across different levels can be complex, especially when working with a large team. Collaboration with environment artists, level designers, and technical artists is essential to troubleshoot issues and implement efficient lighting solutions. Staying up-to-date with the latest Unreal Engine features and best practices also plays a crucial role in overcoming these challenges.

What is the difference between Unreal Lighting Artist vs Environment Artist?

AspectUnreal Lighting ArtistEnvironment Artist
Primary FocusLighting setup, mood, and atmosphere in Unreal EngineCreating detailed 3D environments and assets
Skills & ToolsUnreal Engine, lighting techniques, shaders3D modeling, texturing, environment design
Work EnvironmentGame studios, VR/AR projects, real-time renderingGame studios, film, visualization projects

While Unreal Lighting Artists focus on lighting and atmosphere within Unreal Engine, Environment Artists create the detailed 3D assets and environments. Both roles often collaborate but have distinct skill sets and responsibilities in the game development pipeline.

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Unreal Lighting Artist jobs near you
Infographic showing various Unreal Lighting Artist job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 86% Full Time, 13% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 95% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $129,541 per year, or $62.3 per hour.

Lead Lighting Artist

2K

Novato, CA • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 17 days ago

Job description

As a Lead Lighting Artist at Cloud Chamber, you will join our talented development team to help shape our visual narrative and atmosphere. In this role, you'll collaborate with a passionate group of game developers to craft visually stunning, dynamic lighting that supports world-class real-time environments and cinematics-bringing the richly imagined world of BioShock to life.
What You'll Do:
As a Lead Lighting Artist, you are a primary driver of your direct reports' success. You will set clear expectations, provide coaching, and manage the health, career growth, and output of a high-performing art team while establishing best practices across lighting pipelines.
  • Lead a team of lighting artists and provide guidance, feedback, and mentorship to ensure high-quality results.
  • Establish best practices and standards within the team to drive productivity, quality, and excellence.
  • Foster a positive, proactive, and agile work environment that encourages innovation and collaboration.
  • Collaborate closely with the Art Director and other leads, to understand and uphold the visual style and direction for lighting.
  • Develop and maintain a consistent and efficient lighting pipeline and workflows, acting as the primary point of contact for issues, proactively resolving problems and addressing roadblocks.
  • Research and implement new techniques and technologies related to lighting with the goal of continuous development and improvement.
  • Collaborate with:
    • Our Core Tech Team to ensure adherence to technical specifications and optimization requirements for real-time rendering engines.
    • Production and scheduling teams to define realistic timelines and manage project priorities.
    • Other groups within the art department to achieve cohesive and visually stunning results.
  • Continuously monitor project progress with an eye for improvement and optimization, providing updates to cross-functional stakeholders, and adjusting priorities as needed.
  • Receive and apply constructive feedback as part of our iterative process effectively while maintaining a positive attitude.

What We'll Do Together:
At Cloud Chamber, we are champions of high standards, pushing for progress and embracing change. We will work closely and constructively across design, art, engineering, animation, and audio teams to realize our creative ambitions. Together, we will stay current on technological advancements and identify solutions to overcome developmental obstacles to deliver a world-class AAA experience.
Skills & Experiences:
  • 7+ years of experience in real-time lighting and final rendering, with a proven track record as an Art Lead on at least one shipped AAA title.
  • Deep understanding of Physically Based Rendering (PBR), runtime optimization, lighting for in-game cinematics, and practical expertise with Unreal Engine 5 (specifically Lumen Lighting and Sequencer).
  • Demonstrated history of successfully recruiting, developing, mentoring, and retaining top artistic talent while managing workload output and team well-being.
  • Proven experience collaborating directly with Core Tech and Production teams to establish and optimize real-time pipelines under runtime constraints.

Who You Are:
  • A reliable, positive force multiplier, actively seeking opportunities to integrate work across disciplines and contribute to a healthy, supportive team environment.
  • A solid communicator with excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex ideas clearly, package information for diverse audiences, and deliver difficult feedback with empathy and professionalism.
  • Experienced in working in cross-disciplinary teams with strong communication skills.
  • Persistent and self-motivated with a proactive mindset.
  • Able to maintain effectiveness and quality under pressure, ambiguity, and fast-changing priorities.
  • An active listener able to build and maintain trust-based relationships across all levels of the organization, understand differing perspectives, and navigate organizational complexity with tact and emotional intelligence.
  • Highly open to feedback and direction, possessing a desire to learn new skills, and capable of producing quick, quality revisions based on new insights or constraints.
  • A strong ownership of tasks, striving to drive work forward autonomously while maintaining a critical eye for detail and organization, ensuring high standards of quality.
  • Dedicated to upholding Cloud Chamber's core values, contributing to a positive and respectful company culture while striving for excellence in all endeavors.

Who We Are:
At Cloud Chamber we strive to make BioShock games that move people: evocative, immersive, and meaningful experiences that stay with you long after you've rolled credits. Great games are born from great collaborations, supported by a culture that brings out the best in our teams. We work openly, learn through play, take ownership, push ourselves to be better, and deliver for our players.
The pay range for this position in California at the start of employment is expected to be between $150,400 and $180,000 USD per Year. However, base pay offered is based on market location, and may vary further depending on individualized factors for job candidates, such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and other objective business considerations. Subject to those same considerations, the total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, including a bonus and/or equity awards and eligibility to participate in our 401(K) plan and Employee Stock Purchase Program. Regular, full-time employees are also eligible for a range of benefits at the Company, including: medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance coverage; 14 paid holidays per calendar year; paid vacation time per calendar year (ranging from 15 to 25 days) or eligibility to participate in the Company's discretionary time off program; up to 10 paid sick days per calendar year; paid parental and compassionate leave; wellbeing programs for mental health and other wellness support; family planning support through Maven; commuter benefits; and reimbursements for fitness-related expenses.
As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to ensuring that qualified individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, perform their essential job functions, and receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us if you need reasonable accommodation.
Please note that 2K Games and its studios never use instant messaging apps or personal email accounts to contact prospective employees or conduct interviews. When emailing prospective employees, we only use 2K.com accounts.

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