Vulkan Programmer Jobs in North Carolina (NOW HIRING)

Job Summary:
AGBO is an artist-led independent studio shaping the future of film and television. They are seeking a Rendering Engineer to push the visual boundaries of real-time technology in interactive experiences, working alongside world-class creators to deliver cinematic visual fidelity across platforms.
Responsibilities:
• Architect and own the rendering pipeline for real-time interactive experiences, designing systems that deliver cinematic visual fidelity at performance targets across target platforms
• Research, prototype, and implement advanced rendering techniques — including global illumination, ray tracing, physically-based shading, post-processing, and VFX integration — translating cutting-edge academic and industry work into shippable features
• Collaborate closely with Art and Technical Art teams to define material workflows, lighting standards, and asset pipelines that maximize visual quality within hardware constraints
• Profile, debug, and optimize GPU and CPU rendering performance, identifying bottlenecks and driving solutions that maintain high frame rates without sacrificing visual quality
• Contribute to engine-level tooling and editor workflows, building or extending rendering tools that empower artists and designers to iterate faster and with greater creative freedom
• Partner with cross-functional leads in engineering, production, and creative to scope rendering features, communicate technical tradeoffs, and align on priorities across the project lifecycle
• Stay ahead of the curve by evaluating emerging APIs, hardware capabilities (e.g., DirectX 12 Ultimate, Vulkan, Metal), and platform-specific rendering features, advocating for their adoption where they serve project goals
• Perform all other duties as assigned
Qualifications:
Required:
• 5-8 years of professional experience in real-time rendering engineering within games, interactive entertainment, or a related field, with a strong portfolio of shipped titles or interactive experiences
• Deep expertise in graphics APIs (Vulkan, DirectX 12, Metal, or OpenGL) and a solid command of at least one major real-time engine such as Unreal Engine 5, including experience working at the engine/renderer level
• Proficiency in C++ and shader languages (HLSL, GLSL, or WGSL), with demonstrated ability to write high-performance, maintainable, production-grade rendering code
• Proven experience with advanced rendering techniques — physically-based rendering, deferred rendering, temporal anti-aliasing, screen-space effects, and/or ray tracing — and the ability to architect these systems from the ground up
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with a track record of working effectively in multidisciplinary teams and translating complex technical concepts for non-engineering stakeholders in a fast-moving, creative production environment
• Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S.
Company:
AGBO creates intellectual property universes spanning film, TV, audio, and interactive experiences. Founded in 2017, the company is headquartered in Los Angeles, USA, with a team of 11-50 employees. The company is currently Early Stage.