At a Glance
- Tasks: Create stunning 3D materials and shaders for high-end furniture visuals.
- Company: Join DFS Group, a leader in home furnishings with a vibrant team culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy 23 days holiday, health plans, discounts, and professional development opportunities.
- Other info: Access to learning resources and career growth in a supportive environment.
- Why this job: Make an impact by bringing digital upholstery to life with your artistic skills.
- Qualifications: 3+ years in technical art, V-Ray expertise, and a keen eye for detail.
The predicted salary is between 34650 - 42350 £ per year.
About us
At DFS Group, we're proud to help people create spaces they love to live in. We're home to DFS, Sofology, and The Sofa Delivery Company: three brands with their own personalities, brought together by a shared mission. Behind our brands is a passionate Group team. From Finance and Technology to People, Marketing and Supply Chain, our Group functions power everything we do. They create the foundations that allow our brands to thrive, innovate and grow. Whether you're supporting our brands or serving our customers, the mindset that connects us means we expect more of ourselves and each other. It means every customer is our favourite, every voice is valued, and every interaction is one we're proud of. When you're part of a community that shares your way of thinking, the wins feel bigger. The effort feels worth it. It's a place where people stay because they feel valued, and find room to grow because they're challenged.
About the role
We are seeking a highly skilled 3D Material & Shader Specialist to take ownership of our digital fabric library, with a strict focus on V-Ray rendering and render farm scalability. In this role, you will be responsible for creating, optimizing, and managing a massive, high-end library of digital upholstery. You will bridge the gap between technical shading and digital artistry, ensuring that every digital sofa, chair, and footstool looks as tactile and luxurious on a screen as it does in our showrooms, while also rendering flawlessly across our distributed pipeline, as well as optimizing and baking those complex shader networks into lightweight, performant formats (glTF/USDZ) for web and AR.
What you'll be responsible for:
- Creating realistic PBR materials for furniture fabrics including linens, bouclés, velvets, leathers and synthetics.
- Building and refining V-Ray materials to accurately capture fabric textures and properties.
- Optimising materials for web, real-time 3D and AR platforms.
- Ensuring materials look consistent across CGI, websites and AR experiences.
- Using Substance 3D Designer to create and efficiently produce fabric variations.
- Supporting render farm workflows, troubleshooting material and texture issues.
- Working with commercial teams to colour-match digital fabrics against physical samples and maintain accuracy across platforms.
We're looking for someone who has:
- Minimum of 3 years specialised in technical art, shading, or PBR material authoring, with a portfolio centred on high-end product visualisation or VFX.
- Advanced technical proficiency in V-Ray (3ds Max or Maya).
- Comprehensive understanding of light transport, sampling math, and the ability to deconstruct and solve complex shading bottlenecks.
- Extensive experience managing complex scenes for network rendering via Backburner, with a focus on memory management and UNC pathing consistency.
- Proven experience using Adobe Substance 3D Designer and Substance 3D Painter to create and develop high-quality, realistic materials.
- Technical fluency within core DCC applications (3ds Max or Maya).
- A meticulous eye for detail, textile physics, scale, and the subtle nuances of colour and light interaction.
- Must be able to showcase photo realistic digital upholstery, demonstrating expert control over weave patterns, micro-surface qualities, and final high-fidelity V-Ray renders.
Don't let it discourage you if you don't have all of this experience, it's a guideline that will help you hit the ground running. If the role sounds like it would be a great fit for you and you're confident that it suits you, we'd love you to apply.
Room to grow
Everyone at DFS Group begins with a structured induction designed to help you understand our brands, our culture and how we work together. From day one, you will have access to our online Learning Hub, filled with digital courses, tools and resources to support your development. For leaders, we offer virtual workshops focused on building confident, capable leadership. We also run skills-based workshops to strengthen core capabilities across the business. Colleagues can also undertake nationally recognised qualifications through our apprenticeship programmes, giving you the opportunity to gain external accreditation while you grow your career with us.
Our DFS Group benefits
We believe great work deserves great support. That's why we offer benefits that help you grow, feel looked after, and enjoy life beyond work. Here's what we have to offer:
- 23 days holiday, plus the option to buy up to 5 more
- Enhanced parental leave
- Health cash plan from £2 a month, with everyday cashback
- Employee Assistance Programme for support when you need it
- Extras like flu vouchers, menopause support and health check
- Pension with company contributions
- Life assurance for peace of mind
- Sharesave scheme to save each month and invest in our future
- Structured induction from day one
- Access to our Learning Hub and skills workshops
- Leadership development and apprenticeship programmes
- 30% colleague discount, plus 15% for friends and family, three times a year
- Discounts and cashback at hundreds of retailers
- SmartTech scheme to buy tech up to £1,000 through salary sacrifice
- Cycle to Work scheme for bikes and accessories up to £1,500
- Electric vehicle lease scheme with Octopus to help you save and reduce your impact
- One paid volunteering day each year
Equal opportunities
We're proud to be an equal opportunities employer, committed to building a workplace that reflects the communities we serve and makes room for different backgrounds, perspectives and experiences. We turn that commitment into action through colleague networks, trusted partnerships and recognised accessibility initiatives such as the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower. If your experience does not quite match every part of the role, we'd still love to hear from you. If you need any adjustments or additional support during the application process, please contact our Talent Team and we will be happy to help.
3D Shader and Materials Artist in Willenhall employer: DFS Head Office
At DFS Group, we pride ourselves on fostering a vibrant and inclusive work culture where creativity thrives and every employee is valued. As a 3D Shader and Materials Artist, you'll have access to extensive professional development opportunities, including our Learning Hub and leadership workshops, all while enjoying a comprehensive benefits package that supports your well-being and work-life balance. Located in a dynamic environment, we encourage innovation and collaboration, making it an ideal place for passionate individuals to grow their careers and contribute to creating beautiful living spaces.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land 3D Shader and Materials Artist in Willenhall
✨Show Off Your Skills with a Killer Portfolio
As a graphic designer, your portfolio is your secret weapon! Make sure it's not just a collection of your work but showcases your creative process too. Use platforms like Behance or Dribbble to share your designs and gain visibility within the design community.
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Networking is key in the design world! Check out local design meetups or workshops where you can connect with other creatives and potential employers. This is a goldmine for finding unadvertised job openings at companies like DFS Head Office.
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When you’re applying for a full-time role at a creative company like DFS Head Office, don’t go for a one-size-fits-all approach. Ensure your application highlights specific projects or styles that align with their brand image, showing that you’re a perfect fit for their team.
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We think you need these skills to ace 3D Shader and Materials Artist in Willenhall
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Portfolio:Your portfolio is your visual CV! Make sure to include a link to your best design projects that showcase your creativity and versatility. Tailor it to include works that relate to the kind of design work DFS Head Office does, so they can see you in action.
Tailor Your CV for Design:When crafting your CV, highlight your design skills and software proficiencies, like Adobe Creative Suite or Sketch. Mention any relevant experience you have with branding, UI/UX design, or typography, as we want to see how you fit in with the creative team at DFS Head Office.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:In your cover letter, share your design philosophy and what excites you about working at DFS Head Office. Let us know how you approach your design projects and any specific campaigns or themes that resonate with you, showing we’re not just a good fit but a perfect match!
Highlight Collaboration Skills:As a graphic designer, you often work with various teams and stakeholders. In your application, mention experiences where you've collaborated with others to bring a project to life, whether it's with clients, writers, or developers. This shows you can thrive in a team environment, which is key at DFS Head Office.
How to prepare for a job interview at DFS Head Office
✨Get Your Portfolio Ready
Your portfolio is your secret weapon in graphic design interviews! Make sure it's showing off your best work, with a variety of styles and projects that highlight different skills — from branding to digital illustration. Be prepared to talk through each piece, focusing on your creative process and the tools you used.
✨Know Your Design Tools Inside Out
Familiarity with software like Adobe Creative Suite is a must! Brush up on your skills with Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, as interviewers might dive into specific technical questions or ask for your workflow. If you’ve worked with any innovative tools or techniques, don't hesitate to showcase that expertise!
✨Prepare for Design Challenges
Some companies may throw a design challenge your way during the interview! This might involve sketching out ideas or solving a branding issue on the spot. Practising these quick thinking exercises beforehand can help us show off our creativity and adaptability.
✨Passion Counts
For a full-time position, showing genuine enthusiasm for design is key! Talk about your inspirations, the projects you're excited about, and why you're drawn to DFS Head Office. They want to see not just a skilled designer, but someone who'll bring passion and fresh ideas to the team.
