Principal Graphics Programmer in Middlesbrough

We’re looking for a Principal Graphics Programmer to join our award-winning team in Middlesbrough (UK), home to the beautiful North Yorkshire coastline and countryside. As a Principal Graphics Programmer at Double Eleven, you’ll work alongside the Technical Director and other Principals, helping to lead the technical vision, architecture, and execution of cutting-edge rendering systems for our custom graphics engine for next-generation projects.

Double Eleven is one of the largest independent video games developers and publishers in the UK. We are incredibly proud to partner with some of the world’s leading developers and publishers, including Rockstar Games, Obsidian Entertainment, Mojang, Bethesda Game Studios, and Facepunch. We offer flexible working hours to allow you to truly enjoy work/life balance and always strive to deliver a workplace experience like no other.

On this occasion, we’re unable to sponsor a visa for this role. Remote working option is available for the right candidate.

What you’ll be doing:

• Architect and implement advanced rendering systems including real-time global illumination, ray-traced pipelines, GPU-driven rendering, and novel rendering research prototypes.
• Drive engine-level rendering strategy alongside the Technical Director and Principals, setting the technical direction for graphics features across multiple platforms.
• Oversee graphics performance, diagnosing GPU bottlenecks across the rendering pipeline and implementing optimization strategies.
• Mentor and upskill rendering engineers, promoting best practices in shader development, GPU programming, and graphics debugging.
• Collaborate with art, technical art, tools, and engine teams to design asset pipelines, material systems, lighting workflows, and performance budgets aligned with rendering goals.
• Evaluate and integrate emerging technologies (DLSS, XeSS, FSR, frame-generation, shader compilers, GPU profiling tools, Ray Traced GI and shadows).
• Lead cross-team technical reviews, ensuring rendering systems are scalable, future-proof, and maintainable.
• Represent the graphics team in discussions with internal stakeholders, external partners, hardware vendors, and engine technology providers.

What we’re looking for:

• Technical Expertise: Extensive multi-platform rendering experience, with deep understanding of transitioning techniques between console and PC APIs (e.g., PS5/XSX → DX12/Vulkan/Metal). Expert-level competence in C++ and GPU programming, including Shader Model 6, HLSL/GLSL, bindless rendering, and GPU compute pipelines.
• Strong background in diagnosing and resolving CPU/GPU bottlenecks, using PIX, RenderDoc, NVIDIA NSight, AMD Radeon GPU Profiler, GPUView, VTune, etc.
• Ability to design and explain modern rendering techniques - PBR workflows, ray tracing structures (BVH), real-time GI, SSGI/SSAO, TAA/Upsampling to engineers, artists, and non-technical stakeholders.
• Proven integration of modern graphics technologies, such as advanced upscaling (DLSS/FSR/XeSS), denoisers, RTGI, temporal reconstruction, or vendor-specific SDKs.

Collaboration & Leadership:

• Experience collaborating with content creators using common DCCs, ensuring assets meet performance and technical requirements.
• Strong mentorship skills, capable of lifting the capabilities of a rendering team and guiding architectural decisions.
• Clear communication, capable of driving technical decisions and presenting graphics strategies to directors, producers, clients, and external partners.

Qualifications: All relevant qualifications considered.

What to expect:

• Start your day any time between 8:00am and 10:00am.
• 35 working hours per week with a 1 hour lunch break (with the opportunity to flex down to 30 minutes or up to 2 hours).
• Opportunity to apply for hybrid working (up to 2 days working from home per week).
• 28 days annual leave (20 days annual leave + 8 days bank holiday).
• 1 day leave for your birthday and 1 day leave if you’re moving house.
• Up to 10 days discretionary annual leave during our end of year break.
• A brand new, state-of-the-art studio facilities that includes a market hall serving nutritious, subsidised meals, round-the-clock gym access, an auditorium and more.
• Subsidised market hall with food, freshly prepared daily by our in-house hospitality team.
• Free breakfast options, juice, hot drinks and fruit.
• Employee referral bonus (up to £2000!).
• Electric Car Scheme.
• Cycle to Work scheme.
• Free game codes, game swag and merchandise.
• Family-friendly leave available.
• Christmas Saving Scheme.
• Free parking.
• Best-in-class tools and workflows so you can focus on creativity.
• Recognising your contribution - award schemes.
• Annual Profit Share.
• Length of Service.
• Annual High Performer Award.
• Professional development and wellbeing.
• Vitality Private Healthcare, discounts and rewards for you, your spouse and children (upon the successful completion of your 6 month probationary period).
• Access to mental health and wellbeing support via Plumm (includes 4 free video therapy sessions per month for both the employee and up to 3 family members aged 18+), unlimited text therapy, courses, meditations.
• A personalised development plan with dedicated support tailored to your growth and goals.
• Access to an accredited Academy providing professional qualifications (and access to 500 UK discounts and offers via TOTUM when registered as a student).
• A dedicated Workplace Experience team responsible for work environments, workplace and quality of employee life services to help foster collaboration, creativity and innovation.
• In-studio wellbeing programmes and People team support.
• Free activities via our Bus Tours programme (where on occasion, partners and children are welcome to join you).
• Many team events to celebrate team and game milestones.
• Sponsored team activities including football, basketball, book club, movie club and more.
• Opportunity to contribute to our internal Employee Diversity and Equality Network.

If you have a general query or if you need support with your application and/or an alternative way to apply, please do not hesitate to contact our Talent team at Double Eleven.