Environment Artist (Mid) job at Lighthouse Games, UK in Royal Leamington Spa

Lighthouse Games is an emerging AAA powerhouse located in the heart of the UK’s “Silicon Spa.” We are a studio defined by a world-class pedigree of talent and a singular, serious ambition: to build the next best-in-class gaming experience. At Lighthouse, we don’t just “make games”—we craft legacies. When you join us, you are joining a collaborative, hybrid ecosystem where you are encouraged to produce the best work of your career while learning from industry veterans and the “future greats” of game development.

Lighthouse Games is currently seeking a highly skilled Environment Artist for a 12-month Fixed Term Contract (FTC). In this role, you will be a key architect of our game’s reality. Working alongside the Art Director and the Environment Lead, you will ensure that the worlds we build are not just visually stunning, but functionally immersive. We need an artist with an elite eye for composition and detail—someone who can take a static space and turn it into a believable, living setting for memorable player experiences.

The Role: Crafting Believability at Scale

As an Environment Artist, you are responsible for the “stage” upon which our gameplay unfolds. Your work spans from the grandest landscapes to the smallest, most storytelling-rich props.

• 3D Asset Creation & World Building
  • You will be responsible for the end-to-end production of environmental assets that define the game’s aesthetic.
  • High-Fidelity Modeling: Creating complex 3D models of buildings, terrain, vegetation, and props using industry-standard tools like Maya, 3DS Max, or Blender.
  • Expert Surfacing: Utilizing Substance Painter and Photoshop to create textures and materials that reflect the physical properties of the world—from the weathered stone of an ancient ruin to the high-tech sheen of a futuristic interior.
  • Composition & Layout: Applying a strong understanding of shape, form, and silhouette to ensure environments guide the player’s eye and support the game’s narrative.
• Technical Integration & Optimization
  • A beautiful world is only successful if it runs flawlessly. You will act as a bridge between the creative vision and technical performance.
  • Performance Optimization: Working closely with Technical Artists and the Engineering team to ensure that high-poly models are baked down into efficient, optimized assets that maintain visual integrity while respecting frame-rate constraints.
  • Departmental Collaboration: Partnering with Level Designers to ensure that environment art supports gameplay flow and with the Lighting Team to ensure surfaces react correctly to dynamic light sources.
  • Pipeline Refinement: Assisting in the implementation of new techniques and tools to improve the efficiency of the environment art pipeline, helping the studio stay at the cutting edge of AAA development.

Lighthouse Games is built on a “people-first” philosophy. Even as a contract member of the team, you play a vital role in our ecosystem.

• Team Support: Support and mentor fellow artists within the environment team, fostering a healthy, inclusive culture where everyone can excel.
• Active Feedback: Participate in regular critiques and reviews, providing constructive insights that elevate the quality of the entire project.
• Industry Trends: Stay current with the latest workflows (such as photogrammetry or procedural generation) and share that knowledge with the wider art department.

Required Qualifications as Environment Artist

We are looking for an artist who combines technical mastery with a passion for world-building:

• Proven Experience: A strong professional background in environment art for games. While we look at experience level, your Portfolio is the most critical factor—it must showcase recent examples of high-quality environment art.
• Technical Proficiency:
  • Modeling: Excellent command of Maya, 3DS Max, or Blender.
  • Texturing: Advanced skills in Substance Painter and Photoshop (PBR workflows).
  • Optimization: A deep understanding of how to produce optimized 3D assets for high-performance games.
• Artistic Foundation: A strong grasp of traditional art principles, including lighting, color theory, and environmental storytelling.
• Soft Skills: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills. You must thrive in a team-based environment and be comfortable with the “give and take” of creative feedback.

Desired Attributes

• Unreal Engine Mastery: Previous experience working within Unreal Engine is highly desirable.
• Open-World Pedigree: Experience building large-scale, open-world environments.
• Specialized Modeling: Proficiency in hard-surface modeling or organic foliage creation.

At Lighthouse Games, we believe that the best work is done when artists feel supported, healthy, and rewarded. Our benefits package is designed to be best-in-class:

• Time to Recharge
  • Annual Leave: 25 days of holiday, plus an additional day off to celebrate your birthday.
  • Winter Break: A full studio shutdown between Christmas and New Year, ensuring everyone can disconnect and spend time with loved ones.
• Health & Personal Well-Being
  • Holistic Healthcare: Private Healthcare coverage, including dedicated Dental and Optical treatments.
  • Mental Health: Access to comprehensive mental health support resources.
  • Lifestyle Benefits: A range of health and well-being perks to support your physical and mental fitness.
  • Bonus Scheme: Access to a discretionary bonus scheme that recognizes individual and studio-wide success.
  • Pension: A private pension scheme to help you plan for the long term.

Life in Royal Leamington Spa

Lighthouse Games is located in one of the world’s premier game development hubs. Known as Silicon Spa, Royal Leamington Spa offers a unique blend of lifestyle and career opportunities.

• The Hub: Join a community of thousands of developers. The networking opportunities and creative energy in this town are world-renowned.
• The Location: Enjoy beautiful Regency parks, a thriving independent restaurant scene, and excellent transport links to Birmingham and London.
• Hybrid Working: We offer a balanced hybrid model, allowing you to enjoy the social and creative benefits of the studio while maintaining the flexibility of home working.

The Application Process

Lighthouse Games is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a diverse team and an inclusive environment for all. Note: This is a 12-month Fixed Term Contract. We treat our contractors as full members of the Lighthouse family, with access to our culture, mentorship, and high-end pipelines.