At a Glance
- Tasks: Create stunning real-time lighting for games and cinematic sequences.
- Company: Join a growing game development studio with a collaborative culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, competitive pay, bonuses, and health support.
- Other info: Be part of a creative team focused on growth and innovation.
- Why this job: Shape the visual storytelling of a high-quality game project.
- Qualifications: Experience in game lighting and strong collaboration skills required.
The predicted salary is between 45000 - 60000 £ per year.
Are you an experienced Senior Lighting Artist with expertise in real‑time lighting, cinematic environments and visual storytelling in modern game engines? This is an exciting opportunity to join a growing game development studio, working on a high‑quality title where you will shape the lighting vision across environments and cinematics. You’ll collaborate closely with art, design and engineering teams to deliver visually compelling, performance‑optimised lighting that enhances gameplay and narrative.
About the role
You will play a key role in defining and delivering lighting across a current project, working alongside creative and technical teams to ensure consistency, quality and immersion. You will contribute to both gameplay and cinematic lighting, balancing artistic direction with technical constraints, and helping evolve workflows and tools to support production efficiency.
What you’ll do:
- Create high‑quality real‑time lighting for environments, characters and cinematic sequences
- Collaborate with environment art, VFX and design teams to achieve cohesive visual storytelling
- Prototype and refine lighting setups to support gameplay readability, mood and narrative intent
- Optimise lighting systems to meet performance and platform requirements
- Act as a bridge between art and engineering to improve rendering features, shaders and pipelines
- Contribute to tooling and workflow improvements with technical and engineering teams
- Ensure lighting quality aligns with milestones and project goals
What we’re looking for:
Experience:
- Proven experience as a lighting artist in game development
- Experience delivering real‑time lighting in modern game engines
- Experience working on both gameplay environments and cinematic sequences
Skills:
- Strong understanding of lighting principles including colour, value, shading, PBR and HDR
- Ability to create visually compelling lighting that enhances player experience and storytelling
- Experience optimising for performance without compromising quality
- Strong collaboration and communication skills across disciplines
- Knowledge of image editing and colour grading tools such as Photoshop, Nuke or DaVinci Resolve
- Ability to work independently and take ownership of visual quality
Nice to have:
- Experience with advanced cinematic lighting and character presentation
- Broad artistic background including photography, cinematography or visual arts
- Experience contributing to rendering pipelines or technical workflows
Working style / behaviours:
- Highly collaborative with strong cross‑discipline communication
- Curious and proactive problem‑solver
- Detail‑oriented with a strong focus on visual quality
- Comfortable taking ownership and working independently
- Passionate about creating immersive player experiences
Why join:
- Opportunity to shape lighting on a high‑quality game project
- Collaborative, supportive studio culture with focus on autonomy and growth
- Hybrid working model with flexible work‑from‑home days
- Competitive benefits including bonus, healthcare and wellbeing support
- Studio focused on creativity, team connection and long‑term development
Senior Lighting Artist employer: Skillsearch
Join a dynamic game development studio where your expertise as a Senior Lighting Artist will directly influence the visual storytelling of a high-quality title. With a collaborative and supportive culture, you'll enjoy a hybrid working model that promotes autonomy and personal growth, alongside competitive benefits including bonuses and comprehensive healthcare. This is an exceptional opportunity to work in a creative environment that values innovation and long-term development.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Lighting Artist
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to fellow lighting artists and game developers on platforms like LinkedIn or Discord. Join relevant groups and participate in discussions to get your name out there and learn about potential job openings.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio that highlights your best lighting work, especially in real-time environments and cinematic sequences. Make sure to include breakdowns of your projects to showcase your thought process and technical prowess.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your collaboration skills. Be ready to discuss how you've worked with art, design, and engineering teams in the past. Share specific examples of how you’ve contributed to visual storytelling and performance optimisation.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! We’re always on the lookout for talented individuals like you. Keep an eye on our job listings and make sure your application stands out by tailoring it to the role and showcasing your passion for immersive player experiences.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Lighting Artist
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Experience:Make sure to highlight your proven experience as a lighting artist in game development. We want to see how you've delivered real-time lighting in modern game engines, so don’t hold back on those juicy details!
Demonstrate Collaboration Skills:Since we’re all about teamwork here at StudySmarter, emphasise your strong collaboration and communication skills. Share examples of how you’ve worked with environment art, VFX, and design teams to create cohesive visual storytelling.
Focus on Visual Quality:We love detail-oriented folks! Make sure to mention your ability to create visually compelling lighting that enhances player experience and storytelling. Show us how you balance artistic direction with technical constraints.
Apply Through Our Website:Ready to take the plunge? We encourage you to apply through our website. It’s the best way for us to get your application and see what you can bring to our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Skillsearch
✨Showcase Your Portfolio
Make sure to bring a well-curated portfolio that highlights your best lighting work. Include examples of real-time lighting in game engines, cinematic sequences, and any collaborative projects. This will give the interviewers a clear view of your skills and style.
✨Understand the Project
Do your homework on the studio and the specific project they’re working on. Familiarise yourself with their previous titles and the lighting styles they’ve used. This knowledge will help you tailor your responses and show that you’re genuinely interested in contributing to their vision.
✨Prepare for Technical Questions
Expect questions about lighting principles, optimisation techniques, and collaboration with other disciplines. Brush up on your understanding of PBR, HDR, and how to balance artistic direction with technical constraints. Being able to discuss these topics confidently will impress the interviewers.
✨Demonstrate Collaboration Skills
Since the role involves working closely with art, design, and engineering teams, be ready to share examples of how you’ve successfully collaborated in the past. Highlight your communication skills and any experiences where you acted as a bridge between different departments.
