Lead Lighting Artist

Skydance Media • Austin, TX

49d • $145,000 - $160,000

About The Position

Skydance Games is seeking an experienced Lead Lighting Artist who is passionate about the cinematic and technical craft of lighting. The ideal candidate combines a strong artistic eye with deep technical expertise in Unreal Engine's lighting toolset-covering both baked and fully dynamic lighting workflows. As Lead Lighting Artist, you will work closely with the Art Director and Concept Team to bring stylized worlds to life through mood, tone, and atmosphere. You'll be responsible for defining the lighting vision, ensuring visual consistency across environments, and maintaining performance optimization across all platforms.

Requirements

• 5 + years of proven experience as a Lead or Senior Lighting Artist on multiple shipped titles.
• Expert knowledge of Unreal Engine lighting tools, including an emphasis in Lightmass.
• Strong understanding of composition, color theory, and atmosphere in real-time environments.
• Experience working with physically based rendering (PBR) and stylized art pipelines.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills, with the ability to guide and inspire a team.
• Strong problem-solving and optimization skills, with a focus on performance across multiple platforms.

Responsibilities

• Drive the overall lighting direction for the project in collaboration with the Art Director.
• Implement both static (baked) and dynamic lighting solutions using Unreal Engine.
• Translate stylized concept art into compelling, production-ready lighting.
• Manage, mentor, and provide feedback to other lighting artists to maintain consistency and quality.
• Collaborate with environment, materials, and VFX teams to achieve cohesive visual storytelling.
• Balance artistic goals with technical performance and optimization requirements.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Industry: Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries
• Education Level: No Education Listed