Unreal Technical Artist

Swaybox Studios•New Orleans, LA

7d•Onsite

About The Position

Swaybox Studios is seeking an Unreal Technical Artist to join their dynamic VFX team. This role acts as a liaison between the artistic and technical aspects of production, ensuring Unreal Engine workflows support the visual quality, performance, and efficiency needed for high-end cinematic work. The position requires strong technical expertise, artistic sensibility, problem-solving abilities, and a collaborative approach. The Unreal Technical Artist will work directly within Unreal Engine to support content integration, lighting, rendering, materials, shaders, real-time compositing, and performance optimization. They will collaborate with the VFX Supervisor, Unreal Supervisor, CG artists, and the TD team to resolve technical and creative challenges while preserving the film's unique visual aesthetic. This role is also crucial in developing and refining Unreal workflows, troubleshooting production issues, and enabling artists to work effectively within the engine. It's an ideal opportunity for a Technical Artist passionate about merging artistry and technology to advance cinematic quality and hybrid visual storytelling.

Requirements

5+ years of experience as a Technical Artist or in a comparable technical art role within high-end live action VFX, animation, Virtual Production, or cinematic production.
Strong proficiency in Unreal Engine, including Blueprints, lighting, rendering, materials, shaders, content integration, and real-time compositing.
Strong proficiency with industry-standard DCC applications such as Maya, Rhino 3D, Blender, Substance, Mari, and Photoshop, with a solid understanding of 3D asset workflows.
Proven experience working on photorealistic projects using Unreal Engine, with a strong understanding of the visual standards required for high-end cinematic work.
Strong understanding of real-time rendering and performance constraints, including experience using Unreal Engine profiling and performance analysis tools to identify and resolve bottlenecks.
Strong understanding of shader development and optimization, including experience with HLSL and/or GLSL.
Experience with color-managed pipelines, including ACES/OCIO and HDR rendering workflows.
Proficiency working within version control systems such as Perforce, Git, or similar platforms.
Ability to independently plan, design, troubleshoot, and implement solutions to a broad range of technical art challenges.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical team members and create clear technical documentation.
Experience developing artist-facing tools and workflows within Unreal Engine.
Deep understanding of visual language- texture, color, dimension, perspective, shade, motion blur, depth of field, proportion, spatial awareness, etc.
Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and the ability to adapt quickly to unique or proprietary workflows.
A collaborative mindset with a willingness to receive feedback, share knowledge, and continually explore new tools, skills, and techniques.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Virtual Production and hybrid workflows combining live action, practical elements, CG, and real-time rendered content.
Familiarity with Python and/or other scripting languages used to support DCC and Unreal production workflows.
Experience working closely with pipeline TDs or developers to design and implement production tools.
Understanding of traditional offline VFX rendering and compositing workflows and how they integrate with real-time production.
Basic knowledge of compositing in Nuke to create, evaluate, or troubleshoot slap comps and rendered output.
Familiarity with tracking software such as ShotGrid (Flow Production Tracking) and version control software such as Perforce.
Previous experience mentoring artists or helping establish technical art best practices within a production team.

Responsibilities

Work hands-on within Unreal Engine to support the creation, integration, lighting, rendering, and optimization of high-quality assets and environments for cinematic production.
Collaborate with the VFX Supervisor, Unreal Supervisor, CG artists, and TDs to develop technical solutions that support the creative and production goals of the film.
Develop and maintain Unreal Engine tools and workflows utilizing Blueprints and other engine-based systems to improve artist efficiency and production consistency.
Create and optimize shaders, materials, assets, and scenes within Unreal Engine, using profiling and performance analysis tools to identify bottlenecks and maintain visual quality while ensuring efficient render performance.
Support real-time compositing and cinematic rendering workflows, including Unreal Composure, ACES/OCIO color management, and HDR rendering.
Support the integration and optimization of assets created in industry-standard DCC applications such as Maya, Rhino3D, Blender, Substance, Mari, and Photoshop.
Troubleshoot technical art and workflow challenges, collaborating with artists and TDs to develop scalable solutions and identify opportunities for pipeline and tool improvements.
Create and maintain clear technical documentation for Unreal tools, workflows, best practices, and troubleshooting procedures.
Communicate technical issues, requirements, and solutions clearly to both technical and non-technical team members.
Research and evaluate new Unreal Engine features, tools, and techniques that may improve production efficiency or visual quality, while sharing knowledge and providing technical guidance to other artists as needed.
Excel in a fast-paced environment where priorities can shift quickly, demonstrating exceptional organization, flexibility, and the ability to maintain quality amid evolving creative and technical requirements.