Technical Artist

Summary

Companion Group is an AAA co-development gaming studio renowned for overcoming intricate challenges in multiplayer game development. They are seeking a Technical Artist specialising in Materials to develop stylised materials and enhance the studio's material pipelines for their upcoming title.

Responsibilities

• Design, prototype, and implement stylised materials and surface shaders within Unreal Engine
• Collaborate with Concept Artists and 3D teams to translate the game’s visual identity into real-time materials
• Optimise material performance across platforms, with special consideration for console limitations
• Build and maintain a modular, scalable material system that empowers artists and reduces overhead
• Troubleshoot and debug material-related issues in the engine
• Document material systems and educate artists on best practices and performance budgeting
• Contribute to visual development and R&D efforts that push the aesthetic envelope
• Work closely with VFX, lighting, and tech art teams to create visually cohesive and performant environments

Skills

• 3+ years of experience in the game industry
• Deep expertise in Unreal Engine's material editor and shader pipeline (custom nodes, parameterisation, etc.)
• Strong understanding of PBR workflows, stylised rendering, and real-time lighting
• Familiarity with HLSL, node-based shader creation, and performance debugging tools (e.g., RenderDoc, Unreal Insights)
• Solid grasp of GPU performance and platform optimisation principles
• Familiarity with DCC tools (Maya, Blender, Houdini, Substance Painter, etc.)
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams
• Self-motivated, organised, and able to work independently
• Experience with material authoring tools like Substance Designer, Quixel, or MaterialX
• Knowledge of procedural material workflows and texturing automation
• Experience supporting stylised, hand-painted, or retro-futuristic art styles
• Familiarity with console development (Switch, PlayStation, Xbox)
• Basic understanding of scripting or blueprinting in Unreal Engine for shader logic

Qualifications

Must Haves

• 3+ years of experience in the game industry
• Deep expertise in Unreal Engine's material editor and shader pipeline (custom nodes, parameterisation, etc.)
• Strong understanding of PBR workflows, stylised rendering, and real-time lighting
• Familiarity with HLSL, node-based shader creation, and performance debugging tools (e.g., RenderDoc, Unreal Insights)
• Solid grasp of GPU performance and platform optimisation principles
• Familiarity with DCC tools (Maya, Blender, Houdini, Substance Painter, etc.)
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams
• Self-motivated, organised, and able to work independently

Nice to Haves

• Experience with material authoring tools like Substance Designer, Quixel, or MaterialX
• Knowledge of procedural material workflows and texturing automation
• Experience supporting stylised, hand-painted, or retro-futuristic art styles
• Familiarity with console development (Switch, PlayStation, Xbox)
• Basic understanding of scripting or blueprinting in Unreal Engine for shader logic

Benefits

• A clear career progression path with opportunities for growth and recognition.
• Fully remote position, offering the flexibility to work from anywhere.
• Work alongside industry veterans.
• Be part of a passionate, dynamic team working on exciting, boundary-pushing projects.