Technical Artist

About the Hiring TeamWelcome to Lightspeed LA, the first U.S.-based, AAA game development studio for Tencent Games. Lightspeed LA is focused on building open-world games that emphasize an ambitious living world, sophisticated player-driven gameplay, and mature, thoughtful storytelling. We are developing the first in a series of genre-defining titles.
Why join Lightspeed LA?
For us, it's not only about the exciting, new AAA open world game we're developing but also about team values and studio culture. We foster an open and transparent environment where everyone feels comfortable providing constructive feedback about all aspects of our games.
● We encourage the showing of work that's still in progress.
● We don't attack or question unfinished work, we celebrate its promise.
● We have a No Blame Culture where we blame the problem, not the person.
This is a safe place to fail, and we don't view failure as a negative, but as the natural result of pushing boundaries and trying new things. We create together. We face Challenges Together. We succeed together.What the Role Entails

• Spearhead and implement technical solutions for the art team, setting high standards and mentoring junior Technical Artists.
• Collaborate with different teams to facilitate the technical implementation and management of in-house and outsourced assets.
• Drive the development of state-of-the-art visuals that complement and enhance the game design.
• Prototype and author graphics features requiring high technical expertise.
• Develop novel content creation techniques and workflows to enhance efficiency and quality.
• Work closely with the Art, Engineering, and Production departments to meet all dependencies and requirements.
• Support the Art team in debugging tools and game-related issues.
• Optimize the game’s run-time performance and memory consumption.

Who We Look For

• Extensive knowledge of the content creation pipeline, including modeling, UV mapping, texturing, shading, lighting, FX, rigging, and animation.
• Demonstrable experience with modern game content creation workflows.
• Proven experience as a Technical Artist on shipped AAA titles.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work independently.
• Solid background in digital art (modeling, shading, lighting, VFX).
• Profound knowledge of Unreal Tech, including material creation and Blueprints.
• Strong proficiency in Linear Algebra and Calculus, essential for advanced 3D technology applications.
• Understanding of real-time physically based materials and rendering (PBR).

Desirable Skills & Experience:

• Experience with the Substance suite and/or Houdini.
• Knowledge of lower-level programming languages such as C++.
• Understanding of shading languages, e.g. HLSL or GLSL.
• Extensive scripting experience for DCC applications, e.g. Python or C#.

Why Join Us?Perks and Benefits:
Just some of the benefits of working with us here at our newly built studio in Irvine, CA.
● Free daily lunch
● Beverages, fresh fruit, and snacks
● 401k with employer match
● Monthly Cell phone bill reimbursement
● Financial wellness sessions
● Flexible spending account
● Team building and company outings
● Parental leave for new parents
● Company paid health insurance
● Life and disability insurance
● Employee assistance program
● Wellness training
● Travel insurance
● Preventive care
If the above sounds like you, or if you'd like to know more about the role, we'd love to hear from you to see if we might be a good fit for each other! Contact us for more information about this exciting opportunity.

Location State(s)

US-California-Irvine

The expected base pay range for this position in the location(s) listed above is $69,306.00 to $153,200.00 per year. Actual pay may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Employees hired for this position may be eligible for a sign on payment, relocation package, and restricted stock units, which will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Subject to the terms and conditions of the plans in effect, hired applicants are also eligible for medical, dental, vision, life and disability benefits, and participation in the Company’s 401(k) plan. The Employee is also eligible for up to 15 to 25 days of vacation per year (depending on the employee’s tenure), up to 13 days of holidays throughout the calendar year, and up to 10 days of paid sick leave per year. Your benefits may be adjusted to reflect your location, employment status, duration of employment with the company, and position level. Benefits may also be pro-rated for those who start working during the calendar year.Equal Employment Opportunity at Tencent

As an equal opportunity employer, we firmly believe that diverse voices fuel our innovation and allow us to better serve our users and the community. We foster an environment where every employee of Tencent feels supported and inspired to achieve individual and common goals.