Expert Lighting Artist - Sledgehammer Games

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Sledgehammer Games is a leading developer in the video game industry, best known for its work on the Call of Duty franchise. Since our inception in 2009, the studio has delivered iconic titles including Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Call of Duty: WWII (2017), and, most recently, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III. As industry leaders in first-person shooter development, our commitment to excellence is reflected in every detail of our games, from highly polished multiplayer experiences to emotionally engaging single-player campaigns. At Sledgehammer Games, we believe in pushing boundaries, redefining the possibilities of interactive storytelling, and setting new standards for visual and gameplay fidelity.

We are excited to invite a talented and passionate developer to join our growing team as an Expert Lighting Artist based in our Toronto, CA studio. In this role, you will work collaboratively with our talented teams across the globe, including our locations in the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

Please note: This is a hybrid position based in our Toronto Studio, offering flexibility with a combination of in-studio and remote workdays.

About the Role

Are you a video games enthusiast who enjoys first-person-shooters and has a passion for digital lighting, art, and photorealistic quality? The lighting team are the gatekeepers of mood, visual storytelling, and are one of the primary drivers of player emotion. We work closely with our art and creative directors to evoke player emotion and drive what’s most important to us: Gameplay.

In this role, you will be an integral, and critical member of our small but agile team. As our newest teammate, you will work side by side with our Lighting Leads. Together, you will help execute some of the most awe-inspiring landscapes in video games. You and our team will accomplish this by having routine 1:1s, weekly team meetings, an in-depth training period, and open dialog/high communication with adjacent teams.

Responsibilities

• Create gameplay and in-game cinematic lighting based on direction from the Art Director
• Ensure that lighting assets meet runtime and disk budgeting requirements
• Anticipate, identify, and report any potential production problems and communicate those to the Lead
• Work collaboratively with other departments: Character, VFX, and especially Environment Art
• Work independently and with other leads and directors to create an optimal lighting pipeline for the product
• Stay current with industry lighting techniques
• Work with Rendering engineers to push our engine further
• Create the sky dome and cloud assets
• Find creative ways to set industry standards
• Create workflows and best practices for the lighting team
• Mentor other Lighting artists, and help build an environment of creativity, trust, and excellence

Requirements

• Extensive experience in a Lighting role in the gaming industry (+12 years)
• Excellent working knowledge of Maya and Photoshop or equivalent
• In-depth knowledge of physically based lighting
• Strong understanding of advanced lighting fundamentals
• Strong sense of lighting theory; color space, exposure, light fixtures, natural light, reflections, etc.
• Proven track-record of leading and inspiring teams
• Understanding of composition and the ability to enhance mood with lighting
• Effectively use color grading and post effects to enhance the final image
• Working knowledge of industry standard rendering concepts and processes
• Experienced with Unreal, Unity, or other proprietary engines
• Experience with PBR & HDR lighting
• Familiarity with ray tracing/path tracing systems
• Ability to use AI as a development tool

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with one or more scripting/programming languages
• Experience with Houdini
• Knowledge of photography principles and image correction techniques
• Experience playing Call of Duty or similar FPS games

Benefits

We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional, and financial well-being for ‘Every World’ — we’ve got our employees covered! Subject to eligibility requirements, the Company offers comprehensive benefits including:

• Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance
• 401(k) with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching
• Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave
• Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other voluntary benefit programs like supplemental life & disability, legal service, ID protection, rental insurance, and others
• If the Company requires that you move geographic locations for the job, then you may also be eligible for relocation assistance

Pay

In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $99,200.00 - $183,520.00 Annual. These values reflect the expected base pay range of new hires across all U.S. locations. Ultimately, your specific range and offer will be based on several factors, including relevant experience, performance, and work location. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not guaranteed.