--- title: 'Lead Technical Artist - Shaders at 2K' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/lead-technical-artist-shaders-2k-brighton-england-tjs7nrwmxf2x' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-07' --- # Lead Technical Artist - Shaders at 2K - **Company:** 2K - **Location:** Brighton England, United Kingdom - **Posted:** 2025-11-19 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-07 - **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/2k/jobs/7533148003 ## Job description Job Title Lead Technical Artist -  (Shader / Material) Department Art Location(s) Brighton / Brno Reports To Technical Art Director Job Type Permanent ## Who We Are Hangar 13 is an internal 2K development studio that crafts unforgettable AAA gaming experiences across all major platforms . With studios in Brighton (UK), Brno, and Prague (CZ), we work as one team to bring to life narrative-rich games that keep players immersed. Each of our locations provides the opportunity to work with some of the most talented developers in the industry, on creatively challenging and exciting projects, in a diverse and welcoming environment. Job Summary We are seeking a highly skilled Lead Shader / Material Artist with deep expertise in Unreal Engine 5. In this leadership role, you will define the standards for material workflows, drive innovation in look development, and collaborate with artists, technical teams, and engineering to achieve world-class visuals while maintaining optimal performance. This position demands both artistic sensibility and strong technical problem-solving, with mastery of UE5’s material editor, shader graph, Lumen, Nanite, and advanced rendering features. In addition to leading internal team members, you will also oversee and collaborate with external co-development partners, ensuring their work aligns with our creative vision, technical standards, and production goals. Please note we do require someone to be onsite at one of our Studios at least 3 days a week. Duties and Responsibilities - Define and drive the visual and technical quality bar for all shaders and materials in the project. - Establish a shader and material pipeline optimized for both high visual fidelity and real-time performance across platforms. - Lead R&D into UE5’s advanced rendering features (Lumen, Nanite, virtual texturing, runtime virtual shadows, etc.) to enhance the project’s material systems. - Partner with the Art Director to ensure materials support the game’s overall art direction and style. - Create and maintain a library of modular, reusable, and performant shaders and materials. - Develop complex materials for characters, environments, weapons, FX integration, and cinematics, working closely with these disciplines to ensure seamless integration across the project. - Work with lighting and rendering teams to achieve physically accurate, believable surfaces under dynamic lighting conditions. - Optimize materials for memory, draw calls, and runtime performance across platforms. - Manage, mentor, and inspire a team of shader/material artists and technical artists. - Review work, provide feedback, and set standards for quality and consistency. - Collaborate with external partners or outsourcing vendors to ensure materials meet AAA expectations. Essential Skills, Attributes and Experience - Minimum 7+ years’ experience in the games industry, with at least 2 shipped AAA titles. - Proven track record as a Senior or Lead Shader/Material Artist on a large-scale project. - Expert-level proficiency in Unreal Engine 5 material editor, shader graph, and rendering pipeline. - Strong understanding of PBR workflows, physically-based shading models, and material authoring. - Hands-on experience with Lumen, Nanite, and virtual texturing in UE5. - Ability to balance high visual fidelity with performance optimization. - Strong leadership, mentoring, and cross-discipline collaboration skills. Highly Desirable - Experience with procedural material workflows (e.g., Substance Designer, Houdini). - Knowledge of HLSL or shader programming for advanced customization. - Familiarity with real-time ray tracing and cinematic rendering in UE5. - Experience with material systems for multiplayer and large open worlds. - Passion for experimenting with new rendering techniques and staying ahead of industry trends. Hangar 13  prides itself on the diversity of its team members, partners, and communities.  For this reason, we remain committed to providing equal employment opportunity in all aspects of the employment relationship, from recruitment and hiring through compensation, benefits, discipline and termination. As an equal opportunity employer, we are also committed to ensuring that qualified individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation(s) to participate in the job application and/or interview process, to perform their essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.  Please contact us if you need to request reasonable accommodation. SECURITY NOTICE -  We have recently been made aware of increasing occurrences of bad actors posing as company HR personnel to gain information from "potential candidates", in the form of job interviews and offers. These scams can be quite sophisticated and appear legitimate. Please know that Hangar 13 and 2K never use instant messaging apps to contact prospective employees or to conduct interviews. If you believe you have been a victim of such a scam, you may fill out a complaint form at https://complaint.ic3.gov/ and https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/ detailing as much as possible. We are taking these matters very seriously and apologize for any inconvenience. #LI-Hybrid ## ##LI-MW1 . ## About 2K ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: 2K is a major video game publisher and developer, best known for iconic franchises like *NBA 2K*, *Borderlands*, *Civilization*, *BioShock*, *Mafia*, *WWE 2K*, and *XCOM*. - **Entity Type**: Private subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive (public parent company, NASDAQ: TTWO) - **Headquarters**: Novato, California, USA (with global offices across the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Australia) - **Founded**: January 25, 2005 (as a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive) - **Founders**: Founded as a corporate entity by Take-Two Interactive; key early leaders included Christoph Hartmann (former President). Current President is David Ismailer. ## Core Business - **Primary industry/industries**: Video game development and publishing (AAA, sports, and strategy games) - **Target customers**: B2C (consumers/gamers globally across PC, console, and mobile platforms) - **Mission or purpose statement**: "We enable all gamers to build, connect, escape and dream big!" (from their official values page) ## Products & Services - **NBA 2K Series**: Flagship basketball simulation franchise, released annually across console and PC. - **Borderlands Series**: Acclaimed first-person shooter looter-shooter franchise. - **Civilization Series**: Legendary turn-based strategy series (developed by Firaxis Games, a 2K studio). - **BioShock Series**: Critically acclaimed narrative-driven first-person shooter series. - **Mafia Series**: Open-world crime drama franchise. - **WWE 2K Series**: Professional wrestling simulation franchise. - **XCOM Series**: Tactical strategy franchise. - **PGA Tour 2K Series**: Golf simulation franchise. - **Top Spin Series**: Tennis simulation franchise (revived in 2024). - **2K Foundations**: Social impact program that builds community and youth engagement programs, including refurbishing basketball courts globally. ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: 2K is a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive. Take-Two's market cap is approximately **$30+ billion** (as of mid-2025), with 2K being one of its two core publishing labels alongside Rockstar Games. - **Key Metric**: 2K is a private subsidiary; exact revenue is not disclosed separately. However, Take-Two Interactive’s total net revenue for fiscal year 2024 was approximately **$5.6 billion**, with 2K contributing a significant portion. The company employs approximately **4,000 people**. - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Parent company is Take-Two Interactive. Key development studio partners include Visual Concepts (NBA 2K), Firaxis Games (Civilization), Gearbox Software (Borderlands), and Hangar 13 (Mafia). - **Growth Signals**: 2K has been actively expanding its development network, including the acquisition of Gearbox Software in 2024. The company continues to launch major franchise entries and invest in new IP. It has a growing presence in mobile gaming and live-service models. ## Competitive Advantages - **Iconic IP Portfolio**: Owns some of the most valuable and long-running franchises in gaming (*NBA 2K*, *Borderlands*, *Civilization*, *BioShock*). - **Massive Global Reach**: Games sell tens of millions of copies annually across all major platforms. - **Strong Parent Backing**: As a core label of Take-Two, 2K has significant financial resources for marketing, development, and acquisitions. - **Diverse Studio Network**: Operates a wide range of internal studios with specialized expertise (sports, strategy, action, RPG). - **2K Foundations**: A unique social impact program that builds brand goodwill and community engagement. ## Strategic Focus - **Franchise Expansion**: Continuing to grow its flagship franchises with annual releases, new entries, and expanded content. - **Live Service & Engagement**: Deepening post-launch engagement through in-game events, battle passes, and microtransactions (especially in *NBA 2K*). - **Mobile & New Platforms**: Expanding into mobile gaming and new platforms. - **Studio Investment**: Acquiring and investing in top-tier development talent (e.g., Gearbox). - **Technology & AI**: Investing in R&D for game engines, AI, and data science to improve game quality and player experiences (evidenced by job postings for AI R&D, data science, and Unreal Engine roles). ## Why Work Here - **Work on Iconic Franchises**: Opportunity to contribute to some of the most beloved and best-selling game series in the world. - **Culture**: Described as a blend of "NYC roots with a Northern California vibe," with a focus on being direct, open, and friendly. The company emphasizes "Come As You Are" and "Give a ^%$*" as core values. - **Remote/Hybrid/Office Policy**: 2K has a hybrid work model. Many roles are listed with specific locations (Novato, Los Angeles, Montreal, Bengaluru, etc.), but some positions offer remote flexibility. - **Notable Perks**: Located in a unique headquarters (converted airplane hangars in Novato, CA) near hiking, biking trails, and wine country. The company also runs a motion capture studio in Petaluma, CA. - **Engineering Culture**: Strong emphasis on technical innovation, with dedicated teams for AI R&D, Core Tech/Tools, Data Science, and Online Services. Many job postings focus on Unreal Engine, data engineering, and systems architecture. - **Social Impact**: Employees can participate in 2K Foundations, which refurbishes basketball courts and builds community spaces globally. ## Sources 1. [2k.com/careers/](https://2k.com/careers/) 2. [2k.com/about/](https://2k.com/about/) 3. [job-boards.greenhouse.io/2k](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/2k) 4. 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