---
title: 'Senior Environment Lighting Artist at Naughty Dog'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-environment-lighting-artist-naughty-dog-united-states-santa-monica-eza7p9erhcps'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-15'
---

# Senior Environment Lighting Artist at Naughty Dog

- **Company:** Naughty Dog
- **Location:** United States Santa Monica, CA
- **Compensation:** $69–$86/hr
- **Posted:** 2026-09-14
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-15
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/naughtydog/jobs/6190399004

## Job description

This position is for temporary engagement through our staffing partner, Yoh Enterprise Solutions.  Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States for this position.

This is a hybrid / onsite position.

For nearly 40 years, Naughty Dog has been crafting best-selling, critically acclaimed games that constantly push the boundaries of narrative, gameplay, and technology. Naughty Dog recently released The Last of Us Part II Remastered as well as a current generation remake of The Last of Us Part I for the PS5. We're also proud to say that The Last of Us Part I and Part II are now available for the first time on PC. Currently, we’re busy at the kennel working on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, and we'd love to find talented individuals to join us!

Naughty Dog games have long been lauded for their evocative, character-driven stories and attention to detail. We are committed to innovation within our games and as such have curated some of the top creative and technically innovative minds in the industry. We welcome diverse candidates and believe that a broad range of cultural and life experiences contribute to the overall well-being and success of the studio and the titles we craft together.

Senior Level Lighting Artist will be creating lighting and post effects for background lighting but also be integral in achieving looks that are applied across the game.

What you will do:

- Develop the lighting scheme, color-palette, post-processing-fx, and general visual mood that turns unlit 3-D environment models into awesome looking and visually compelling 3D game environments
- Work with modelers and texture/shader artists to optimize the visual look and run-time performance of the Environments
- Work with outsource vendors and lighting artists, collaborating on visual looks, tech, training, and workflows both giving and receiving feedback
- Additional responsibilities may be assigned as needed

What skills you will use:

- 3-5 years of industry experience in Film or Games generating final picture
- Has shipped at least one AAA game
- Excellent competency in Autodesk Maya and knowledge of Global Illumination
- Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to work with little to no supervision
- Thorough understanding of direct/indirect light, luminance / exposure and color-theory
- Proven work experience with generating light-maps, pre-lighting or baked lighting is desired
- Excellent competency in multi-tasking, being able to handle their own workload as well as having the time to help out other artists where needed

As a part of the Naughty Dog application process, candidates will be expected to provide a portfolio or demo reel of their work and may be asked to complete an art test.

## #LI-AB1

At SIE, working with our partners, we consider several factors when setting each role’s base pay range, including the competitive benchmarking data for the market and geographic location.

Please note that the individual base pay range may vary based on job-related factors which may include knowledge, skills, experience, and location.

In addition, this role is eligible for benefit offerings that include medical, dental, and vision. Click [here](https://www.dzconnex.com/summary-of-benefits) to learn more.

The estimated base pay range for this role is listed below, this is an hourly rate. $69.09—$86.35 USD

Please note, Sony Interactive Entertainment conducts background checks at the offer stage for all new employees (which may include criminal background checks for some roles) and will need to process personal information to support these checks.

Please refer to our[Candidate Privacy Notice](https://www.playstation.com/legal/careers-privacy-notice/) for more information about what personal information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and your data protection rights.

## About Naughty Dog

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Naughty Dog is an award-winning first-party video game developer for Sony Interactive Entertainment, renowned for critically acclaimed franchises like Crash Bandicoot, Uncharted, and The Last of Us.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment / PlayStation Studios)
- **Headquarters**: Santa Monica, California, USA
- **Founded**: 1984 (42 years ago)
- **Founders**: Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Video game development (AAA console/PC titles)
- **Target customers**: B2C (gamers and consumers on PlayStation platforms, with recent PC releases)
- **Mission or purpose statement**: To create cutting-edge, character-driven, and evocative games that push the boundaries of technology and storytelling, earning the trust of millions of players worldwide.

## Products & Services
- **Crash Bandicoot Series (1996-1999)**: Classic 3D platformer franchise that launched the studio into prominence.
- **Jak and Daxter Series (2001-2005)**: Action-adventure platformer series for the PlayStation 2.
- **Uncharted Series (2007-2022)**: Acclaimed third-person action-adventure series (Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy). The franchise has sold over 41.7 million copies globally (as of 2017).
- **The Last of Us Series (2013-present)**: Critically acclaimed post-apocalyptic action-adventure franchise (The Last of Us, The Last of Us Part II). The series has spawned a successful HBO television adaptation.
- **Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet (forthcoming)**: A new intellectual property (IP) announced for the PlayStation 5, the studio’s first new IP since The Last of Us.
- **ICE Team**: A central technology group within Sony’s Worldwide Studios that creates core graphics technologies, game engine components, and profiling tools for first-party titles.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly available (Private subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment).
- **Key Metric**: The Uncharted franchise sold over 41.7 million copies by December 2017. The Last of Us Part II was released to massive critical and commercial success in 2020.
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Parent company is Sony Interactive Entertainment (acquired in 2001). Key leadership includes Neil Druckmann (Head of Creative, President), Alison Mori (Studio Manager).
- **Growth Signals**: The studio is actively developing a new IP (Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet) for the PS5, expanding its franchise into TV (The Last of Us on HBO), and has recently released games on PC. The studio has over 400 employees (as of July 2023) and has maintained a strong talent pipeline for decades.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Award-Winning Legacy**: Consistently delivers some of the highest-rated and most commercially successful games in the industry (multiple Game of the Year awards).
- **Proprietary Technology**: Home to the ICE Team, which develops cutting-edge graphics and engine technology used across Sony’s first-party lineup.
- **Narrative & Character Mastery**: Renowned for deep, cinematic storytelling and character-driven experiences that set industry standards.
- **Strong Brand & Franchise Power**: Owns some of the most iconic and beloved IPs in gaming (The Last of Us, Uncharted), creating a powerful ecosystem for sequels, remasters, and transmedia adaptations.
- **Stable Parent Company**: As a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony, the studio enjoys financial stability and access to top-tier resources without the volatility of independent studios.

## Strategic Focus
- **New IP Development**: Actively developing *Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet*, signaling a commitment to creating new worlds and stories beyond existing franchises.
- **Transmedia Expansion**: Successfully expanding *The Last of Us* into a major TV franchise on HBO, indicating a strategy to grow its IP beyond gaming.
- **Technical Innovation**: Continuing to push the boundaries of graphics, animation, and AI through the ICE Team and internal R&D.
- **PC & Multi-Platform Growth**: Releasing titles on PC (e.g., *The Last of Us Part I*), suggesting a strategy to reach a broader audience beyond PlayStation consoles.
- **Nurturing Talent**: Investing in a strong culture and career development to retain veteran staff while attracting new talent.

## Why Work Here
- **Award-Winning Studio**: Be part of a legendary team with over 35 years of history and multiple Game of the Year awards.
- **Cutting-Edge Technology**: Work on proprietary engine technology (ICE Team) and push the limits of console and PC hardware.
- **Culture & Collaboration**: The studio is known for a collaborative, passionate environment with minimal middle-management and a focus on creative excellence.
- **Comprehensive Benefits**: Offers a 401K plan with company match, comprehensive health/dental/vision insurance, generous PTO, fitness reimbursement, and a referral program.
- **Remote-Friendly**: Some roles (e.g., Associate QA Tester / Language Development Support) are listed as remote, and the studio is based in Santa Monica, CA.
- **Team-Building**: Wide variety of team-building events and a dog-friendly office culture.
- **Diverse Departments**: Opportunities across Programming, Art, Animation, Design, Production, QA, IT, Communications, and Editorial.

## Sources
1. [naughtydog.com](https://www.naughtydog.com/company)
2. [naughtydog.com](https://www.naughtydog.com/careers)
3. [greenhouse.io](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/naughtydog)
4. [en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naughty_Dog)

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