---
title: 'Shader Technical Artist at 2K'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/shader-technical-artist-2k-san-mateo-california-4bpq0cew5hzh'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-14'
---

# Shader Technical Artist at 2K

- **Company:** 2K
- **Location:** San Mateo California, United States
- **Posted:** 2026-08-17
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-14
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/2k/jobs/7887479003

## Job description

## WE ARE GAME MAKERS

Who We Are:

We are a diverse team of developers driven by a passion for our art, united by our core values and inspired by a culture of inclusivity to build amazing games that thrill players everywhere. We pursue growth and innovation in an environment of safety and trust. Our culture is built on the belief that the more varied voices in our collective will strengthen our team and our games.  We are looking for our next teammate who will raise our bar and make us better.

What We Need:

We’re seeking a Shader Technical Artist to leverage their technical skills and artistic understanding to help develop and maintain a strong shader pipeline that will serve teams across multiple disciplines. Your passion, knowledge, and experience will be integral to the look and style of a new generation of player-driven experiences, stemming from your ability to create high-quality shaders and technology that bring life to the worlds we build.

Who You Are:

- Utilize extensive experience in Unreal Engine to meticulously craft and optimize shader/master materials using Unreal Engine’s node-based shader graph and HLSL/GLSL/CG shader code, ensuring they are built cleanly and efficiently for seamless integration and user-friendly utilization by the materials team.
- Collaborate with development teams to establish and uphold artistic and technical shader standards, pushing the boundaries of real-time rendering while adhering to performance constraints.
- Assist in driving the development of innovative approaches to address complex technical and creative challenges, participating in the creation of shaders, shading validation tools, and defining shading standards.
- Provide technical support in identifying and resolving inefficient content pipelines, conducting performance profiling, and optimizing shaders to enhance overall visual fidelity and maintain desired frame rates.

What Will Make You a Great Fit:

- 4 years of experience or 2+ shipped titles in a Technical Art role.
- Proficiency in creating stylized and PBR shaders using node-based shader editors, tiled layered material systems, shader networks, procedural texturing, and HLSL code.
- Understanding of the technical foundations behind visually stunning textures and shaders in a physically-based rendering pipeline.
- Ability to communicate and collaborate across disciplines, sharing ideas and articulating visions.
- Familiarity with all the tools, techniques, and asset creation pipelines: UE5, Substance Designer, Substance Painter, Photoshop, modeling, baking, and texturing.

Bonus Experience:

- Experience in Unreal Engine’s node-based shader graph.
- Strong understanding of console, PC, and mobile platforms, and how to scale shaders to optimize for each.

The pay range for this position in California at the start of employment is expected to be between $85,700 and $126,860 per Year. However, base pay offered is based on market location, and may vary further depending on individualized factors for job candidates, such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and other objective business considerations.

Subject to those same considerations, the total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, including a bonus and/or equity awards and eligibility to participate in our 401(K) plan and Employee Stock Purchase Program.

Regular, full-time employees are also eligible for a range of benefi ts at the Company, including: medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance coverage; 14 paid holidays per calendar year; paid vacation time per calendar year (ranging from 15 to 25 days) or eligibility to participate in the Company’s discretionary time off program; up to 10 paid sick days per calendar year; paid parental and compassionate leave; wellbeing programs for mental health and other wellness support; family planning support through Maven; commuter benefi ts; and reimbursements for fi tness-related expenses. Ontario only: The use of Artifi cial Intelligence is not being used to screen candidates. The position is for an existing vacancy.

#LI-Onsite #LI-Hybrid

## 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. [en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2K_(company)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2K_(company))

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