Senior Technical Artist, Graphics | Diablo | Albany, NY or Irvine, CA at Activision-Blizzard

Irvine, California, United States

Activision-Blizzard Logo
Not SpecifiedCompensation
Senior (5 to 8 years)Experience Level
Full TimeJob Type
UnknownVisa
GamingIndustries

Requirements

  • 8+ years of experience in AAA game development as an artist, with a focus on graphics, rendering, and/or shaders
  • Deep expertise in real-time rendering, shader programming (HLSL/GLSL), and material workflows
  • Strong experience with Unreal Engine or proprietary AAA engines; comfortable working closely with engine programmers
  • Proficiency in scripting and tool development (Python, C#, C++)
  • Strong experience with procedural tools (Houdini, Substance Designer, SpeedTree) and art pipeline integration
  • Demonstrated success optimizing large-scale game environments and complex VFX for performance across multiple platforms
  • Excellent communication and collaboration skills, able to guide both technical and non-technical team members

Responsibilities

  • Develop, optimize, and maintain advanced shaders, materials, lighting workflows, and rendering pipelines tailored to Diablo’s visual style
  • Architect scalable art pipelines, tools, and automation to streamline content creation for large open worlds, dungeons, and VFX-heavy combat
  • Partner with engineering to profile and resolve GPU/CPU bottlenecks while preserving artistic intent
  • Act as the primary liaison between art and engine teams, ensuring that artistic vision aligns with technical constraints
  • Research new rendering techniques, procedural workflows, and content-generation tools (Houdini, Substance, etc.) to elevate Diablo’s unique gothic atmosphere
  • Provide technical guidance to mid/junior technical artists and share best practices across the Diablo art team
  • Define and maintain technical art standards, best practices, and guidelines that scale across the franchise

Skills

Shaders
Materials
Lighting Workflows
Rendering Pipelines
Art Pipelines
Tools Development
Automation
VFX
Optimization
Profiling
Game Engine Integration

Activision-Blizzard

Develops and publishes interactive video games

About Activision-Blizzard

Activision Blizzard develops and publishes video games, creating popular franchises like World of Warcraft, Call of Duty, and Candy Crush. Their games are available on various platforms and cater to a wide range of players, from casual mobile users to serious console and PC gamers. The company generates revenue through game sales, in-game purchases, subscriptions for games like World of Warcraft, and advertising through Activision Blizzard Media. They also profit from merchandise and esports events. What sets Activision Blizzard apart from competitors is its focus on high-quality gaming experiences that promote community and social interaction among players. The company's goal is to provide engaging and immersive entertainment that connects gamers worldwide.

Santa Monica, CaliforniaHeadquarters
1979Year Founded
$975MTotal Funding
IPOCompany Stage
Entertainment, GamingIndustries
1,001-5,000Employees

Benefits

Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Life Insurance
Disability Insurance
401(k) Retirement Plan
401(k) Company Match
Paid Vacation
Paid Sick Leave
Paid Holidays
Parental Leave
Mental Health Support
Wellness Program
Relocation Assistance

Risks

Employee morale issues due to layoffs could affect productivity and innovation.
Backlash from the Microsoft acquisition may impact game development and community trust.
Loss of key talent to competitors could weaken strategic capabilities.

Differentiation

Activision Blizzard boasts iconic franchises like Call of Duty and World of Warcraft.
The company excels in cross-platform play, enhancing player engagement and retention.
Activision Blizzard's esports division capitalizes on growing viewership and sponsorships.

Upsides

Microsoft's acquisition could provide resources for innovation and expansion.
Cloud gaming services offer a broader audience without high-end hardware needs.
Augmented reality gaming experiences present new opportunities for franchise expansion.

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