Job Title:
Lead Lighting Artist - Raven - Middleton, WI

Requisition ID:
R028052

Job Description:

Your Mission

Raven Software is seeking a highly capable, motivated Lead Lighting Artist to play a key role on our team, partner across disciplines, and shape compelling lighting for real-time gameplay and cinematics. We are looking for a driven, trusted, and autonomous leader to own lighting initiatives, guiding a world-class team of Lighting Artists to solve technical and creative challenges and deliver industry-leading lighting for the blockbuster Call of Duty franchise.

Qualified candidates will be adaptable to evolving development needs, possess excellent communication skills, navigate the technical and creative challenges of real-time lighting development, and deliver environment and cinematic lighting at the scale, quality, and complexity expected of a AAA blockbuster franchise. They will partner with some of the most talented and passionate developers in the industry to mentor artists, lead the team, and drive excellence. Above all, we are looking for an innovative and dedicated teammate to help tell our story.

This role is based in our Middleton, WI office and follows an onsite work schedule of four days per week. Work arrangements may change at the company's discretion to meet business needs.

What you bring to the table

The video game industry and therefore our business is fast-paced and will continue to evolve. As such, the duties and responsibilities of this role may be changed as directed by the Company at any time to promote and support our business and relationships with industry partners. Therefore, this role includes, but is not limited to, the following responsibilities:

• Work closely with the Art Director to bring life, mood, and visual clarity to gameplay and cinematics.

• Lead a team to craft and implement compelling real-time lighting that supports gameplay needs and artistic goals with strong composition, tone, and color.

• Drive visual and technical quality to deliver cutting-edge, AAA-worthy lighting.

• Direct and employ volumetrics, color grading, and image effects to achieve desired visual and narrative objectives.

• Prototype lighting approaches, post-processing setups, and improve workflows to achieve the desired tone and gameplay needs.

• Spearhead lighting R&D efforts, partnering with experts within and across disciplines to streamline tools and processes while championing best practices and strong visual quality.

• Take high-level direction and guide your team through day-to-day execution, iteration, and feedback on lighting tasks and initiatives.

• Partner with artists, designers, and programmers to be a trusted champion of performance, efficiency, and quality.

• Inspire and mentor others as a role model of initiative, accountability, and attitude.

• Foster a thriving team with open communication, constructive feedback, and development opportunities.

• Hold a high bar for quality, execution, and accountability while fostering artist growth.

• Collaborate with Production to plan team goals, forecast milestone deliveries, and identify resource needs.

• Clearly communicate risks, mitigations, and updates while maintaining effective working relationships across the studio.

Player Profile

• 8+ total years of Lighting experience, with 2+ years in a Lead role, in real-time game development or equivalent experience in film/television.

• Lead by example with a passionate and egoless attitude that welcomes feedback and enjoys a collaborative, iterative, fast-moving and adaptive workflow.

• Ability to quickly learn new software and adapt to proprietary tools.

• Excellent communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.

• Expert experience with game development engines and lighting tools (Unreal, Unity, or equivalent proprietary engines).

• Strong experience with baked lighting, dynamic lighting, light probes, reflection probes, post-processing, color grading, and image adjustment tools.

• Strong understanding and application of PBR workflows, physically correct lighting solutions, color theory, post-processing techniques, and industry lighting trends.

• An inspiring reel demonstrating strong, realistic lighting, modern development workflows, and creative solutions to development challenges.

Extra Points

• Experience working with the Call of Duty tools or other proprietary engines.

• Experience in a secondary area such as environments, animation, or VFX.

• Experience with basic scripting.

• Experience with procedural workflows and tools.

• Experience with compositing.

• Familiarity with performance optimization for console and PC.

• Passion for the Call of Duty franchise.

• Strong traditional art foundation.

Rewards

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.

Eligibility to participate in these benefits may vary for part time and temporary full-time employees and interns with the Company. You can learn more by visiting https://www.benefitsforeveryworld.com/.

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. Your Talent Professional can share this role's range details for your local geography during the hiring process. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not guaranteed. While we strive to provide competitive offers to successful candidates, new hire compensation is negotiable.