Character Shading TD
Naughty Dog
Santa Monica, CA, USA
Job type: Permanent
Job Description
Summary:
A Character Shading TD helps to advance the rendering of Naughty Dog’s characters. In this role you’ll write shading and rendering code, paint textures, tune materials, and work with the artists and programmers – whatever it takes to push the beauty and realism of our characters to new levels!
Responsibilities:
- Develop the look of skin, fabric, hair, eyes, leather, metal, blood, grime, and anything else that can appear on a character
- Write well-architected shading and rendering code that can be built upon for years to come
- Use a range of techniques. Write code, paint textures, and procedurally generate source data
- Create user interfaces that allow artists to easily tune parameters for common material types
- Work closely with artists and the engineering team to develop more advanced rendering techniques, and to improve content creation tools
- Support the character team in debugging issues with the game, tools, etc.
- Help drive framerate and memory optimization of character art
- Automate and streamline art production pipelines, and improve content creation tools
- Additional responsibilities are available if you have the passion and experience!
Skills & Requirements
Requirements & Skills:
- Strong experience with HLSL or GLSL shading languages. Intermediate experience with C++
- Ability to write robust code, both from a functional and architectural standpoint
- An advanced knowledge of character shading, lighting, and material response, and of real-time rendering technology as a whole
- A keen eye for color, texture painting, and the subtle differences between materials
- Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to work with minimal supervision
- Good oral and written skills
- 3+ years of production experience in VFX or video games
Bonus Skills:
- Experience in Maya/Python programming
- Experience with real-time game engines (Unreal, Unity, in-house engines, etc.)
- Experience with ZBrush, Substance Designer, and/or Substance Painter
As part of the Naughty Dog application process, candidates should expect to be given a technical interview and may be asked to complete an art test.
Additional Information
- Relocation assistance is offered
How to Apply
To apply, please visit our website: Character Shading TD
The Recruiting Process
We feel it is important to let you know how the recruiting process works here at Naughty Dog. Here is what you can expect from us:
- Upon submission, you will receive an automated message stating your resume has been received and will be reviewed thoroughly by our recruiting team
- Due to the high volume of applications received, it is not possible to respond directly to each candidate
- If you are selected, you will be contacted for an initial phone screen or test
- The next step is a second phone or Skype interview, or an invite to come out and meet us at the studio
- In the event that we choose not to move forward at any point in the recruiting process, we will let you know
- If your qualifications do not match the criteria of a current position, your resume will be kept on file for future consideration
Thank you for your interest in Naughty Dog.
About the Company
Naughty Dog is the developer of some of the most critically acclaimed and top-selling video games on PlayStation platforms, having created the classic Crash Bandicoot and Jak and Daxter series, as well as modern franchises Uncharted and The Last of Us. We have become recognized as industry leaders for our storytelling, graphics and cinematic quality in our games.
Naughty Dog is also home to Sony World Wide Studios’ ICE Team, a central technology group that focuses on creating core graphics technologies for Sony’s worldwide first-party published titles, including low-level game engine components, graphics processing pipelines, supporting tools, and graphics profiling and debugging tools.
Since Naughty Dog is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment, we also have many perks that comes from being in the Sony family – movie screenings on the Sony Pictures lots and discounts on electronics, music, movies and PlayStation hardware and software. Of course, you just can’t beat our location. Naughty Dog is based near the ocean – and beaches – in Santa Monica, California, where beautiful weather and fair temperatures grace us year-round.