Job Overview
Key Employment Overview
| Feature | Details |
| Company Name | HundredStar Games |
| Job Title | Senior Lighting Artist |
| Location | Hackney Wick, London (Greater London), UK |
| Job Type | Full-Time / Permanent |
| Salary Range | Competitive / Based on Experience (Typically £65,000 – £90,000+ for Senior roles in London) |
| Work Model | Hybrid (In-studio: Tue–Thu |
| Industry | Video Game Development / Interactive Entertainment |
| Reporting To | Lead Lighting Artist |
About the Company Culture
HundredStar Games isn’t just another studio; it’s a deliberate evolution in game development. The founders have pivoted from large-scale corporate environments to create a space where sharing vulnerability and treating people well are core values. At Hundred Star, leadership is encouraged at all levels. You aren’t just an executor of tasks; you are a creative stakeholder.
The studio’s philosophy centers on:
- Autonomy: You are trusted to manage your craft and time.
- Connection: Building meaningful relationships within the team to foster better collaboration.
- Accountability: Taking ownership of your work and its impact on the player experience.
- Vulnerability: A culture where it is okay to ask for help, fostering a supportive environment for problem-solving.
The Role: Senior Lighting Artist
As a Senior Lighting Artist, you will be the architect of mood, atmosphere, and visual clarity. Your work sits at the intersection of Art, Design, and Technology. You will be responsible for defining the “look” of the world, ensuring that the player feels the weight of the narrative through the subtle manipulation of photons.
1. Real-Time Environment & Cinematic Lighting
Your primary focus will be the creation of stunning real-time lighting across diverse environments. You will bridge the gap between gameplay and cinematics, ensuring a seamless transition that never breaks player immersion. Whether it’s a high-octane action sequence or a quiet, character-driven narrative moment, your lighting will dictate the emotional resonance of the scene.
2. Narrative and Gameplay Readability
Lighting in games is more than just aesthetics; it is a functional tool. You will use value, color, and contrast to guide the player’s eye, subtly highlighting objectives while shrouding mysteries in shadow. You will prototype visual targets that serve as a north star for the rest of the development team.
3. Technical Integration and Optimization
A Senior Lighting Artist at HundredStar Games must be as technical as they are artistic. You will:
- Optimize Systems: Ensure the game runs smoothly on target platforms without sacrificing visual fidelity.
- Bridge Art & Engineering: Collaborate with the Engineering team to refine rendering features, implement new shaders, and develop cutting-edge lighting pipelines.
- Advanced Tooling: Work with Technical Artists to build and refine tools that make the lighting workflow more efficient for the entire department.
Detailed Responsibilities
- Visual Consistency: Maintaining a high bar for artistic quality across the entire project, ensuring that different levels and sequences feel like part of a unified world.
- PBR & HDR Mastery: Utilizing Physical Based Rendering (PBR) workflows and High Dynamic Range (HDR) pipelines to achieve ultra-realistic material responses.
- Character Performance: Lighting characters in cinematics to emphasize performance, emotion, and realism, particularly focusing on skin shaders and eye highlights.
- Cross-Departmental Collaboration: Participating in regular “strike team” meetings with VFX, Environment Art, and Level Design to ensure lighting supports all other disciplines.
- Color Grading & Post-Processing: Finalizing the “look” of the game through professional-grade color grading and compositing techniques.
Requirements & Qualifications
Essential Experience
- Senior-Level Expertise: Proven experience in a lighting role within the video game industry, preferably on AAA titles.
- Real-Time Engine Proficiency: Expert-level knowledge of modern game engines (such as Unreal Engine 5 or proprietary equivalents) and their respective lighting systems (Lumen, Baked Global Illumination, Ray Tracing).
- Aesthetic Sensitivity: A deep understanding of traditional art fundamentals, including cinematography, photography, and painting.
- Technical Knowledge: Mastery of PBR, light-to-surface interaction, and the technical constraints of real-time rendering.
Software Proficiency
- Primary Engines: Experience with modern real-time lighting workflows.
- Supporting Tools: Proficiency in Photoshop, Nuke, or DaVinci Resolve for color grading and look development.
- Technical Skills: Familiarity with shader logic and performance profiling tools.
Soft Skills
- Communication: The ability to articulate complex visual concepts to non-artistic team members.
- Problem Solving: A curious and investigative mindset when faced with technical or artistic bottlenecks.
- Independence: The capability to drive your own tasks while maintaining alignment with the Lead Lighting Artist’s vision.
Comprehensive Benefits Package
HundredStar Games believes that a well-supported artist is a creative artist. Their benefits package is designed to support both your professional growth and personal well-being.
Health & Wellbeing
- Private Healthcare: Full BUPA Medical, Cash Plan, and Dental insurance, covering couples and families with medical history disregarded.
- Fitness Support: Subsidized gym memberships and an annual fitness grant.
- In-House Wellness: On-site yoga, fitness classes, and discounted massages to help you de-stress.
- Wellness Retreat: An annual Summer Wellness Retreat to recharge with the whole team.
Financial & Security
- Annual Bonus: A discretionary bonus scheme based on company performance.
- Protection: Life insurance, critical illness cover, and income protection benefits for peace of mind.
- Leave: 28 days of annual leave plus enhanced Maternity/Paternity pay.
Social & Culture
- Events: Regular social gatherings, monthly birthday celebrations, and milestone parties.
- Inclusive Environment: A commitment to diversity, actively seeking voices from underrepresented groups in the gaming industry.
Why Join HundredStar Games?
In a landscape often dominated by massive, sprawling studios where individual voices can get lost, Hundred Star Games offers a return to craftsmanship and community.
You will be working directly with the visionaries who defined the modern action-adventure genre. The hybrid work model ensures you have the collaborative energy of a shared studio space in London’s creative Hackney Wick, while maintaining the flexibility of remote work for deep-focus days.
The studio is currently in an exciting growth phase. As a Senior Lighting Artist, you aren’t just filling a seat; you are helping build the culture and the technical foundation of a studio that is poised to release some of the most anticipated games of the decade.
How to Apply
HundredStar Games values the individual over the checklist. If you are passionate about light, shadow, and storytelling, but don’t feel you meet every single bullet point, they still encourage you to apply. They are looking for people who can contribute to the “whole,” bringing unique perspectives and a drive for excellence.
Application Tip: Ensure your portfolio showcases a mix of environment lighting and character-focused cinematic work. Highlight your ability to manage performance budgets while maintaining high visual quality.
“Different perspectives make the world a better place. We review each individual on how they can contribute and help us make great games.”
