Website Studio Gobo
Studio Gobo, a powerhouse in the AAA gaming industry and a key member of the Keywords Studios family, is seeking a visionary Lead or Principal Lighting Artist. Based in the creative hub of Brighton, UK, our studio is the engine behind some of the world’s most recognizable titles, having collaborated with industry titans like Guerrilla Games, Ubisoft, and Disney on projects such as Hogwarts Legacy, LEGO Horizon Adventures, and Redfall.
As a Lead or Principal Lighting Artist, you will hold one of the most influential creative positions in the studio. You are responsible for the final “look” of the game, using light to define atmosphere, narrative depth, and emotional resonance. Whether you are establishing the stark shadows of a dark fantasy corridor or the vibrant bloom of a heroic landscape, your work will be the lens through which millions of players experience our worlds.
Job Overview
- Company Name: Studio Gobo (Part of Keywords Studios)
- Job Title: Lead / Principal Lighting Artist
- Industry: Video Game Development (AAA Console)
- Location: Brighton, United Kingdom
- Work Model: In-Office / Hybrid Options Available
- Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent
- Seniority Level: Lead / Principal (Management & Individual Contributor)
- Required Experience: 5+ years in AAA Games, Film, or TV
- Reporting Structure: Reports to the Art Director
- Salary Range: Competitive (Based on seniority and portfolio)
Company Overview: The Studio Gobo Culture
Studio Gobo isn’t just a place to work; it’s a community of world-class creators. We have been recognized seven times by GamesIndustry.Biz as one of the Best Mid-Sized Game Studios to work for in the U.K. We pride ourselves on an “industrial-chic” studio space that fosters creativity and a culture that prioritizes the well-being and growth of our team members. From in-house chefs preparing world-famous free lunches to a dog-friendly policy and active social clubs, we believe that the best games are built by people who are inspired, respected, and supported.
Role Overview
In this pivotal role, you will lead the lighting strategy for a high-profile AAA character action console game. You are the architect of tone and visibility. You will translate the Art Director’s vision into a technical reality, ensuring that lighting not only looks stunning but also reinforces gameplay interactions, readability, and traversal. You will be the primary point of contact for lighting, both internally and when collaborating with external clients, ensuring that every asset and environment meets the highest aesthetic and performance standards.
Key Responsibilities
Artistic Leadership & Vision
- Aesthetic Standards: Work closely with the Art Director and Environment Team to establish technical and aesthetic standards for lighting, sky set-ups, and cinematic style.
- Visual Communication: Use color scripts, mood boards, and corrective paint-overs to communicate lighting concepts to the wider team and clients.
- Atmospheric Mastery: Create and maintain all lighting elements, including dynamic, prebaked, interior, and exterior setups, to define the mood and tone of game worlds.
- Gameplay Integration: Use lighting as a functional tool to guide the player, reinforce gameplay cues, and ensure visual clarity during high-octane action.
Technical Execution & Optimization
- Pipeline Development: Partner with Technical Artists and Engineering teams to develop, document, and maintain a stable and efficient lighting pipeline and project workflow.
- World Lighting: Take direct responsibility for placing, tweaking, and balancing light sources across all game levels.
- Post-Processing Excellence: Oversee color grading, exposure, SSAO, Global Illumination (GI), and other post-process effects to polish the final image.
- Shading & Materials: Tune surface shading and textures in collaboration with the environment team to improve the perception of light and material response.
Management & Mentorship
- Project Scheduling: Manage your own tasks and assist in scheduling the lighting department’s work to meet tight production deadlines.
- Quality Assurance: Ensure the vision remains consistent across all lighters on the project, providing feedback and mentorship to maintain a unified visual language.
- Point of Contact: Act as the technical and artistic liaison for clients, ensuring all authored content follows strict brand and technical guidelines.
Required Qualifications & Technical Skills
- Professional Experience: Several years of production lighting experience on successful AAA game, TV, or film projects.
- Artistic Foundation: An exceptional understanding of composition, color theory, color space, and lighting principles.
- Technical Proficiency: Deep knowledge of PBR (Physically Based Rendering) workflows, real-time rendering technologies, and the relationship between shaders/materials and light.
- Engine Expertise: Prior experience with current-generation console hardware (PS5/Xbox Series X). Proficiency in Unreal Engine is a distinct advantage.
- Tool Mastery: Expert-level skills in industry-standard 3D packages, Photoshop, After Effects, or equivalent lighting/compositing software.
- Cinematography: A strong understanding of dramaturgy, scene blocking, and camera technology to enhance narrative storytelling.
Benefits and Perks
Studio Gobo provides an industry-leading benefits package designed to support every aspect of your life:
- Financial Security: Generous team project bonuses, an Employee Share Purchase Plan (ESPP), and a matching company pension scheme.
- Health & Wellness: Full private medical (BUPA) and dental insurance, group life insurance, and a £50/month health and wellbeing allowance.
- Work-Life Balance: 25 days of annual leave (plus bank holidays), bonus anniversary holidays, and a dedicated Christmas studio closure.
- Relocation Support: Comprehensive Visa and Relocation packages for you and your family to make the move to Brighton seamless.
- The “Gobo Perks”: Free world-famous Friday lunches, an in-house cereal bar, soft drinks/beer/wine fridges, and a dog-friendly studio environment.
- Professional Growth: A generous annual budget for conferences like GDC, SIGGRAPH, and UnrealFest.
Application Process
To apply for this Lead / Principal position, please submit a comprehensive application including:
Professional Portfolio/Reel: A link to a digital reel demonstrating your lighting work in a real-time environment. We are looking for technical mastery and artistic versatility.
Detailed CV: Highlighting your experience with AAA titles and your leadership history.
Cover Letter: Briefly explaining your approach to lighting for character action games and why you are interested in joining Studio Gobo.
To apply for this job please visit www.studiogobo.com.