At Stellar Entertainment, we don’t just build games; we craft visceral experiences that resonate with players on every sensory level. With a dual-studio presence in the “Hollywood of Gaming”—Guildford, UK—and the historic tech hub of Utrecht, Netherlands, we sit at the heart of the world’s most vibrant development communities.

Our philosophy is rooted in the “Golden Triangle” of game design: balancing how a game plays, how it looks, and how it feels. We believe that visual fidelity is not just a technical metric, but a storytelling tool. We are currently scaling up for our most ambitious project to date—a high-fidelity, unannounced AAA title that aims to push current-gen hardware to its absolute limit. To achieve this, we need a Principal Rendering Engineer who isn’t just a coder, but an architect of light and shadow. This is a rare chance to define the aesthetic DNA of a new franchise from its inception.

As the Principal Rendering Engineer, you are the technical visionary behind our visual output. Reporting directly to the Technical Director, you will lead the architectural design, implementation, and optimization of the rendering technology that will define our next decade of gaming.

You will be the bridge between the Artistic and Engineering departments, ensuring that our Art Director’s most ambitious dreams are technically viable, stable, and performant. You aren’t just maintaining a pipeline; you are researching the future of real-time graphics and providing the technical mentorship that elevates the entire engineering team.

As a Principal Rendering Engineer at Stellar Entertainment, you will sit at the vital intersection of high-level artistry and technical performance. Working within our world-class Engineering department, you will collaborate with artists and technical leads to design, implement, and optimize the rendering features that define our visual identity. From crafting advanced shaders to refining lighting systems in Unreal Engine 5, your expertise ensures our unannounced AAA project remains both stunning and performant. You are not just writing code; you are building the visual foundation that inspires and amazes our players.

1. Architectural Vision & Research

• Cutting-Edge R&D: Research and implement state-of-the-art rendering techniques, including advanced ray-tracing, global illumination, and high-fidelity post-processing.
• Pipeline Ownership: Maintain and enhance our rendering pipeline, ensuring it is robust enough to handle the immense data throughput required for a high-end AAA production.
• Feature Design: Architect new rendering features from scratch, from complex lighting systems to bespoke shader models that give our project a unique visual edge.

2. Technical Execution & Optimization

• Shaders & Lighting: Implement and optimize sophisticated shaders and lighting systems that react realistically to dynamic game environments.
• Performance Excellence: Take ultimate responsibility for the game’s performance. You will profile, debug, and optimize memory and GPU usage to ensure a locked, buttery-smooth frame rate on target platforms.
• Modern Engine Integration: Leverage and extend the capabilities of modern engines (primarily Unreal Engine), ensuring our custom rendering solutions play nice with core engine features like Lumen and Nanite.

3. Mentorship & Collaboration

• Technical Guidance: Act as a “North Star” for the wider engineering team, providing high-level code reviews, architectural feedback, and mentorship to mid-level and senior engineers.
• Cross-Disciplinary Synergy: Collaborate daily with Art, Level Design, and Technical Art teams to ensure visual quality is never compromised by technical bottlenecks.
• Problem Solving: Dive into the most complex, deep-engine bugs that others can’t solve, providing stable and scalable solutions for the long-term health of the project.

Core Requirements

• Engineering Pedigree: Significant, proven experience in real-time rendering and graphics programming. You have seen multiple project lifecycles and understand the nuances of shipping.
• Expertise in C++: You have “under-the-hood” knowledge of C++ and are comfortable writing high-performance, memory-safe code in a multi-threaded environment.
• Shader Proficiency: Mastery of HLSL, GLSL, or other low-level shading languages. You understand exactly what the GPU is doing with your instructions.
• Algorithmic Strength: A strong, demonstrable understanding of rendering algorithms and modern techniques (Forward vs. Deferred, Compute Shaders, Ray Tracing).
• Profiling Mastery: Expert knowledge of performance profiling and optimization techniques (e.g., PIX, RenderDoc, Razor).
• Communication: The ability to explain “why” a certain technical path is being taken to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

The “Bonus” Points

• AAA Track Record: A history of shipping high-end AAA titles is a massive advantage, particularly in a leadership or principal capacity.
• Multiplayer Mastery: Experience building large-scale, real-time multiplayer games where rendering must sync perfectly with networked game states.
• Polyglot Skills: Having at least one or two extra programming languages under your belt (Python, C#, etc.) to assist in automation or tooling.

Stellar Entertainment is committed to being an industry-leading employer. We provide a package that respects your expertise and supports your lifestyle.

Work-Life Harmony

• Flexible/Hybrid Model: While we love seeing our team in the Guildford office, we are happy to discuss bespoke hybrid or remote arrangements for this Principal-level role.
• Christmas Shutdown: We close our doors during the festive period to ensure every team member can disconnect and recharge.
• Increasing Holidays: Your holiday allowance grows with your tenure at the studio, rewarding your commitment to our vision.

Health & Well-being

• Premium Healthcare: Private Healthcare Plan covering dental, optical, and mental health support.
• Digital Health: Access to an online GP service for you and your family for immediate peace of mind.
• Security: Comprehensive Life Assurance and a solid Pension Plan.
• Wellness Perks: Free flu jab vouchers and regular wellness-focused initiatives.

Professional Growth & Social

• Cutting-Edge Hardware: You will work with the latest dev kits and high-end workstations.
• Social Events: Regular team incentives, social gatherings, and a “well-stocked fridge and snack cupboard” that is the envy of the local development community.
• International Opportunities: Collaboration opportunities with our Utrecht office, fostering a truly global perspective on development.

Whether you join us in our Guildford office or work remotely from within the UK, you will be part of a prestigious community. Guildford is often referred to as the “Hollywood of Games,” and for good reason. It is a hub of creativity where industry legends rub shoulders with the next generation of talent. At Stellar, you get the best of both worlds: the agility of a focused studio and the resources of an international AAA powerhouse.