This position is for temporary engagement through our staffing partner, Yoh Enterprise Solutions. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States for this position.

This is a hybrid / onsite position.

For nearly 40 years, Naughty Dog has been crafting best-selling, critically acclaimed games that constantly push the boundaries of narrative, gameplay, and technology. Naughty Dog recently released The Last of Us Part II Remastered as well as a current generation remake of The Last of Us Part I for the PS5. We're also proud to say that The Last of Us Parts I and II are now available for the first time on PC. Currently, we’re busy at the kennel working on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, and we’d love to find talented individuals to join us.

Naughty Dog games have long been lauded for their evocative, character-driven stories and attention to detail. We are committed to innovation within our games and as such have curated some of the top creative and technically innovative minds in the industry. We welcome diverse candidates and believe that a broad range of cultural and life experiences contribute to the overall well-being and success of the studio and the titles we craft together.

As a Cinematic Lighting Artist, you will collaborate with concept artists, animators, VFX artists and fellow lighters to create visually spectacular and engaging cinematic sequences. You will be using our proprietary lighting tools to achieve captivating lighting schemes for characters and environments. As a part of the Naughty Dog legacy, you’ll become a part of continuing the development of extraordinary and enduring experiences for a broad, global range of audiences.

What you will do:

Develop lighting schemes for characters and environment working closely with Directors and the Concept Art team.

Collaborate with the Level Lighting team to establish smooth integration of in-game cinematics with gameplay.

Collaborate with multiple departments to determine that the in-game cinematics run within the memory budget without sacrificing the look.

Work with outsource vendors and lighting artists, collaborating on visual looks, tech, training, and workflows both giving and receiving feedback

Additional responsibilities may be assigned as needed

What skills you will use:

A minimum of 2 years’ experience in Games or Animation/VFX/Film

Has shipped a AAA game or equivalent

Excellent understanding of direct/indirect light, color-theory, exposure, contrast

Outstanding understanding of shading/materials and the relationship with lighting

Excellent artistic skills to interpret concept art and color keys to recreate the mood and atmosphere in a game environment

Demonstrated expertise in industry standard software such as Autodesk Maya

Excellent understanding of color grading with proficiency in industry standard software such as Nuke, Fusion, Resolve

Strong problem-solving skills and a dedicated attention to details

Excellent time management and organizational skills

Ability to work with minimal direction

Ability to work under pressure while completing time-sensitive projects

Bonus Skills: (Optional)

Experience with real time engines

Experience with generating light-maps, pre-lighting or baked lighting

Experience with scripting

As a part of the Naughty Dog application process, candidates will be expected to provide a portfolio or demo reel of their work and may be asked to complete an art test.

Please refer to our Candidate Privacy Notice for more information about how we process your personal information, and your data protection rights.

At SIE, we consider several factors when setting each role’s base pay range, including the competitive benchmarking data for the market and geographic location.

Please note that the base pay range may vary in line with our hybrid working policy and individual base pay will be determined based on job-related factors which may include knowledge, skills, experience, and location.

In addition, this role is eligible for SIE’s top-tier benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, matching 401(k), paid time off, wellness program and coveted employee discounts for Sony products. This role also may be eligible for a bonus package. Click here to learn more.

The estimated base pay range for this role is listed below.$57.98—$72 USD
Please note, Sony Interactive Entertainment conducts background checks at the offer stage for all new employees (which may include criminal background checks for some roles) and will need to process personal information to support these checks.

Please refer to our Candidate Privacy Notice for more information about what personal information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and your data protection rights.