Full-Time

Shader Technical Artist

Posted on 8/17/2026

31st Union

31st Union

201-500 employees

Multiplatform AAA game studio; free-to-play

Compensation Overview

$85.7k - $126.9k/yr

+ Bonus + Equity awards + 401(k) plan + Employee Stock Purchase Program

San Mateo, CA, USA

Hybrid

The posting includes onsite and hybrid indicators; the exact schedule is not specified.

Category
Art, Graphics & Animation (1)
Required Skills
Unreal Engine
Adobe Photoshop

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Requirements
  • Four years of experience or two or more shipped titles in a Technical Art role.
  • Proficiency in creating stylized and physically based rendering shaders using node-based shader editors, tiled layered material systems, shader networks, procedural texturing, and High-Level Shading Language code.
  • Understanding of the technical foundations behind textures and shaders in a physically based rendering pipeline.
  • Familiarity with Unreal Engine 5, Substance Designer, Substance Painter, Photoshop, modeling, baking, texturing, and asset creation pipelines.
  • Ability to communicate and collaborate across disciplines, share ideas, and articulate visions.
Responsibilities
  • Use Unreal Engine’s node-based shader graph and High-Level Shading Language, OpenGL Shading Language, and Cg shader code to craft and optimize shader and master materials for clean, efficient integration and user-friendly use by the materials team.
  • Collaborate with development teams to establish and uphold artistic and technical shader standards while advancing real-time rendering within performance constraints.
  • Help develop approaches to complex technical and creative challenges, create shaders and shading validation tools, and define shading standards.
  • Provide technical support to identify and resolve inefficient content pipelines, conduct performance profiling, and optimize shaders to improve visual fidelity and maintain desired frame rates.
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience with Unreal Engine’s node-based shader graph.
  • Strong understanding of console, PC, and mobile platforms and how to scale shaders to optimize them for each platform.

31st Union is a game development studio under the Take-Two Interactive publishing label that creates multiplatform AAA video games. It is developing Project ETHOS, a free-to-play third-person roguelike hero shooter, with monetization through in-game items. The team includes roles like Senior Animation Engineers and Senior Core Engineers to build high-performance animation systems and runtime solutions, and operates globally. The goal is to deliver engaging, globally accessible experiences that attract a large player base and sustain revenue through free-to-play models.

Company Size

201-500

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

San Mateo, California

Founded

2019

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Take-Two's July 2026 outlook lists Project ETHOS in active development.
  • 31st Union posted March 2026 jobs for UI, gameplay, rendering, and core engineers.
  • 31st Union's May 2026 concept-art update signaled renewed direction after playtest feedback.

What critics are saying

  • May 2026 layoffs shrank 31st Union, proving Project ETHOS remains structurally overstaffed.
  • 2024 playtests exposed weak identity; another rework can push launch beyond 2027.
  • If Project ETHOS misses differentiation again, 31st Union becomes an existential cost center.

What makes 31st Union unique

  • 31st Union spans San Mateo and Valencia, building one global AAA team.
  • Ben Brinkman, formerly Apex Legends executive producer, leads Project ETHOS reimagining.
  • Project ETHOS combines free-to-play, third-person hero-shooter, roguelike mechanics under 2K.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

Performance Bonus

Company Equity

401(k) Retirement Plan

Hybrid Work Options