Let’s work together ❤️

HIRING for:

Lead Unreal Technical Artist
(DEFENSE Focus)

ABOUT THEORY

We’re a high-end immersive studio blending storytelling and technology to bring life to major theme park projects, virtual reality games, and defense training products. We thrive on turning imagination into real-time wonder. We have a need for an upcoming role for a Lead Unreal Technical Artist on our Defense team.

  • Location:

    • At this time we have a strong preference for Central Florida candidates.

      • Work from home, with weekly onsite meetings (Orlando).

      • Generally bi-monthly travel to government locations.

      • We do not offer relocation at this time.

    • Due to the nature of our projects, U.S. Citizenship is a requirement.

    • A candidate must complete a background check for employment purposes and an I-9 verification to confirm their identity and work authorization in the United States.

  • Type: Salaried.

  • Experience Level: A preference for Lead, Mid or Senior.

  • Start Date: January 2026.

  • Pay Range: $90,000 – $110,000 annually, based on experience and qualifications.

  • Benefits:

    • Health, Dental & 401K offered.

    • We are a Remote/WFH first studio.

      • However this position requires weekly travel to our collaboration space, or government client space.

    • Accruable PTO & Sick-time.

    • Paid Studio shutdowns twice a year.

What You’ll Do:

We are seeking a highly skilled Unreal Technical Artist to join our Defense Division, focusing on our military training simulation projects. You will be our liaison and leader for all things Unreal technical art related, including but not limited to: sourcing CG assets & ingesting CG assets into engine; building materials & shaders; checking and optimizing the project for performance; and using tools like Nanite, Procedural Content Generation & open-source terrain data to build real-world terrains into Unreal Engine.

You’ll collaborate with designers, engineers, and defense subject matter experts to build realistic, responsive environments. This position blends technical problem-solving with creative artistry, ensuring our training scenarios are both accurate and immersive.

Responsibilities include:

  • Be our team lead for all things Technical Art related for an exciting new Defense project.

  • Work with your Project Manager to ensure deadlines are being met and our quality bar is kept high.

  • Investigate sources, advise, and ingest geospatial data (such as USGS, Cesium, and similar sources) into Unreal Engine 5 to generate accurate, real-world maps.

    • Unreal Engine 5 experience is a hard requirement. At this time we are not considering Unity applicants.

  • Develop landscape materials to colorize and materialize terrain with photo-accurate results.

  • Adjust and refine landscapes as needed while maintaining geographic fidelity.

  • Source high-quality environmental assets to populate and enhance terrain.

  • Use Procedural Content Generation (PCG) techniques to enrich environments with natural detail.

  • Build and implement physics materials for realistic vehicle interactions and surface behaviors.

  • Ingest assets into Unreal Engine from our CG Art Assets team.

  • Build materials and shaders as needed for CG Art Assets.

  • Ensure Art Assets, Lighting and Terrain are performant in Unreal Engine for a VR training scenario.

  • Work closely with external partners and our defense clients to ensure project requirements are met.

  • Stay up to date with emerging technical art workflows, Unreal Engine updates, and simulation technologies.

What We’re Looking For:

  • A strong leader who can collaborate with various stakeholders and communicate effectively.

  • Proven expertise with Unreal Engine 5, particularly in technical art and environment work.

  • Experience modeling and texturing in Autodesk Maya, Blender or similar DCC software.

  • Knowledge of Unreal Engine performance measuring tools like Timing Insights or external tools like RenderDoc.

  • Working knowledge of geospatial data from sources like USGS or Cesium.

  • Strong understanding of Unreal materials, Landscape Materials, splat maps, and dynamic terrain painting.

  • Familiarity with Procedural Content Generation (PCG), Physics Materials, Nanite, and Rendering pipelines in Unreal (Forward or Deferred).

  • Solid technical art skills, including optimization and debugging.

  • Excellent problem-solving skills with a balance of technical precision and creative flexibility.

  • ⚠️ Please note: this is not an Environment Artist position. We are not seeking candidates who can 3D model CG environments.

Bonus:

  • Prior experience on defense-related projects.

  • Knowledge of XR training workflows, including hardware like the Meta Quest, Varjo, or HTC Vive product line.

  • Knowledge of Blender a big plus, as we are Blender-first studio.

Why Join Us?

  • Work with an Emmy-nominated team of artists, engineers, and innovators.

  • Help define the next generation of VR defense training.

  • We believe in “Give us your best 40” and work hard to avoid crunch time.

  • Competitive salary and benefits, including health and dental coverage.

Theory Studios is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability status, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.

Send your resume, and a few words about your favorite past project, we’d love to hear from you. Please apply below.