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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Graphics Engineer Assistant

💰 $ - $

EngineeringTechnologyGamingSoftware Development

🎯 Role Definition

This role requires a motivated and talented Graphics Engineer Assistant to join our core technology team. In this role, you will be instrumental in supporting the development and optimization of our real-time rendering pipeline. You will work under the guidance of senior engineers to implement new graphical features, debug visual artifacts, and ensure our applications deliver a visually stunning and high-performance experience across all target platforms. The ideal candidate is a passionate problem-solver with a strong foundation in C++ and 3D math, eager to grow their skills in the exciting field of computer graphics.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Computer Science Graduate (with a graphics focus)
  • Graphics Programming Intern
  • Junior Software Engineer

Advancement To:

  • Graphics Engineer
  • Rendering Engineer
  • Senior Graphics Engineer

Lateral Moves:

  • Engine Tools Programmer
  • Technical Artist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Assist in the design, implementation, and maintenance of real-time rendering systems and graphics-related features within our proprietary engine.
  • Develop, optimize, and debug custom shaders using HLSL or GLSL to achieve specific visual effects and enhance material fidelity.
  • Profile and analyze GPU performance across multiple platforms (PC, consoles, mobile), identifying and addressing bottlenecks to meet frame rate targets.
  • Implement and support various rendering techniques, such as PBR lighting models, advanced shadow rendering, post-processing effects, and particle systems.
  • Work directly with low-level graphics APIs like DirectX 12, Vulkan, or Metal to harness the full power of modern GPU hardware under senior guidance.
  • Investigate, diagnose, and resolve complex rendering artifacts, visual bugs, and performance issues reported by QA and the art team.
  • Contribute to the development and extension of graphics-related tools and workflows to improve artist and developer efficiency.
  • Research and prototype new and emerging real-time graphics technologies and algorithms to inform future technical direction.
  • Maintain and improve the existing graphics codebase, focusing on readability, stability, memory usage, and performance.
  • Manage and debug graphics memory usage to prevent crashes and ensure stable operation on memory-constrained platforms like consoles.
  • Implement support for new hardware features, such as ray tracing or variable rate shading, under the supervision of the lead graphics engineer.
  • Create and maintain small-scale test applications to isolate, reproduce, and validate graphics features or bug fixes.
  • Translate visual concepts and mockups from the art department into tangible, real-time rendered scenes that match the artistic vision.
  • Assist in porting and optimizing the graphics pipeline and shader code for new console or hardware platforms.
  • Write clear, concise, and comprehensive technical documentation for newly developed graphics features, systems, and tools.

Secondary Functions

  • Collaborate closely with technical artists and content creators to understand their needs and provide performant, scalable graphics solutions.
  • Participate in regular code reviews to maintain high code quality standards and share knowledge across the engineering team.
  • Support the integration of third-party libraries and SDKs related to graphics and rendering, ensuring seamless functionality.
  • Engage with the broader engine team to understand how graphics systems interact with other engine components like physics, animation, and gameplay.
  • Provide technical support and guidance to content teams on the best practices for creating assets that are optimized for the rendering engine.
  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis related to rendering performance metrics.
  • Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap for performance capture and analysis.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements for performance dashboards.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Strong programming skills in modern C++ with a solid understanding of data structures and algorithms.
  • A robust foundation in 3D mathematics, including linear algebra, vector math, matrices, and quaternions.
  • Experience with or academic knowledge of at least one major graphics API (DirectX 11/12, Vulkan, OpenGL, or Metal).
  • Familiarity with shader programming languages, primarily HLSL or GLSL.
  • Understanding of the fundamental principles of a real-time rendering pipeline and GPU architecture.
  • Experience using GPU debugging and profiling tools (e.g., RenderDoc, PIX, NVIDIA Nsight, or similar).
  • Proficiency with version control systems, particularly Git or Perforce.
  • (Preferred) Experience working with game engines like Unreal Engine or Unity, either professionally or on personal projects.

Soft Skills

  • Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and debugging capabilities with a keen eye for detail.
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical colleagues.
  • A genuine passion for computer graphics and a proactive desire to learn and master new technologies and techniques.
  • Ability to work effectively as part of a collaborative team, accepting feedback and contributing to a positive work environment.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field or equivalent practical experience.

Preferred Education:

  • Master's Degree with a specialization in Computer Graphics or a related discipline.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Computer Science
  • Software Engineering
  • Game Development
  • Mathematics

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 0-2 years of experience in software development, including internships or significant personal projects in computer graphics.

Preferred:

  • At least one significant project (personal, academic, or professional) demonstrating practical knowledge of real-time 3D graphics programming.
  • A portfolio (e.g., GitHub) showcasing your graphics-related projects and C++ skills is highly desirable.
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