Who We Are
2K Games is headquartered in Novato, California and is a wholly owned label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO). Founded in 2005, 2K Games is a global video game company, publishing titles developed by some of the most influential game development studios in the world. Our studios responsible for developing 2K’s portfolio of world-class games across multiple platforms, include Visual Concepts, Firaxis, Hangar 13, CatDaddy, Cloud Chamber, 31st Union, and HB Studios. Our portfolio of titles is expanding due to our global strategic plan, building and acquiring exciting studios whose content continues to inspire all of us! 2K publishes titles in today’s most popular gaming genres, including sports, shooters, action, role-playing, strategy, casual, and family entertainment.
Located in Vancouver, BC, 2K Sports Lab is a small collective being formed within 2K Games that is driving the research and development of future sports interactive entertainment programs. Within this group, speculative work will be done on future sports games with an eye towards taking the magic of 2K’s publishing and development expertise and applying them to future opportunities.
Our team of engineers, marketers, artists, writers, data scientists, producers, thinkers and doers, are the professional publishing stewards of our growing library of critically-acclaimed franchises such as NBA 2K, 2K PGA, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, Lego Drive, BioShock, Borderlands, The Quarry, Mafia, Sid Meier’s Civilization, Marvel’s Midnight Suns, WWE 2K, and XCOM.
At 2K, we pride ourselves on creating an inclusive work environment, which means encouraging our teams to Come as You Are and do your best work! We encourage ALL applicants to explore our global positions, even if they don’t meet every requirement for the role. If you're interested in the job and think you have what it takes to work at 2K, we encourage you to apply!
What We Need
Can you craft emotion through light? Do you see lighting not just as realism but as a powerful narrative tool? We're looking for a Lead Lighter who brings both artistic vision and technical proficiency. Drawn to the challenge of storytelling through color, light, and shadow and love collaborating across teams this could be your next challenge.
What You’ll Do
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Define the lighting direction in tight-knit collaboration with the Art Director.
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Design and implement real-time lighting using Unreal Engine, balancing visual fidelity with performance.
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Turn concept art and mood boards into cinematic, atmospheric in-game lighting.
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Work with material, environment and technical artists to ensure assets respond appealingly and believably to light.
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Build lighting that supports gameplay, narrative, and atmosphere—not just physical accuracy.
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Guide and mentor other artists chipping in to lighting.
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Maintain visual consistency and clarity across the environments, promotional material and cinematics.
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Review and refine lighting pipelines and tools to support scalable workflows.
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Collaborate with the cinematic teams to build standout key art and sequences.
What Will Make You a Great Fit:
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You’ve shipped at least one AAA game or worked on a project with comparable scale and quality.
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Deep knowledge of real-time lighting in Unreal Engine
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Strong grasp of color theory, light behavior, and emotional tone.
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Deep understanding of real-world lighting principles, including the difference between luminance and illuminance, and how they apply in Unreal.
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Proven knowledge of exposure settings (aperture, ISO, shutter speed) and their impact on physically accurate lighting workflows.
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Skilled in interpreting mood boards, photography, and cinematic references.
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Collaborative attitude - you're used to working closely with engineers, artists, and tech teams.
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Clear communicator and thoughtful feedback-giver.
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A portfolio that showcases your range, quality, and storytelling through light.
As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to ensuring that qualified individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform their essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us if you need reasonable accommodation.
Please note that 2K Games and its studios never uses instant messaging apps or personal email accounts to contact prospective employees or conduct interviews and when emailing, only use 2K.com accounts.
The pay range for this position in British Columbia at the start of employment is expected to be between $96,400 and $142,660 per Year. However, base pay offered is based on market location, and may vary further depending on individualized factors for job candidates, such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and other objective business considerations. Subject to those same considerations, the total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, including a bonus and/or equity awards and eligibility to participate in our 401(K) plan and Employee Stock Purchase Program. Regular, full-time employees are also eligible for a range of benefits at the Company, including: medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance coverage; 14 paid holidays per calendar year; paid vacation time per calendar year (ranging from 15 to 25 days) or eligibility to participate in the Company’s discretionary time off program; up to 10 paid sick days per calendar year; paid parental and compassionate leave; wellbeing programs for mental health and other wellness support; family planning support through Maven; commuter benefits; and reimbursements for fitness-related expenses.
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