Deck13 Interactive is hiring Senior Lighting Artist

At Deck
13 Interactive
, we believe that lighting is the silent narrator of a video game. It is the bridge between a static environment and an emotional experience. From the claustrophobic, flickering corridors of The Surge to the epic, sun-drenched ruins of Atlas Fallen, our lighting artists are responsible for defining the soul of our titles.

As a Senior Lighting Artist
, you are a master of atmosphere. You understand that “realism” is often secondary to “mood.” Your quest is to use light, shadow, and color to guide the player’s eye, highlight the path forward, and evoke a sense of wonder or dread. Joining our team of 100 creators in the heart of Frankfurt, you will help us push the technical and artistic boundaries of Unreal Engine 5 to create the next generation of unforgettable gaming experiences.

Studio Name Deck
13 Interactive GmbH

Seniority Level Senior (5+ Years Experience)

Primary Tech Stack Unreal Engine 5 (Lumen, Nanite, Blueprints)

Work Model Hybrid (Frankfurt Office) or 100% Remote (within Germany)

The figures below represent estimated industry standards for the Frankfurt region for senior-level artistic roles within AA/AAA development.

Position Tier Annual Base Salary (Est.) Monthly Net (Approx. Class I)

Net salary varies based on German tax class and health insurance selections.

Your role is holistic. You aren’t just placing lights; you are crafting a visual language that communicates directly with the player.

You will create dramatic and atmospheric lighting setups where the primary focus is conveying a specific mood. You will balance the “Rule of Cool” with technical logic, ensuring that the artistic vision remains front and center. This involves managing Global Illumination, local light sources, and post-processing effects to achieve a cohesive look.

A great lighting artist looks at the “big picture.” You will work on level geometry and skyboxes when required to ensure consistency across various game regions. You are responsible for ensuring the transition from an interior dungeon to an expansive outdoor world feels natural yet visually striking.

Unreal Engine 5 offers incredible power, but with great power comes the need for optimization. You will balance visual fidelity with frame-rate targets. You’ll find smart, efficient ways to achieve high-end visuals without overtaxing the hardware, working within the constraints of console and PC specifications.

You will sit at the intersection of several departments:

• Environment Art: To ensure textures and materials react correctly to light.
• Game Design: To ensure critical paths and interactable objects are legible through lighting.
• VFX: To synchronize environmental lighting with explosive effects or magic abilities.
• Engineering: To help document and refine the lighting pipeline for better studio efficiency.

We value your artistic potential as much as your technical history. If you are a lighting wizard who doesn’t check every single box but has a portfolio that speaks volumes, we want to see it.

• Experience: 5+ years in game development with a specific focus on lighting. You should have at least one shipped title under your belt (PC or Console).
• Technical Mastery: Deep knowledge of Unreal Engine 5 lighting tools. You should be familiar with Lumen, baked lighting workflows, and Blueprints for dynamic lighting events.
• P  Workflow: A solid understanding of Physically Based Rendering (P ) and how light interacts with different surface properties.
• Artistic Eye: A mastery of color theory, composition, and “cinematic” lighting. You can tell a story using only the contrast between light and shadow.
• Mindset: A…