Environment Art Supervisor - Expression of Interest

Job ID 10129960 Location San Francisco, California, United States Business Industrial Light & Magic Date posted Aug. 22, 2025

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Job Summary:

ILM builds immersive experiences for Virtual and Augmented Reality and other emerging platforms. Our mission is to tell stories in new ways that leverage real-time graphics on ultra high-end hardware. We combine techniques from film VFX production with techniques from the video game industry to produce real-time experiences of the highest fidelity.

We are looking for a real-time Environment Art Supervisor to lead a team of Environment Artists in creating visually stunning and technically performant characters that support the storytelling, animation and interactivity that make our experiences feel truly immersive.

This role is considered Hybrid, which means the employee will work 2-3 days onsite at our San Francisco office and occasionally from home.

What You'll Do

Manage a team of Environment Artists to accomplish ILM’s mission. Develop and hone the team’s skills to continuously raise the quality bar.
Set the discipline’s standard for artistic and technical excellence, efficiency and performance by creating exemplary environment art assets that meet project requirements, and providing training and guidance to artists.
Work closely with artistic directors, cross-functional peers and project leadership to develop and drive the look of our experiences to support story, art direction and interactivity objectives. Be accountable for the team’s capability to translate concept artwork into high fidelity, dynamic environments that are performant in-engine and enhance the player experience.
Oversee the optimization of assets to achieve optimal scene performance in the 3D engine.
Collaborate with Talent Managers to inform talent planning, provide guidance on casting assignments, and offer feedback to contribute to artist growth, skill development, and career goals. Partner with Talent Management and Recruiting on staffing needs and contribute to the evaluation of potential third-party production partners, working with new vendors to define and implement effective workflows.
Work with Producers in the planning stages of proposed projects to advise on the scope of the work and make recommendations accordingly.
Establish process and workflow for the discipline, and collaborate with other discipline supervisors to establish cross-functional workflow with other disciplines.
Establish standards for managing how art direction and detailed feedback are given to external art vendors, and own quality control of incoming assets.
Through continuing hands-on creation of environment art on projects, maintain deep knowledge and user experience on workflow and tools. Innovate discipline workflow and keep up to date on new tools/applications/trends in the industry.
Set the cultural tone & reinforce positive behavior within your group. Work with studio leadership to define and continually refine and shape the team culture.
Define the discipline’s ‘Lead Artist’ project role per project. Help project leads solve scope, workflow, etc. issues throughout the project as needed.
Speak on behalf of the discipline in technology development discussions to ensure that new development aligns with the discipline’s strategy and workflow.

What We're Looking For

Undergraduate or graduate degree in game development, digital art, computer graphics, game design, or related field or equivalent experience.
Minimum of 10 years experience in game development designing, modeling, and texturing 3D assets on multiple shipped AAA titles.
Minimum of 3 shipped titles as a Senior level artist or higher.
Proficiency in major 2D (Photoshop) and 3D computer graphics software applications (Maya/3Ds Max, Zbrush/Mudbox, etc.)
Experience with Substance Designer/Painter, Mari, WorldMachine, Quixel
Demonstrated success leading a team of artists on projects
Extensive experience working with Unreal 3 or 4, including terrain / landscape editing, level streaming set-up and implementation.
Exceptional understanding of form, shape, structure, and silhouette in regard to modeling.
Excellent eye for light, shade, color, and detail in creating texture maps of different material types
Strong paint skills, multi-layered materials and effective texture layout.
Mastery of PBR workflow, materials and lighting.
Ability to switch between a wide range of styles.
Experience with source control via Perforce or equivalent.
Collaborative, team-player attitude: open & receptive to new ideas, constructive criticism, artistic direction and changes.
Passion for real-time graphics and emerging platforms (VR, AR, etc).
Experience managing outsourced work

Nice to Have

Knowledge of 2.5D projections and associated pipelines
Experience working with photogrammetry
Experience with Unity, FrostEd, Hammer, Radiant or other level editing tools
Able to create stylized concept art and illustration
An appreciation for source control

* A portfolio / reel submission - including a detailed breakdown of your work in each section - is required with all applications.

The hiring range for this position in San Francisco, CA is $142,900 to $187,500 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.

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About Industrial Light & Magic:

Founded in 1975 by George Lucas, ILM is the leading effects facility in the world, serving the motion picture, commercial production, and attraction industries. ILM has created visual effects for over 325 feature films and has played a key role in seven of the top 10 worldwide box-office hits of all time and has contributed to 25 of the top 50. ILM has set the standard for visual effects, creating some of the most stunning images in the history of film. At the forefront of the digital revolution, the company continues to break new ground in visual effects, VR, AR, and Immersive Cinema.

About The Walt Disney Company:

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise that includes three core business segments: Disney Entertainment, ESPN, and Disney Experiences. From humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to its preeminent name in the entertainment industry today, Disney proudly continues its legacy of creating world-class stories and experiences for every member of the family. Disney’s stories, characters and experiences reach consumers and guests from every corner of the globe. With operations in more than 40 countries, our employees and cast members work together to create entertainment experiences that are both universally and locally cherished.

This position is with LECL VFX Inc Payroll Svc, which is part of a business we call Industrial Light & Magic.

LECL VFX Inc Payroll Svc is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military or veteran status, medical condition, genetic information or disability, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state or local law. Disney champions a business environment where ideas and decisions from all people help us grow, innovate, create the best stories and be relevant in a constantly evolving world.

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