Unreal Artist

About the Studio:

Squint/Opera is Journey's immersive design studio, bridging the digital and physical worlds through groundbreaking storytelling and emerging technologies such as Unreal Engine and virtual twins.

We're the innovators behind the Empire State Building Observatory's digital reinvention, creating over 40 unique exhibits that transform 10,000 square feet into an interactive journey through history and architecture. At Battersea Power Station, we designed Lift 109, an immersive ascent experience that melds cutting-edge animations, interactive elements, and spatial soundscapes to breathe new life into London's iconic landmark. For Qiddiya City, we pushed the boundaries of virtual production, crafting a revolutionary campaign that ignited global excitement for Saudi Arabia's visionary sports and entertainment mega-development.

We're at the forefront of a new era in experiential multidimensional design (MDX) and an integral part of Journey’s Experience Stack. Inspired by the concept of a tech stack, our Experience Stack draws on decades of cumulative expertise from our physical, lighting, live & immersive, and emerging technology studios to produce magical, meaningful, original work. This integration propels our partners into new realms of growth and delivers multidimensional experiences that are not just consumed but that are lived and felt through every dimension of human interaction.

About the Role:

Role Overview

A Real-Time Unreal Artist for the Built Environment (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction - AEC) is a specialized role that bridges the gap between traditional architectural design and high-end game engine technology.

Unlike a traditional "arch-viz" artist who produces static renders, a Real-Time Artist builds interactive, live-navigable worlds that allow stakeholders to walk through a building before a single brick is laid.

Key Responsibilities

• Work within a team of artists, producers, and leads, finding ways to improve the process, align on requirements, and have a solutions-based approach to problem-solving and production.

• Build out "built environment" contexts, including people, vehicles, urban surroundings, urban activation (coffee shops, stores, etc), sound layout, and realistic vegetation.

• Create real-time assets that are optimised for real-time experiences.

• Import and clean up complex geometry from Revit, Rhino, or 3ds Max using pipeline tools and workflows.

• Optimization: Implement LODs (Level of Detail), nanite geometry, and texture atlasing to ensure smooth frame rates (60+ FPS) on target hardware (PC, VR, or Pixel Streaming).

• Lighting: Master Lumen (real-time global illumination) and ray-tracing to simulate accurate sun studies and interior artificial lighting.

• Create high-quality, physically based rendering (PBR) materials that accurately represent glass, concrete, wood, and metal.

Candidate Skills & Qualifications:

Technical Skills

• Expert-level Unreal Engine 5 (Optimisation, Lumen, Nanite, PCG).

• Modeling/DCC: Proficiency in 3ds Max, Blender, Houdini or Maya.

• BIM/CAD Knowledge: Familiarity with Revit, Rhino, or SketchUp workflows.

• Adobe Substance 3D Painter/Designer and Quixel Mixer.

Professional Experience

• 3+ years of relevant experience with real-time 3D environments.

• 3–5+ years in architectural visualization or game environment art.

• A strong understanding of architectural scale, construction details, and "FF&E" (Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment).

• A "Real-Time Reel" showing interactive walkthroughs (not just static renders) is essential.

• Strong creative background

• Strong communication skills, keeping in touch with colleagues across multiple sites

• Able to confidently communicate creative needs to technical personnel and vice versa

• Passionate about real-time 3D, AR, VR, Games, Virtual Production

• Ability to understand conflicting viewpoints and resolve issues

• Approachable, flexible, adapts well to changing priorities

• Perseverance when faced with difficulties

Salary Pay Range
R420,000—R600,000 ZAR

About Journey:

Journey is a global design and innovation agency shaping the future through multidimensional experiences (MDX) that connect people, brands, and culture. Our layered MDX approach crafts story-driven, sensory-rich engagement across physical, immersive, digital, and virtual spaces—fuelled by creative and technological innovation. Born from a legacy of pioneering studios, Journey blends strategic thinking with deep creative expertise to deliver solutions across industries. Journey’s MDX approach fuels growth and forges lasting value for audiences and partners by creating cultural connections that resonate with impact.