Principal Rendering Engineer

Are you an experienced Principal Rendering Engineer ready to shape the visual future of AAA games? This is an opportunity to join an established game development studio working on an ambitious, unannounced AAA project, where quality, performance, and player experience sit at the heart of everything being built.Based within leading European game development hubs, this role offers the chance to push rendering and graphics technology to the next level while collaborating with highly skilled engineers, artists, and technical artists.About the role...As a Principal Rendering Engineer, you will work closely with technical leadership and the wider engineering team to design, implement, and optimise rendering and graphics systems across AAA projects. You will play a key role in defining visual direction, advancing rendering technology, and ensuring outstanding performance across platforms.This position combines hands-on technical leadership with deep collaboration across art and engineering, helping deliver visually stunning, immersive experiences that inspire players.What you'll be doing:Design, develop, and optimise advanced real-time rendering featuresImplement and refine shaders, lighting systems, and material workflowsCollaborate closely with artists and technical artists to achieve exceptional visual qualityOptimise rendering performance, memory usage, and scalabilityMaintain and evolve the studio’s rendering pipeline and graphics architectureResearch, prototype, and integrate cutting-edge rendering techniquesProvide technical leadership, guidance, and mentorship to the engineering teamWhat we're looking for:Significant professional experience in real-time rendering and graphics programmingStrong proficiency in C++ and shader languages such as HLSL or GLSLDeep understanding of modern rendering algorithms and techniquesExperience working with Unreal Engine or comparable modern game enginesProven experience profiling and optimising performance and memory usageExcellent problem-solving, debugging, and analytical skillsStrong communication skills and ability to collaborate across disciplinesExperience shipping AAA titles is highly desirableNice to have:Experience with additional programming or scripting languagesBackground in large-scale, real-time, or multiplayer game developmentLocation and working model:Hybrid working with a minimum of three days per week on siteStudio locations in the UK and the Netherlands, with collaboration across bothWhat's on offer:Opportunity to work on international AAA game projectsAccess to cutting-edge development hardware and toolsFlexible and hybrid working arrangementsEnhanced holiday allowance including a Christmas shutdownDiscretionary bonus schemePrivate healthcare including dental, optical, mental health support, and online GP accessPension and life assurance schemesRegular team incentives and social eventsModern studio environment with well-stocked communal spacesIf you’re a senior graphics specialist who wants to influence the visual identity and technical direction of AAA games, we’d love to hear from you. Apply now, or email Ryan Templeman - rt@skillsearch.comYears of experience and salary levels are shown purely as a guide. We will only consider applications from candidates that can demonstrate the skills or experience required for the role.Please be aware that while we would love to respond to every application we receive, due to high numbers we cannot guarantee this. We do however appreciate any time you invest into the application and will make sure to get in touch should anything in future more closely fit your skillset.