Technical Art Intern, Rendering - TFT - Summer 2025 (Remote)

As a Rendering Technical Artist Intern within the TFT Art team, you’ll help breathe life into the TFT universe. You’ll employ your knowledge of 3D content, materials, and lighting, to support TFT thematics and stylistic goals. You’ll author and shaders and materials to meet a variety of needs on TFT, and ensure artists are supported throughout each content development cycle.

As a Rendering TA Intern on Teamfight Tactics Core Tech, you’ll work with a variety of Art disciplines on the team, and help realize their visual goals through a mix of material support and content development strategies. You’ll support the overall TFT Set thematic development by creating new stylized materials that meet the specific needs of new TFT champions and environments. You’ll ensure the health and optimal performance of content through analysis and validation of that content, including your own shaders and materials. You’ll be reporting to the Technical Art Manager on TFT, and working closely with several other TAs on the team.

Responsibilities:

Collaborate directly with Art and Design disciplines to understand desired visual behaviors and translate them into specific visual outputs
Produce shaders and materials that help the team realize visual targets for environments, characters, VFX, and/or UI
Audit our material use on TFT to reduce redundant material behavior and unnecessary material implementations
Optimize 2D and 3D content as necessary to meet the technical requirements for TFT
Interface with producers and Art leads when assessing and completing tasks
Use your skills as a 3D generalist to improve, maintain and provide support for Art workflows on TFT

Required Qualifications:

Graduating in the 2026 calendar year
Available to work full-time hours for the 12 week internship duration
Eligible to work in the country that you reside in during this remote program
Minimum GPA of 2.5
Currently enrolled in a college, university or non-degree program
Real-time shading experience with GLSL, HLSL, or node-based material workflows

Desired Qualifications:

Experience with content creation tools, such as Maya, Photoshop, and/or Substance
Experience in game development using modern engines, such as Unity or Unreal
Understanding of 3D math and linear algebra
Experience creating and/or lighting 3D environments and characters
Experience creating bespoke materials for environments, characters, VFX, or UI
Exposure to shader performance fundamentals and engine profiling tools
Exposure to digital asset repositories, such as Perforce

For this role, you'll find success through craft expertise, a collaborative spirit, and decision-making that prioritizes the delight of players. We will be looking at your past studies, experience, and your personal relationship with games. If you embody player empathy and care about players' experiences, this could be your role!

General Portfolio Advice:

Please limit application submission to 1 role. You will automatically be considered for similar roles based on your portfolio
Online format is preferred (Artstation, personal websites, etc.)
If you have private work that is under NDA, please include the password in your application. Otherwise, we recommend you do not password protect your portfolio
Test that your Portfolio or reel is accessible. Please include access to your portfolio on your resume in addition to the application form in case the link breaks
Ensure your portfolio showcases your best work
Fan Art? Sure! It shows your versatility as it relates directly to our art style
Depending on the role, immersing yourself in the game to get the feel, tone and look can go a long way for your portfolio

Applications close Friday, January 10th, 2025 at 11:59pm PT

Our Perks:

Riot Internships are paid, and interns can also participate in our 401(k) plan. You can expect in-game perks, and the ability to participate in our Play Fund, so you can broaden and deepen your knowledge of our players and community through games. The University Programs team also invites you to intern focused events so you can connect with your fellow interns and Rioters to make the most out of your experience.

Riot Games fosters a player and workplace experience that values teamwork embodied by the Summoner's Code and Community Code. Our culture embraces differences as a strength, and our values are the guiding principles for how we approach work. We are committed to putting diversity and inclusion (D&I) at the center of everything we do, and promoting a fair and collaborative culture where Rioters treat one another with dignity and respect. We encourage you to read more about our value of thriving together and our ongoing work to build the most inclusive company in Gaming.

It’s our policy to provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and members of Riot Games, Inc. Riot Games makes reasonable accommodations for handicapped and disabled Rioters and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, handicap, veteran status, marital status, criminal history, or any other category protected by applicable federal and state law. We consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state and local law, including the California Fair Chance Act, the City of Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the Washington Fair Chance Act.

Per the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, the following core duties may create a basis for disqualifying candidates with relevant criminal histories:

Safeguarding confidential and sensitive Company data
Communication with others, including Rioters and third parties such as vendors, and/or players, including minors
Accessing Company assets, secure digital systems, and networks
Ensuring a safe interactive environment for players and other Rioters

These duties are directly related to essential operations, safety, trust, and compliance obligations within our organization. Please note that job duties may evolve based on business needs and additional responsibilities may be assigned as necessary to maintain operational efficiency and security.

(Remote Only) The hourly rate for this internship is USD $39.13 per hour.