Job Title : Lookdev Lead
About the role
- Own the quality and consistency of all shading and material work at HMX — across product photography, video and real-time 3D
- Build and lead a small team of Lookdev artists (starting at four, growing to twelve over roughly nine months)
- Define the HMX material standards, build and govern the shader library, and be the senior craft authority for Lighting, Modelling and Layout¸
- A founding, senior-visibility role with direct sponsorship from the Director of Production Operations
Attitude and fit
- You want a long-term home — we are building a function, not filling a gap
- You are comfortable being hands-on in the early phase and more managerial as the team grows
- You can hold a position without escalating conflict — this role sits between Photography, Video and Layout teams with historically different priorities
Location: HMX Pune studio (Balewadi) — on-site
Reports to: Director of Production Operations and Pune Managing Director
Experience
- 8+ years as a Lookdev, texturing or surfacing artist in a CGI, VFX, animation or product-visualisation studio
- 2+ years leading or mentoring other artists — formally or informally. We care more about evidence of having developed other artists skills than the exact title
Key responsibilities
- Define, document and enforce HMX's Lookdev standards — PBR baseline, material library governance, naming conventions, handoff with Modelling and Lighting
- Build and manage the Lookdev team: mentor artists, run internal training, review work
- Own the HMX material library — audit, consolidate and maintain across client portfolios
- Be the technical reference for material and CMF decisions with producers and the creative team
Essential skills
- Deep PBR fluency — albedo, roughness, metallic workflow, IOR, transmission, colour space (linear, sRGB, ACES). You can explain why a shader is wrong, not only adjust it until it looks right
- Rigorous UV layout and clean texturing discipline — non-negotiable for handoff quality and library consistency
- Fluent in Substance Painter and Substance Designer, comfortable building complex node-based shader networks
- Strong portfolio across multiple material categories — metals, plastics, glass, fabrics, painted surfaces, organic materials — with delivery into high-end product, advertising or video work
- Fluent professional English, written and spoken — you will work regularly with London-based producers and cross-disciplinary leads in Pune
Desirable skills
- Strong experience in a modern PBR-compatible renderer (Arnold, V-Ray, Redshift or similar); willingness to become fluent in HMX's stack in your first months
- Experience building and governing tileable textures and re-usable shader templates at scale — library versioning, cross-project reuse, naming discipline
Nice to have
- AxF, OpenPBR or MaterialX familiarity; experience with Katana, Solaris or Mari
- Automotive, consumer electronics or premium-brand product experience
- Working knowledge of Unreal or Unity for real-time material work
- Photography, materials science or traditional art background
Portfolio
Please submit a portfolio of shader and material work with breakdowns of at least one complex material (e.g. anisotropic metal, layered paint, woven fabric, multi-lobe glass). We want to see how you think about materials, not only the finished renders.
What HMX offers
- A founding role with a clear mandate and a defined path to Head of Lookdev as the function matures
- Full strategic support from the Director of Production Operations in building the function
- Exposure to major international brands across photography, video, 360 and real-time 3D
How to apply
CV and portfolio to HMX Pune HR, referencing Lookdev Lead.
Recruitment process: portfolio review → technical interview → practical shader assessment → final interview with Pune operations leadership.
About HMX
HMX Media Pvt. Ltd. is one of the fastest-growing CGI advertising studios, with a team of professionals, experienced artists and technologists who create engaging visual experiences for major international brands. We specialise in crafting immersive experiences that attract and hold audiences across platforms — through dynamic videos, striking photography and powerful real-time 3D interaction. Our Pune studio is our largest production base, working alongside London and Dubai to deliver CGI across photography, video, 360 and real-time 3D.
Website: www.hmxmedia.com
