Industrial Light & Magic Modeling Artist Intern

About the Role & Program:

We’re on a mission: building the future. We’re working in this crazy-fun, hybridized fusion of entertainment where exceptionally high-end (previously pre-rendered) environment art meets interactive, immersive stories. That spectacular mash-up results in unparalleled real-time worlds where we endeavor to raise the bar for experiences and visuals as high as possible. As if making compelling movies and games wasn’t hard enough in isolation! Don’t get us wrong, we’re not complaining about the challenges. That’s literally why we come to work: It is our great fortune to stand at the crossroads - unconstrained by a specific title or universe - in a collaborative, highly creative, and highly technical work environment. If that sounds interesting, jump in.  

ILM Immersive produces premium, story-based immersive entertainment experiences for the following real-time rendered platforms: Immersive Cinema, Virtual Reality, Mixed Reality, Theme Parks & New Media.  The ILM Immersive Environment Art Intern will utilize fine art and technical art skills to contribute to the production of experiences by creating environment, prop, and VFX assets and supporting technical pipeline segments (asset cleanup, file management, tools scripting) while learning the unique workflow of creating content for emerging platforms. 

What You Will Do:

On any given day, you might:

• Help process/optimize art assets for efficient use in game engine. 
• Under the supervision of asset artists: create models, textures, material setups/UV layouts, and some look development for characters, environments, and/or prop assets, including LODs. 
• Learn real-time art workflow in the immersive experience production context. 
• Learn features/functions in Unreal Engine 5 and third-party tools.  Create art examples using these tools and create compelling presentations showing findings and results. 
• Setting up and organizing project files, including cleaning up references and folders to comply with established protocols. 
• Under the supervision of senior artists, gain experience in: 
  • Unreal 5 plug-ins 
  • Shaders 
  • Immersive development workflows 

Required Qualifications & Skills:

Please apply if you have:

• Traditional art (composition, drawing, sketching, and color theory) and technical art (CG modeling, texturing, surfacing, animation, lighting, VFX) training. 
• Experience working in a game engine, Unreal Engine 5 preferred. 
• Basic knowledge of version control systems, Perforce preferred. 
• Ability to translate 2D concept art into 3D objects with accuracy. 
• Competence with one or more 3D graphics applications (Maya, 3Ds Max, Blender) 

Preferred Qualifications & Skills:

It would also be great if you have/are familiar with:

• CG generalist-type education, with a solid understanding of all game development disciplines. 
• Working knowledge of the following applications: 
  • Z-Brush 
  • Unreal Engine 5 
  • Perforce 
  • Substance Designer/Painter 
  • JIRA 
  • Confluence 
• SCRUM/Agile understanding is helpful 
• Passion for playing and making games; experience or interest in VR and AR VFX production/ pipeline experience 

Education:

• Junior or Senior year preferred
• Currently pursuing a bachelor’s with a major in Computer Science, Digital Art, Game Design & Development, Animation, or a related major.

Eligibility Requirements & Program Information:

• Be enrolled in an accredited college/university pursuing a degree, taking at least one class in the semester/quarter (spring/fall) prior to participation in the internship program AND returning to school the semester/quarter following the internship OR currently participating in a Disney College Program or Disney Internship.
• Be at least 18 years of age
• Possess unrestricted work authorization

Additional Information:

• Fully available for the entire program duration: May/June - August/September 2025 (12 weeks) from Monday through Friday.
• Able to provide own housing for the internship program duration in San Francisco, CA.
• Able to provide/have reliable transportation to/from work.
• Have not completed one year of continual employment on a Disney internship or Disney College Program.