UI Technical Artist

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UI Technical Artist

Company: Level

Location: Austin, Texas, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Art & Design / Technical Art

Date Posted: April 20, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Craft and implement high-fidelity, performant user interfaces for interactive learning experiences.

• Bridge the gap between design and engineering by translating visual concepts into functional, real-time UI systems.

• Author and maintain scalable UI design systems within Figma, leveraging advanced features for efficiency and consistency.

• Develop and optimize UI assets, including textures, materials, and shaders, for crisp and efficient rendering.

• Design compelling UI animations and transitions that enhance user engagement and provide clear feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is critical for ensuring the visual polish and technical performance of Level's learning platform. The "UI Technical Artist" title signifies a hybrid role requiring strong artistic sensibilities combined with technical implementation skills, particularly in real-time rendering environments like game engines. The emphasis on "learning technology" suggests the UI will need to be both engaging for students and functional for educators.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Author and maintain scalable UI systems in Figma, utilizing variables, design tokens, and shared libraries for a consistent design language.

• Create high-fidelity interactive prototypes within Figma to test user flows and gather feedback.

• Build and export production-ready UI textures, employing techniques such as 9-slicing and mip-mapping for optimal rendering and memory efficiency.

• Develop and iterate on UI materials and shaders to achieve specific visual styles and performance targets in the engine.

• Implement flexible and responsive UI layouts that adapt seamlessly across various screen resolutions and aspect ratios.

• Design and implement purposeful UI animations, including intros, transitions, and feedback states, to enhance user experience and communication.

• Collaborate closely with UI/UX designers, engineers, and art directors to ensure the successful implementation of UI elements.

• Troubleshoot and optimize UI performance issues to maintain a smooth and responsive user experience.

• Contribute to the evolution of UI style guides and best practices for the platform.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly indicate a need for someone who can execute on design specifications with a technical eye. The emphasis on Figma's advanced features suggests a mature design system is in place or being developed. The mention of "real-time in-engine implementation" points towards a Unity or Unreal Engine-like environment, or potentially a custom engine, where performance optimization is key.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• 2-5 years of professional experience in UI Technical Art, UI Engineering, or a closely related role, with a strong portfolio showcasing relevant projects.

Required Skills:

• Design Tooling Expertise: Deep, hands-on proficiency with Figma's advanced feature set, including variables, design tokens, shared library management, and high-fidelity prototyping.

• Rendering Knowledge: Solid understanding of UI rendering pipelines in real-time environments, including texture creation, export pipelines (e.g., DDS, PNG), 9-slicing, mip-mapping, and material/shader authoring.

• Motion Design Sensibility: Demonstrated ability to create clear, impactful, and personality-driven UI animations and transitions.

• Collaborative Mindset: Comfort working effectively with cross-functional teams (engineers, designers, art directors) to translate creative vision into technically sound solutions.

• Responsive UI Implementation: Experience designing and implementing UI layouts that adapt gracefully to different screen sizes and aspect ratios.

• Shader Development: Proficiency in authoring UI materials and shaders to achieve desired visual effects and performance.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience working with the Godot Engine.

• Familiarity with 3D modeling tools such as Blender or Maya.

• Hands-on experience with particle systems for UI effects.

• General coding proficiency in languages like GDScript, HLSL, or GLSL, enabling independent prototyping and troubleshooting.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Nice to Have" skills like Godot, 3D modeling, particle systems, and coding proficiency suggest that the ideal candidate will have a broad technical skillset that can extend beyond core UI implementation, potentially contributing to broader visual effects or engine-level tasks. The 2-5 year experience range aligns with a mid-level role, expecting solid foundational skills and some independent contribution.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Figma System Showcase: Demonstrate mastery of Figma, including examples of well-structured design systems, utilization of variables and design tokens, and sophisticated interactive prototypes.

• UI Texture & Material Examples: Showcase production-ready UI textures, highlighting techniques like 9-slicing and mip-mapping for efficiency. Include examples of UI materials and shaders developed for specific visual styles and performance targets.

• Responsive Layouts: Provide examples of UI implementations that adapt effectively across different resolutions and aspect ratios, illustrating flexibility and robustness.

• UI Animation Reel: A dedicated section or reel demonstrating purposeful UI motion design, including intros, transitions, and feedback animations that enhance user experience and clarity.

Process Documentation:

• Design-to-Implementation Workflow: Clearly articulate your process for taking a high-fidelity design from Figma (or similar) and translating it into a technically sound, performant implementation within a real-time engine.

• Optimization Strategies: Detail your approach to optimizing UI assets and shaders for runtime performance, including texture compression, shader complexity, and efficient layout management.

• System Scalability: Explain how you approach building UI systems that are scalable, maintainable, and easily updated by both designers and engineers.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a UI Technical Artist role, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to prove not just artistic talent but also technical execution and problem-solving capabilities. Emphasis should be placed on demonstrating the ability to create systems that are both visually appealing and technically efficient, directly impacting the user experience and development pipeline.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.

• Stock options or equity package.

• Generous paid time off (PTO) and holidays.

• Professional development budget for conferences, courses, and workshops.

• Opportunities for team-building events and social activities.

Working Hours:

• Standard 40 hours per week, with potential for flexibility depending on project needs and deadlines. The role is on-site, requiring consistent presence during core business hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on recent data for similar technical art and UI engineering roles in major tech hubs like Austin, Texas. Benefits are typical for a growth-stage tech company aiming to attract and retain talent in a competitive market. The on-site requirement is a key factor in the compensation expectation.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Learning Technology / EdTech

Company Size: While the exact size isn't specified, "Level is a learning technology company dedicated to helping students build real academic and life skills" and seeking a "UI Technical Artist" suggests a growing startup or mid-sized company focused on product development. This implies a dynamic, fast-paced environment where individual contributions have a significant impact.

Founded: The company description emphasizes a mission-driven approach to education, suggesting a culture that values impact, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Team Structure:

• The UI Technical Artist will likely be part of a larger Art or Engineering team, working closely with UI/UX Designers and Software Engineers.

• Reporting structure is expected to be to an Art Director, Lead Designer, or Engineering Manager, depending on the team's organization.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Utilizing user feedback and learning analytics to inform UI/UX decisions and iterative improvements.

• Agile Development: Employing agile methodologies for rapid iteration, testing, and deployment of new features and improvements.

• User-Centric Approach: Prioritizing the student and educator experience in all design and development efforts.

Company Website: https://www.level.me

📝 Enhancement Note: Level's mission to improve student learning suggests a culture focused on educational impact, innovation, and user experience. As a learning technology company, expect a blend of pedagogical principles and cutting-edge interactive design. The team structure likely fosters collaboration among diverse skill sets to achieve this mission.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Mid-Level UI Technical Artist. It requires a solid foundation of technical and artistic skills, the ability to work independently on defined tasks, and contribute to broader UI system development. The expectation is for someone who can take designs and implement them effectively, while also offering technical insights for optimization and future development.

Reporting Structure: The UI Technical Artist will likely report to a Lead UI/UX Designer, an Art Director, or a Lead Engineer. This structure allows for guidance from experienced professionals while providing autonomy in executing specific technical art tasks.

Operations Impact: The UI Technical Artist's impact is direct and significant on the end-user experience. By ensuring the UI is visually appealing, intuitive, and performs flawlessly, they directly contribute to student engagement, learning effectiveness, and overall product satisfaction. This role bridges the gap between creative vision and functional reality, making it crucial for product success.

Growth Opportunities:

• Technical Specialization: Deepen expertise in real-time rendering, shader development, engine-specific UI tools (like Godot), or advanced animation techniques.

• Lead/Senior Role: Progress to a Senior UI Technical Artist or Lead UI Engineer role, taking on more complex projects, mentoring junior team members, and influencing UI architecture.

• Cross-Disciplinary Skills: Develop skills in other areas of technical art or game development, such as VFX, 3D modeling, or engine programming, broadening career possibilities.

• Management Track: With experience and demonstrated leadership, potentially move into managing a UI art or technical art team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth path for a UI Technical Artist can lead to specialized technical mastery or broader artistic/engineering leadership. The mid-level designation suggests opportunities for mentorship and taking on more complex, impactful projects within Level's growing product suite.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site in Austin, Texas. This suggests a traditional office setting designed for in-person collaboration.

Office Location(s): Austin, Texas, a known hub for tech and creative industries, offering a vibrant work environment.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The on-site nature implies a workspace designed for team interaction, brainstorming, and direct communication with colleagues. Expect shared office spaces, meeting rooms, and potentially informal collaboration zones.

• Tools and Technology: Access to industry-standard hardware and software, including powerful workstations, multiple monitors, and licenses for Figma, potentially 3D software, and the company's chosen engine (e.g., Godot).

• Team Interaction: Daily opportunities to interact with designers, engineers, and other artists, fostering a strong sense of team cohesion and shared purpose.

Work Schedule:

• The standard 40-hour work week is expected, with the potential for some flexibility. However, the on-site requirement means consistent presence during core business hours is crucial for team collaboration and project continuity.

📝 Enhancement Note: An on-site role in Austin suggests a company that values in-person collaboration and team synergy. The workspace will likely be equipped to support creative and technical workflows, with an emphasis on facilitating communication and innovation among team members.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A brief call with a recruiter to assess basic qualifications, interest, and cultural fit.

• Technical Assessment/Portfolio Review: A detailed review of your portfolio by members of the art and/or engineering team. This will likely involve a discussion of your past projects, your design/technical process, and your problem-solving approach. Be prepared to walk through specific examples demonstrating your Figma skills, rendering knowledge, and animation work.

• Technical Interview: A session focused on your technical skills, including potential questions about shader logic, optimization techniques, and your understanding of real-time rendering. You might be asked to discuss how you'd approach specific UI challenges.

• Team/Cultural Fit Interview: A conversation with potential teammates and/or hiring managers to assess collaboration style, communication skills, and alignment with Level's mission and values.

• Final Interview: Potentially a discussion with a senior leader to finalize the decision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest, most relevant projects. Prioritize work that clearly demonstrates your Figma proficiency, real-time UI implementation skills, shader work, and animation.

• Showcase Process: For each project, clearly articulate your role, the problem you were solving, your process (from design to implementation), and the tools/techniques you used.

• Highlight Impact: Quantify your achievements where possible (e.g., "improved UI load times by X%", "created a scalable component system that reduced implementation time by Y%").

• Demonstrate Technical Artistry: Ensure your portfolio shows a balance of aesthetic appeal and technical execution. Showcase textures, shaders, and animations that are both beautiful and performant.

• Figma Mastery: Dedicate a section to your Figma expertise, showcasing design systems, variables, tokens, and interactive prototypes.

• Animation Reel: If applicable, include a dedicated reel for UI animations, clearly showing transitions, feedback, and flow.

Challenge Preparation:

• Figma Challenge: Be ready to discuss how you'd structure a design system in Figma for a specific feature, or how you'd implement a complex interactive element.

• Technical Problem-Solving: Prepare to discuss how you would approach optimizing a visually complex UI element or creating a specific shader effect.

• Collaboration Scenarios: Think about how you would communicate with engineers about technical constraints or with designers about design feasibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process emphasizes a strong portfolio review, indicating that practical demonstration of skills is key. Candidates should be prepared to articulate their technical process and problem-solving abilities in detail, especially concerning Figma, shaders, and real-time rendering.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: For UI design, prototyping, design system authoring (variables, design tokens, shared libraries).

• Game Engine (likely Godot): For UI implementation, material/shader application, and animation playback.

• 3D Modeling Software (e.g., Blender, Maya): For creating UI assets or elements that may incorporate 3D aspects.

• Image Editing Software (e.g., Photoshop, GIMP): For texture creation, editing, and optimization.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to this role's core function, but familiarity with project management tools (e.g., Jira, Asana) is common.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack is centered around design and implementation tools. Figma is explicitly mentioned as a core requirement. The "Nice to Have" for Godot engine suggests it's either the primary engine or a strong contender for their development. Proficiency with image editing and potentially 3D software is also expected for asset creation.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Impact-Driven Innovation: A commitment to leveraging technology to create meaningful learning experiences and improve educational outcomes.

• User-Centricity: Prioritizing the needs and experiences of students, educators, and parents in all product development.

• Collaboration and Openness: Fostering an environment where diverse perspectives are valued, and open communication is encouraged across teams.

• Continuous Learning & Improvement: A dedication to staying at the forefront of educational technology and interactive design, with a culture that supports professional growth.

• Craftsmanship and Polish: A high standard for the quality and execution of the product, ensuring that every element, including the UI, is polished and performant.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Synergy: Emphasis on seamless collaboration between Design, Engineering, and Art teams to ensure cohesive product development.

• Iterative Feedback Loops: Regular review sessions and feedback exchanges to refine designs and implementations.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging team members to share expertise, best practices, and learnings to collectively elevate the team's capabilities.

📝 Enhancement Note: Level's mission to "maximize their potential and live a life of meaning" suggests a culture that values purpose, growth, and positive impact. The team culture will likely reflect this by encouraging innovation, collaboration, and a high standard of quality in their work.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Fidelity and Performance: Continuously finding the right balance between visually rich, engaging UI elements and the need for efficient, real-time performance across various devices.

• Scalability of Design Systems: Ensuring that Figma-based design systems and implemented UI components remain scalable and maintainable as the product grows and evolves.

• Translating Complex Concepts: Effectively visualizing and implementing educational concepts and feedback mechanisms in an intuitive and engaging UI.

• Adapting to New Technologies: Staying current with advancements in UI design tools, rendering techniques, and game engine capabilities.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Shader Development: Opportunities to deepen expertise in shader languages (HLSL/GLSL) and create more complex visual effects for UI.

• Engine Specialization: Becoming a go-to expert for UI implementation within the company's chosen engine (e.g., Godot).

• Technical Art Skills Expansion: Learning or enhancing skills in 3D modeling, VFX, or procedural content generation for broader artistic contributions.

• Mentorship: Opportunities to mentor junior artists or engineers, and to be mentored by senior members of the art and engineering teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to the role of a UI Technical Artist in a product-focused tech company. The growth opportunities are geared towards deepening technical expertise and expanding the candidate's skillset within the interactive design and development space.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach building a scalable UI system in Figma for a new educational module, considering variable screen sizes and different user roles?" (Focus on design tokens, variables, and component structure.)

• "Describe a time you had to optimize a UI element for performance. What was the problem, what was your approach, and what were the results?" (Highlight problem-solving, technical understanding, and impact.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Level's mission to improve student learning through technology?" (Show genuine interest in EdTech and the company's purpose.)

• "How do you stay updated on the latest trends in UI design, technical art, and real-time rendering?" (Demonstrate a commitment to continuous learning.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Clarity: Organize your portfolio logically. Start with an overview of your role and impact, then dive into specific projects.

• Tell a Story: For each project, explain the "why" behind your design and technical decisions. What problem were you solving? What was the goal?

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (screenshots, videos, GIFs) extensively. For animations, a short reel is ideal. For Figma, showcase interactive prototypes.

• Technical Deep Dive: Be ready to explain the technical aspects of your work – shader logic, texture optimization, implementation details in the engine.

• Connect to Level: Where possible, subtly tie your experience and skills back to Level's mission and the requirements of the UI Technical Artist role.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a strong understanding of both design principles and technical implementation, with a particular emphasis on Figma, real-time rendering, and collaborative problem-solving. The ability to articulate one's process and impact is crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UI Technical Artist position:

• Submit your application through the provided application link.

• Craft a compelling resume: Tailor your resume to highlight your experience with UI design tools (especially Figma), real-time rendering, shader development, and animation. Use keywords from the job description.

• Prepare your portfolio: Ensure your portfolio is polished, easily navigable, and showcases your strongest, most relevant projects. Pay close attention to demonstrating your Figma system expertise, UI asset optimization, and animation work.

• Practice your portfolio walkthrough: Be ready to present 2-3 key projects in detail, explaining your process, technical approach, and impact.

• Research Level: Understand the company's mission, products, and target audience. Think about how your skills can contribute to their educational technology goals.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.