Visualizer

Role overview

BMW Group’s Designworks studio is seeking a Visualizer in Santa Monica, California. Designworks is BMW Group’s design innovation studio, known for helping shape forward-looking ideas in design, technology, and innovation. The team works across future-focused programs for BMW and select external partners, aiming to turn ambitious concepts into visual experiences that help define what comes next.

This position is suited to someone who is highly creative, works independently, and enjoys turning design intent into compelling visual stories. The role combines high-end visualization, storytelling, and emerging media to support design communication across multiple projects and teams.

What the role involves

The Visualizer will create photoreal, cinematic, and immersive visuals that communicate BMW’s design direction. Work will span visualization and storytelling technologies such as VR, AR, interactive visualization, and media production. The role requires regular collaboration with internal teams, BMW ED, outside experts, and global Designworks studios across BMW and third-party programs, including industrial design, UI, motion graphics, and related workstreams.

Applicants should be able to use sketches, storyboards, animatics, and previsualization tools to support communication. Strong capability in shaders, lighting, and environment building is important, along with the ability to manage multiple initiatives at once while staying aligned with design process and cross-functional partners.

The position also includes ownership of visualization workflows, co-developing narratives and storyboards with the Creative Director and Designer, and contributing to a shared asset and resource library. There is an expectation of ongoing exploration of new visualization technologies and a willingness to keep learning new tools. Over time, the role may grow toward art direction, and attendance at CGI and visualization conferences may be part of bringing new ideas back to the studio. The work will also involve partnering with CMF to document design intent for the digital CMF library and producing final media outputs such as still images, animations, and real-time renders with a focus on standout hero shots.

Qualifications and experience

Candidates should have a bachelor’s degree and 3 to 5 years of experience in visualization. The ideal person is a strong communicator, a collaborative teammate, a capable multitasker, and a steady problem solver who is motivated to keep learning and developing expertise in design visualization.

Technical knowledge should include Unreal Engine, Blender, and the use of AI within 3D workflows. Familiarity with VRED and other standard rendering and compositing tools such as Houdini, Cinema 4D, and TouchDesigner is also important. A strong aptitude for picking up new software, technologies, and workflows is expected.

Additional information

This position does not include relocation assistance. It is a hybrid role and requires regular office attendance. BMW states that applicants must already be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without present or future employer sponsorship. The company does not offer immigration-related support for this role, including H-1B, O-1, E-3, H-1B1, TN, F-1 OPT, F-1 STEM OPT, or F-1 CPT sponsorship now or in the future.

BMW Group in the United States is an equal opportunity employer and follows a policy of equal employment opportunity for all qualified individuals regardless of age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status. BMW also highlights its workplace values of Responsibility, Appreciation, Transparency, Trust, and Openness.

Compensation and benefits

The expected salary range for this full-time role is USD 104,519 to USD 135,260 per year. Final compensation will be determined based on education, skills, experience, and location, in line with applicable state and local pay disclosure requirements.

Benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage; a 401(k) plan with company match and a retirement income account; an employee vehicle program; bonus eligibility; paid parental leave; generous PTO and company-paid holidays; and voluntary benefits options.