We're seeking a Senior VFX Artist to join our team. As a senior, production-focused role, you'll create game-ready real-time VFX end-to-end: texturing/materials → particle effects → implementation in a proprietary or commercial engine.

Responsibilities

• Create custom real-time visual effects and implement them in engine (UE5, Unity, or proprietary).
• Create all necessary textures and materials; maintain clean, readable graphs and parameterization.
• Utilize additional software tools like Photoshop, Blender, Houdini, or Maya as needed.
• Understand complex material setups, blueprints, or scripting hooks; troubleshoot issues and partner with Tech Art/Engineering.
• Own optimization fundamentals: budgets, overdraw, particle counts, memory/perf constraints, and console targets.
• Set quality bar, provide clear reviews/paintovers, and guide VFX execution for small pods or strike teams.
• Proactively identify risks (missing hooks, perf spikes, unclear direction), propose solutions, and escalate early.
• Collaborate closely with Designers, Concept Artists, and the Art Director; partner with Tech Art/Engineering as needed.
• Support client-facing communication when required: clarify requirements, share WIP, and align on “definition of done.”
• Assign tasks, set short-term priorities, and maintain a healthy backlog.

Requirements

• Minimum 8-years of professional game industry experience with at least one shipped title.
• Proven end-to-end real-time VFX workflow experience working in-engine implementation in Unreal Engine 4 or 5 and Niagara.
• Strong particle animation fundamentals and shape language (readability, timing, impact).
• Strong material and texture creation skills in Photoshop and/or Substance Designer.
• Demonstrated optimization knowledge (particle counts, overdraw budgets, performance constraints).
• Leadership-level communication: clear written and verbal updates, actionable feedback, strong collaboration habits.
• Experience mentoring or leading other artists (formal lead role not required, but leadership behaviors are).
• Can work Central (CT) core hours with possible overlap hours with Pacific (PT) or Eastern (ET).
• Work options are flexible: remote / hybrid / onsite.

Nice-to-have

• Houdini experience.
• Substance Designer experience.
• EmberGen experience.
• Unity experience.
• Scripting or coding skills (C#, Python, etc.).
• 2D or 3D animation skills.
• Versatility across stylized and realistic work; foliage/atmospherics experience.
• Experience establishing VFX standards/pipeline (templates, naming, libraries, scalability rules).

Portfolio requirements

Your portfolio must include:

• Run-time VFX assets with strong readability and clearly understandable elements.
• Strong material definition and texture work (clean, readable, well-constructed).
• Evidence of fundamentals: composition, mood, readability, color choices, animation timing, and understanding of natural energies (fire, water, smoke, etc.).
• At least one example shown in a real-time context implemented in-game (video of the effect happening during gameplay).
• Bonus (strongly preferred): an example showing leadership impact—before/after mentorship, a small set of effects kept consistent across a style bar, or breakdowns/templates you built.

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90-day success looks like

Within your first 90 days, you'll learn a proprietary engine quickly and work effectively inside its constraints. You'll deliver a complete environment area (assets + assembly + materials) that matches concept and art direction. You'll do it with minimal supervision, asking smart questions early, and communicating progress clearly.

Day-to-day responsibilities

• Create custom environment assets and assemble environment areas (this is not primarily modular kit-building).
• Model and texture organic environment assets (rock walls, cliffs, tree roots, terrain-like forms) plus hard-surface props.
• Author high-quality materials in Substance 3D and apply them effectively in-engine.
• Understand shader concepts well enough to work within limits, troubleshoot issues, and collaborate with Tech Art/Engineering.
• Own optimization fundamentals: budgets, LODs, performance constraints, and console targets.
• Proactively problem-solve, communicate clearly, and contribute to a healthy team culture.
• Collaborate closely with the Environment Lead and Art Director; partner with Tech Art/Engineering as needed.

Requirements

• Minimum 2-years of professional game industry experience working in a stylized realism art style.
• Strong environment modeling skills in Maya and/or Blender experience.
• Strong material creation skills in Substance 3D and Zbrush.
• Proven end-to-end environment workflow experience (modeling through in-engine implementation in Unreal Engine 4 or 5).
• Demonstrated optimization knowledge (LODs, budgets, constraints).
• Clear written and verbal communication; strong collaboration habits.
• Can work Eastern (ET) core hours with possible overlap hours with Pacific (PT)
• Work options are flexible: remote / hybrid / onsite.

Nice-to-have

• Houdini experience.
• Technical art skills (tools, shader work, pipeline problem solving).
• Lighting skills (mood, readability, exposure discipline).
• Versatility across stylized and realistic work; foliage experience.

Portfolio requirements

Your portfolio must include:

• Organic environment assets (rocks/cliffs/roots/terrain-like forms) with strong forms and believable detail.
• Hard-surface environment assets (props/structures) with clean execution.
• Strong material definition and texture work (surface breakup, roughness/metalness control where applicable).
• Evidence of fundamentals: composition, mood, readability, lighting/color choices.
• At least one example shown in a real-time context (engine screenshots/video acceptable).

If your portfolio is mostly props, mostly modular kits, or mostly offline renders, this is probably not the right fit.

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