Sr. VFX Artist

At Blind Squirrel Games, making great games is only the beginning. Blind Squirrel Games is a proud, independent studio that joins forces with developers and publishers seeking an innovative partner in creating quality games. At BSG, our people are our purpose, so we prioritize an inquisitive, proactive, and collaborative work environment for all our Squirrels. Depending on the needs of the project, we operate as a hybrid-remote studio, allowing our developers the flexibility to crush milestone goals at the studio or within the comfort of their own home.

Blind Squirrel Games (BSG) is a proud, independent studio that joins forces with developers and publishers seeking an innovative partner in creating quality games. At BSG, people are our purpose, so we prioritize an inquisitive, proactive, and collaborative work environment for all our squirrels. We currently have studio locations in Irvine, California; Austin, Texas; and Auckland, New Zealand.

Skills and experience are highly valued at BSG, but we recognize that talent is a product of hard-work, resilience, and a growth-mindset. We champion individuals who have demonstrated they have the grit necessary to overcome challenges and subscribe to the notion that inclusion breeds synergy and innovation. To us, diversity isn"t a metric—it"s a must!

This is a full-time hybrid position based in either Irvine, CA, or Austin, TX with an onsite requirement of three days per week.

The salary range being considered for this role is $93,000-$110,000. The specified salary range pertains to Southern California, and the actual amounts may differ based on experience, performance, and location. These salary ranges do not apply to locations outside the United States.

Senior VFX Artists at BSG…

You have a deep understanding of the VFX art pipeline, complemented by a refined skillset, honed through experience on numerous AAA titles. You"re recognized as a dependable developer with the insight to know when to seek feedback. You welcome challenges, setting high standards for yourself and delivering high-quality work consistently.

While your influence is vital to the department"s success and you provide mentorship to junior developers, creating visual effects remains your core focus. You excel in independent work but also value collaboration through teamwork.

Role and Responsibilities

Blind Squirrel Games (BSG) is looking for a Senior VFX Artist to join our team for an upcoming project!

Supported by the Art Director and project Leads, the Senior VFX Artist will work alongside other talented artists and developers to ensure visual effects enhance the gameplay experience and meet technical requirements.

As a Senior VFX Artist at BSG, you will contribute to the project by designing, creating, and implementing AAA-quality visual effects using a blend of particles, animation, materials, sprites, custom shaders, and more. You will also be responsible for optimizing these effects to meet performance requirements and for helping mentor junior artists.

The ideal candidate for this role has extensive experience in creating real-time VFX for action-adventure games and can translate a thorough understanding of UE4 (Cascade or Niagra) into visually stunning effects that meet project expectations and deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Design, create, and implement AAA-quality visual effects using particles, animation, materials, sprites, custom shaders, and more.
• Work closely with all departments to ensure that art direction, gameplay, and technical requirements are met.
• Rapidly prototype, iterate, and refine visual effects based on feedback from stakeholders.
• Implement dynamic lighting solutions to enhance gameplay clarity and visual storytelling.
• Create and apply high-quality textures and shaders to VFX assets.
• Model and sculpt VFX assets with attention to detail and topology optimization.
• Implement post-processing effects such as depth of field, motion blur, and color grading.
• Profile and analyze performance metrics of VFX assets and effects, identifying and addressing performance bottlenecks.
• Rig and animate VFX assets for dynamic movement and interaction with the game world.
• Create and simulate realistic physics interactions for VFX assets and environmental elements.
• Optimize VFX assets for memory footprint, disk space usage, and runtime performance.
• Help maintain organization of VFX assets, ensuring they are properly versioned, cataloged, and stored in the asset repository.
• Document VFX processes, workflows, and technical specifications.
• Mentor and guide junior VFX artists, providing feedback and helping them grow their skills.

Qualifications and Education Requirements

Preferred Skills

Blind Squirrel Entertainment, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable law, and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability. Eligibility to participate in benefits and perks may vary depending on position term and location.

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Salary : $93,000 - $110,000