Expert VFX Artist

That's No Moon is seeking an Expert VFX Artist to create high-quality, detailed visual effects for AAA in-game and cinematic content using Unreal Engine. This role focuses on pushing the boundaries of grounded real-time VFX, including weapon effects and environmental atmospheres. As a top-level individual contributor, you will deliver world-class effects without management responsibilities, contributing to a culture of creativity and collaboration.

Must Have

• Produce photorealistic, performant, real-time visual effects (explosions, fire, weapon fire, smoke, clouds, debris, imagined substances) using Unreal Engine and simulation/procedural tools (Houdini/Embergen).
• Collaborate with Environment, Lighting, Animation, and Design teams to support artistic and gameplay VFX requirements.
• Research and implement new workflows, contributing to technical documentation.
• Ensure VFX assets are optimized for performance and within memory budgets.
• Work with Leads and Production to estimate, plan, and track VFX tasks for milestones.
• Proven experience creating realistic and compelling VFX for games.
• Proficiency with Unreal Engine.
• Strong understanding of in-game VFX performance, optimization, and memory budgets.
• Expertise in industry-standard VFX software (Houdini, 3ds Max, Maya, etc.).
• Knowledge of modeling, shading, and animation workflows.
• Strong understanding of PBR concepts and physics-based effects.
• A portfolio showcasing real-time FX work, preferably in a photorealistic style.
• 5 to 8 years of experience in VFX for games, visual effects, or film.

Good to Have

• Self-motivated and highly autonomous.
• Able to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team.
• Strong artistic eye for volume, energy, weight, density, and timing.
• Attention to dynamic aesthetics.

Perks & Benefits

• Medical benefits
• Dental benefits
• Vision benefits
• 401(k) match
• Flexible PTO
• Supplemental life and disability
• Equity
• Profit share

Responsibilities:

• Produce photorealistic, performant, real-time visual effects including explosions, fire, weapon fire, smoke, clouds, debris, and imagined substances using Unreal Engine and simulation/procedural tools such as Houdini/Embergen/etc.
• Collaborate with Environment, Lighting, Animation and Design to support both artistic and gameplay requirements for VFX across gameplay and cinematics.
• Research and implement new workflows, while contributing to technical documentation.
• Ensure VFX assets are optimized for performance and within memory budgets.
• Work with Leads and Production to estimate, plan, and track VFX tasks for upcoming milestones.

Requirements & Skills:

• Proven experience creating realistic and compelling VFX for games.
• Proficiency with Unreal Engine.
• Strong understanding of in-game VFX performance, optimization, and memory budgets.
• Expertise in industry-standard VFX software (Houdini, 3ds Max, Maya, etc.).
• Knowledge of modeling, shading, and animation workflows.
• Strong understanding of PBR concepts and physics-based effects.
• A portfolio showcasing real-time FX work, preferably in a photorealistic style.
• 5 to 8 years of experience in VFX for games, visual effects, or film.

Qualities:

• Self-motivated and highly autonomous, able to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team.
• Strong artistic eye for volume, energy, weight, density, and timing, with attention to dynamic aesthetics.