Senior VFX Artist

1 Month ago • 5 Years + • VFX • $94,400 PA - $223,100 PA

Job Summary

Job Description

We are looking for a highly skilled and creative Senior VFX Artist to join our team in crafting high-fidelity, realistic visual effects for a next-generation AAA title. This role focuses on developing immersive real-time effects—from cinematic set-pieces to systemic gameplay feedback—using Unreal Engine 5, Niagara, and Houdini. The ideal candidate is fluent in both artistic expression and technical implementation, with a passion for realism, storytelling, and visual impact. Responsibilities include designing, prototyping, and implementing high-quality, realistic visual effects, building and optimizing real-time effects in UE5, creating advanced simulations in Houdini, and collaborating with various teams.
Must have:
  • 5+ years of professional VFX experience in games
  • Strong proficiency with Unreal Engine 5 (Niagara, Blueprints)
  • Solid experience with Houdini for FX simulations
  • Excellent artistic sense and technical understanding
  • Strong understanding of timing and visual rhythm
  • Familiarity with performance optimization
  • Ability to take ownership of complex visual systems
  • Self-motivated and collaborative with strong communication skills
Good to have:
  • Experience in Cinematic VFX
  • Knowledge of real-time lighting or shaders
  • Familiarity with FX-driven gameplay systems
  • Experience in scripting (Python, HLSL)
Perks:
  • Sign-on bonus
  • Relocation package
  • Restricted stock units
  • Medical, dental, vision, life and disability benefits
  • 401(k) plan
  • 15 to 25 days of vacation per year
  • 13 days of holidays
  • Up to 10 days of paid sick leave

Job Details

Business Unit

What the Role Entails

We are looking for a highly skilled and creative Senior VFX Artist to join our team in crafting high-fidelity, realistic visual effects for a next-generation AAA title. This role focuses on developing immersive real-time effects—from cinematic set-pieces to systemic gameplay feedback—using Unreal Engine 5, Niagara, and Houdini. The ideal candidate is fluent in both artistic expression and technical implementation, with a passion for realism, storytelling, and visual impact.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Design, prototype, and implement high-quality, realistic visual effects including but not limited to: explosions, smoke, fire, weather, debris, muzzle flashes, destruction, blood, embers, magic/tech FX, and environmental ambiance.
     
  • Build and optimize real-time effects in UE5 using Niagara, Material Editor, and Blueprints.
     
  • Create advanced simulations and procedural FX assets in Houdini, and integrate them seamlessly into UE5 pipelines.
     
  • Work closely with art directors, cinematic directors, and game designers to ensure visual effects enhance gameplay clarity, narrative tone, and player immersion.
     
  • Balance aesthetic fidelity with performance, ensuring effects run efficiently across platforms.
     
  • Collaborate with lighting, environment, animation, and audio teams to unify VFX timing, tone, and visual cohesion.
     
  • Troubleshoot and profile VFX performance issues across different game scenarios.
     
  • Document workflows and contribute to building scalable, reusable FX systems and libraries.
     
  • Mentor junior VFX artists and support team growth through feedback, best practices, and R&D.

Who We Look For

  • 5+ years of professional experience in VFX production for games, with at least one shipped realistic AAA game.
     
  • Strong proficiency with Unreal Engine 5, especially Niagara, VFX Blueprints, and Material systems.
     
  • Solid experience with Houdini, including FX simulations, procedural asset generation, and exporting to UE5.
     
  • Excellent artistic sense and technical understanding of real-world phenomena (e.g., fire, water, smoke, dust, impact, light interaction).
     
  • Strong understanding of timing, anticipation, visual rhythm, and motion to create impactful, readable FX.
     
  • Familiarity with performance optimization, LOD systems, memory/performance tradeoffs for real-time effects.
     
  • Ability to take ownership of complex visual systems and follow them through from concept to final polish.
     
  • Self-motivated, collaborative, with strong communication skills across disciplines.
     

Bonus:

  • Experience in Cinematic VFX and working alongside narrative or camera teams.
     
  • Knowledge of real-time lighting, shaders, or tech art support.
     
  • Familiarity with FX-driven gameplay systems (e.g. status effects, ability indicators, destructible systems).
     
  • Experience in scripting (Python, HLSL, or Niagara custom modules).

Location State(s)

US-California-Los Angeles

The expected base pay range for this position in the location(s) listed above is $94,400.00 to $223,100.00 per year. Actual pay may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Employees hired for this position may be eligible for a sign on payment, relocation package, and restricted stock units, which will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Subject to the terms and conditions of the plans in effect, hired applicants are also eligible for medical, dental, vision, life and disability benefits, and participation in the Company’s 401(k) plan. The Employee is also eligible for up to 15 to 25 days of vacation per year (depending on the employee’s tenure), up to 13 days of holidays throughout the calendar year, and up to 10 days of paid sick leave per year. Your benefits may be adjusted to reflect your location, employment status, duration of employment with the company, and position level. Benefits may also be pro-rated for those who start working during the calendar year.

Equal Employment Opportunity at Tencent

As an equal opportunity employer, we firmly believe that diverse voices fuel our innovation and allow us to better serve our users and the community. We foster an environment where every employee of Tencent feels supported and inspired to achieve individual and common goals.

Similar Jobs

Scanline VFX - Lead Software Engineer (Maya)

Scanline VFX

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (Hybrid)
9 Months ago
Rebellion - Lead VFX Artist

Rebellion

England, United Kingdom (Hybrid)
5 Months ago
Image Engine - Senior Animator

Image Engine

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (Hybrid)
2 Months ago
Bitreactor - VFX Artist

Bitreactor

Cockeysville, Maryland, United States (On-Site)
2 Months ago
Scopely - Senior Animator (2D)

Scopely

Bengaluru, Karnataka, India (Hybrid)
6 Months ago
Riot Games - Lead VFX Artist

Riot Games

Los Angeles, California, United States (On-Site)
2 Months ago
Barnstorm VFX - UK - Mid-Senior Compositor

Barnstorm VFX

(Remote)
4 Months ago
playrix  - Senior VFX Artist

playrix

Almaty, Almaty Region, Kazakhstan (Remote)
10 Months ago
Ubisoft - Shader & VFX Artist

Ubisoft

Saint-Mandé, Île-de-France, France (Hybrid)
4 Months ago
Lilith games - Senior 3D Special Effects Artist (Timeline)

Lilith games

Shanghai, China (On-Site)
2 Months ago

Get notifed when new similar jobs are uploaded

Similar Skill Jobs

Blue bolt - Lead Assistant Technical Director

Blue bolt

London, England, United Kingdom (Hybrid)
1 Month ago
Ubisoft - Lead Artist - AAA The Division Resurgence

Ubisoft

Saint-Mandé, Île-de-France, France (Hybrid)
6 Months ago
Epic Games - Concept Artist

Epic Games

(On-Site)
4 Months ago
Scanline VFX - Compositor

Scanline VFX

Seoul, South Korea (On-Site)
1 Year ago
Ingenuity Studios, LLC - VFX Supervisor

Ingenuity Studios, LLC

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (Remote)
5 Months ago
Rockstar Games - Designer: Open World Events

Rockstar Games

Carlsbad, California, United States (On-Site)
3 Months ago
Riot Games - Staff Software Engineer, Rendering - League of Legends

Riot Games

Los Angeles, California, United States (On-Site)
4 Months ago
Moonton  - Card Game Unity3D VFX Artist - T

Moonton

Shanghai, Shanghai, China (On-Site)
3 Weeks ago
Goodbye Kansas Studios - Senior Build Artist

Goodbye Kansas Studios

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India (On-Site)
1 Month ago
Scanline VFX - Lead Software Engineer

Scanline VFX

Los Angeles, California, United States (Remote)
10 Months ago

Get notifed when new similar jobs are uploaded

Jobs in Los Angeles, California, United States

Sierra - Technical Program Manager, Agent Development

Sierra

New York, United States (On-Site)
3 Weeks ago
VDC - Senior Web Engineer

VDC

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States (Hybrid)
1 Month ago
Brave Group (Language barrier) - Back Office Staff

Brave Group (Language barrier)

San Francisco, California, United States (On-Site)
2 Months ago
SweatPals - Senior Mobile App Developer - React Native

SweatPals

San Francisco, California, United States (Hybrid)
1 Month ago
Insomniac - Senior XDev Animator

Insomniac

United States (Remote)
1 Month ago
Google - Senior Staff Software Engineer, AI/ML GenAI, Google Ads

Google

Mountain View, California, United States (On-Site)
4 Months ago
cyara - Senior Partner Manager, Channel and Alliances

cyara

United States (Remote)
1 Month ago
Google - Software Engineer III, Embedded Systems/Firmware, Platforms Infrastructure Engineering

Google

Madison, Wisconsin, United States (On-Site)
4 Months ago
Inkittt - Director of Engineering

Inkittt

San Francisco, California, United States (Hybrid)
7 Months ago
Riot Games - Principal Software Engineer, VALORANT - Foundations Developer Experience & Workflows

Riot Games

Los Angeles, California, United States (On-Site)
3 Months ago

Get notifed when new similar jobs are uploaded

VFX Jobs

PlayStation Global - Cinematic Artist (Contract)

PlayStation Global

Los Angeles, California, United States (On-Site)
4 Months ago
Biblex games - VFX Artist

Biblex games

(Remote)
3 Months ago
gs studio - Lead/Principal Lighting Artist

gs studio

(Remote)
3 Months ago
Ubisoft - Shader & VFX Artist

Ubisoft

Saint-Mandé, Île-de-France, France (Hybrid)
4 Months ago
Lighthouse Games - VFX Artist

Lighthouse Games

Royal Leamington Spa, England, United Kingdom (Hybrid)
4 Months ago
Playdead - Technical lighting artist

Playdead

Copenhagen, Denmark (On-Site)
10 Months ago
grimlore games - VFX Artist

grimlore games

Munich, Bavaria, Germany (On-Site)
3 Months ago
Barnstorm VFX - UK - Mid-Senior Compositor

Barnstorm VFX

(Remote)
5 Months ago
Ubisoft - Senior VFX Artist - Cinematics Real Time

Ubisoft

Montpellier, Occitanie, France (On-Site)
4 Months ago
Qualcomm - Gaming VFX Artist

Qualcomm

Hyderabad, Telangana, India (On-Site)
2 Months ago

Get notifed when new similar jobs are uploaded

About The Company

Tencent is a world-leading internet and technology company that develops innovative products and services to improve the quality of life for people around the world.Read MoreEqual Employment Opportunity at TencentAs an equal opportunity employer, we firmly believe that diverse voices fuel our innovation and allow us to better serve our users and the community. We foster an environment where every employee of Tencent feels supported and inspired to achieve individual and common goals.Read More

View All Jobs

Get notified when new jobs are added by Tencent

Level Up Your Career in Game Development!

Transform Your Passion into Profession with Our Comprehensive Courses for Aspiring Game Developers.

Job Common Plug