Senior VFX Destruction Artist

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Sledgehammer Games is a leading developer in the video game industry, best known for its work on the Call of Duty franchise. Since our inception in 2009, the studio has delivered iconic titles like including Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Call of Duty: WWII (2017), and, most recently, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III.

As industry leaders in first-person shooter development, our commitment to excellence is reflected in every detail of our games, from highly polished multiplayer experiences to emotionally engaging single-player campaigns. At Sledgehammer Games, we believe in pushing boundaries, redefining the possibilities of interactive storytelling, and setting new standards for visual and gameplay fidelity. Together, we aim to deliver world-class gaming content that continues to set the bar for quality, innovation, and player engagement.

We are excited to invite a talented and passionate developer to join our growing team as a Senior VFX Destruction Artist, based in our Guildford, UK studio. In this role, you will work collaboratively with our talented teams across the globe, including our locations in the United States, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  If you're ready to be part of a dynamic and collaborative environment where your skills can make a real impact, we invite you to explore career opportunities with us.

To learn more about our studio, please visit us at www.sledgehammergames.com

As an Senior VFX Destruction Artist at Sledgehammer Games, your mission is to develop compelling destructible visual effects that enhance gameplay and cinematic experiences for the blockbuster Call of Duty franchise. You are a self-sufficient, ‘fire-and-forget’ teammate who owns destruction VFX development tasks, proactively and independently solves challenges, and delivers high quality work in a timely manner. You also have an agile and flexible mindset, and excellent and persuasive communication skills, as you will actively partner with some of the most talented and passionate developers in the industry. Above all, we are looking for an innovative and dedicated teammate to help tell our story.

Please Note: This is not a remote role. This is a hybrid position based in our Guildford Studio, offering flexibility with a combination of in-studio and remote workdays. Permanent remote work is not available for this position. 

Responsibilities:

• Share your deep passion for destruction visual effects sequences and use your technical art knowledge to improve destructible creation pipelines and tool sets.

• Research subject matter relating to objectives to ensure an authentic, accurate experience.

• Be a proactive self-starter that can independently execute high-level direction.

• Collaborate with Animators, Designers, Art, and Art Directors to create and implement believable destruction-driven visual effects for world-class player experiences.

• Spearhead destruction visual effects R&D efforts, champion best practices, and advocate for streamlining tools and processes.

• Be a trusted gatekeeper for performance, efficiency, and quality.

• Inspire and mentor others as a role model of initiative, accountability, and attitude.

• Encourage others to thrive on open and welcome constructive criticism.

• Contribute creative and original ideas towards all aspects of game production and development.

Qualifications:

• Experience with industry Destruction VFX packages (example: Houdini, Blender, Maya/Max PDI, Chaos Unreal)

• Passionate and egoless attitude that welcomes feedback and criticism, and enjoys working in a collaborative, iterative, and agile process.

• Highly skilled in all areas of 3D VFX principles and techniques for console hardware (Xbox, PS, PC).

• Possesses in-depth understanding of game engines, pipelines, and processes.

• Ability to lead by example.

• Impressive communication and strong problem-solving skills.

• Proven ability to thrive in a challenging and often ambiguous environment.

• Inspiring reel and portfolio demonstrating focus and commitment to realistic destruction visual effects and process.

Bonus Points:

• Experience in a secondary area such as texturing, modeling, scripting, animation, or lighting.

• Understanding of real-time physics systems.

• Experience with Python scripting.

• Passion for the Call of Duty franchise.

• Strong traditional art foundation.

We love hearing from anyone who is enthusiastic about changing the games industry. Not sure you meet all qualifications? Let us decide! Research shows that women and members of other under-represented groups tend to not apply to jobs when they think they may not meet every qualification, when, in fact, they often do! At Activision Blizzard, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and strongly encourage you to apply.

Our World 

At Activision, we strive to create the most iconic brands in gaming and entertainment. We’re driven by our mission to deliver unrivaled gaming experiences for the world to enjoy, together. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty®, Crash Bandicoot™, Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™, and Guitar Hero®. As a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and products, our “press start” is simple: delight hundreds of millions of players around the world with innovative, fun, thrilling, and engaging entertainment experiences.

We’re not just looking back at our decades-long legacy; we’re forging ahead to keep advancing gameplay with some of the most popular titles and sophisticated technology in the world. We have bold ambitions to create the most inclusive company as we know our success comes from the passionate, creative, and diverse teams within our organization. 

We’re in the business of delivering fun and unforgettable entertainment for our player community to enjoy. And our future opportunities have never been greater — this could be your opportunity to level up. 

Ready to Activate Your Future? 

The videogame industry and therefore our business is fast-paced and will continue to evolve. As such, the duties and responsibilities of this role may be changed as directed by the Company at any time to promote and support our business and relationships with industry partners. 

Sledgehammer Games 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.