Lead VFX Artist - Raven Software - Remote Eligible

Job Title:

Lead VFX Artist - Raven Software - Remote Eligible

Requisition ID:

R023260

Job Description:

Your Platform

Founded in 1990, Raven Software is the developer of numerous award-winning games including Hexen, Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance and most recently, a major contributor to the blockbuster Call of Duty® franchise.

We’re based in Middleton, Wisconsin, a suburb of Madison, annually ranked on numerous lists as one of the top places to live and work. We have a unique vision for our industry. One that has and continues to inspire us. We bring no egos. We focus on what is best for the game. We hire stunning peers. We own our own mistakes. We treat each other with respect.

After nearly 30 years, Raven Software is still thriving. We developed a team who cares about one another, our games and our players. As we enter the next exciting chapter of our story, we are growing. Our team is creative, highly inventive, well-led and equipped to face this exciting future. If you want to work with a world-class team, on exciting new projects, then apply today! We look forward to hearing from you.

Raven Software is wholly owned by Activision. To learn more about our studio, please visit us at www.ravensoftware.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ravensoftware, @RavenSoftware on Twitter / X, or https://www.linkedin.com/company/raven-software/ on Linkedin.
 

Your Mission
 

Your mission is to develop compelling 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 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.

You Will…

• Work closely with the Art Director and others in bringing life to gameplay and cinematics through the addition of flair and visual drama.

• Craft compelling moments through the design, creation, and implementation of real-time particle effects using both static and animating 2D/3D elements.

• Prototype VFX and materials which effectively develop tone and pacing of gameplay events.

• Spearhead VFX R&D efforts, create Houdini tools, champion best practices, and advocate for streamlining tools and processes.

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

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

• 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.

You Bring…

Minimum Requirements:

• 5+ total years of Visual Effects experience in the games industry or equivalent experience in film/television.

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

• Ability to quickly learn new software and adapt to proprietary software.

• Relevant 2D and 3D software experience - Photoshop, After Effects, Maya, Max, Houdini, Substance Designer.

• Ability to lead by example.

• Impressive communication and strong problem-solving skills.

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

• Strong understanding of game VFX with ability to clearly discuss modern trends.

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

Extra Points:

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

• Understanding of real-time physics system.

• Passion for the Call of Duty franchise.

• Strong traditional art foundation.

• Experience creating VFX shaders.

• Experience and comfort in Unreal and/or PopcornFX.

• History of playing a variety of game genres both digital and physical.

About Activision 

Activision Blizzard, Inc., is one of the world's largest and most successful interactive entertainment companies and is at the intersection of media, technology and entertainment. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty®, World of Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, Candy Crush™ and Bubble Witch™. Our combined entertainment network delights hundreds of millions of monthly active users in 196 countries, making us the largest gaming network on the planet!
 

Our ability to build immersive and innovate worlds is only enhanced by diverse teams working in an inclusive environment. We aspire to have a culture where everyone can thrive in order to connect and engage the world through epic entertainment. We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for ‘Every World’ - we’ve got our employees covered!

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.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status, among other characteristics

Rewards

We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for ‘Every World’ - we’ve got our employees covered!  Subject to eligibility requirements, the Company offers comprehensive benefits including:

• Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance;
• 401(k) with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching;
• Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave;
• Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other voluntary benefit programs like supplemental life & disability, legal service, ID protection, rental insurance, and others;
• If the Company requires that you move geographic locations for the job, then you may also be eligible for relocation assistance.

Eligibility to participate in these benefits may vary for part time and temporary full-time employees and interns with the Company.  You can learn more by visiting https://www.benefitsforeveryworld.com/.

In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $97,200.00 - $179,900.00 Annual. These values reflect the expected base pay range of new hires across all U.S. locations. Ultimately, your specific range and offer will be based on several factors, including relevant experience, performance, and work location. Your Talent Professional can share this role’s range details for your local geography during the hiring process. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not guaranteed. While we strive to provide competitive offers to successful candidates, new hire compensation is negotiable.