Lead VFX Artist - Unannounced Game | Irvine, CA

Team Name:

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Job Description:

Your Mission

At Blizzard, we craft genre-defining games and legendary worlds for all to share.  Through unparalleled creativity and storytelling, we create immersive universes and iconic characters that are beloved across platforms, borders, backgrounds, and generations - only made possible by building a work environment that nurtures the artistry of game development and unleashes the aspirations of our people.

We are looking for a Lead VFX Artist to help us define and craft a new, unannounced game for Blizzard. As a key member of the development team, you will be responsible for delivering high-quality VFX work through artistic and technical knowledge, team building, and leadership. You understand how to effectively build, integrate, and optimize a variety of VFX materials that support gameplay and hit iconic visual standards. You are comfortable operating in a dynamic environment, navigating fluid priorities with purpose. 

Location fixed:

This role is anticipated to be a hybrid work position, with some work on-site and some work-from-home. The potential home studio for this role is Irvine, CA.

Responsibilities:

Priorities can often change in a fast-paced environment like ours, so this role includes, but is not limited to, the following responsibilities:

• Use bleeding-edge techniques to create and integrate a variety of VFX assets for characters and environments.

• Working closely with the art director, collaborate with designers, artists, and coders to deliver iconic VFX to a world-class standard.  

• Coordinate with art leads, design, and production to help plan and accomplish the strategic goals of the VFX art team.

• Lead a team of artists and be an active participant in team discussions, critiques, and reviews to ensure timely completion of VFX assets on style and at the desired quality bar.

• Use your skills in timing, value, motion, color, and form across a variety of areas of VFX to add depth, mood, and atmosphere to our world and bring impact to our gameplay.

• Set the standards and best practices for the VFX team to ensure effect libraries are organized, optimal, and efficient.

• Remain current on industry trends, including advancement in commercial game engines and workflow efficiencies.

Minimum Requirements

Experience

• 12+ years of experience in AAA VFX for games.

• Proven experience, having shipped a major game title in a relevant role.

Knowledge & Skills

• Experience working with a AAA game engine with strong understanding of implementation and integration into the pipeline.

• Expert understanding of VFX creation including strong proficiency in industry-standard workflows and bleeding-edge techniques.

• Proven leadership experience managing and mentoring other artists.

• A portfolio, with examples and detailed breakdowns, showcasing your practical work.

• Ability to create high-fidelity simulations and turn them into performant game assets.

• Experience solving complex pipeline problems and collaborating with engineers and tech artists.
   

Key Attributes

• A team-oriented approach to your work, understanding the importance of collaboration and partnering with all departments.

• The ability to inspire others with an enthusiastic approach to game development and improving core skills.

• A positive, proactive outlook with a mindset toward problem solving. 

• The drive to lead by example while contributing to the studio’s culture with the actions you take on the team.

• A self-motivated and detail-conscious approach to work.
   

Extra Points

Experience

• Experience working through early development R&D phases of a project is a plus.

• An interest in real-world reference acquisition through photography or video capture would be beneficial.
   

Knowledge & Skills

• Solid understanding of game art creation outside of VFX (e.g. concept, lighting, materials, animation, rendering, etc.)

Your Platform

Best known for iconic video game universes including Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, and StarCraft®, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard, which was acquired by Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment experiences. Blizzard Entertainment has created some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed and genre-defining games over the last 30 years, with a track record that includes multiple Game of the Year awards. Blizzard Entertainment engages tens of millions of players around the world with titles available on PC via Battle.net®, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android.

Our World

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 innovative 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 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! We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and strongly encourage you to apply. 

We are committed to working with and providing reasonable assistance to individuals with physical and mental disabilities. If you are a disabled individual requiring an accommodation to apply for an open position, please email your request to accommodationrequests@activisionblizzard.com. General employment questions cannot be accepted or processed here. Thank you for your interest. 

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/.