Lead VFX Artist

People make games great. And at Survios, we know we can’t grow from an acclaimed VR studio to the world’s premier game developer and publisher without them. That’s why our most valuable investments aren’t in the next-generation technology we use to make our games or the new HQ we’re building in Marina Del Rey, but in creating a hybrid workplace that seeks out talent across the globe, nurtures its people, and encourages fun. A workplace where every team member knows they’re respected and cared for. If you want to join a passionate team of developers driving toward the future of immersive gaming, we’d love to hear from you!

Survios currently has an opening for a talented Lead VFX Artist! As the Lead VFX Artist, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the visual identity of our VR titles, creating immersive and compelling effects that elevate the player experience. You will collaborate closely with artists, designers, and engineers to push the boundaries of what’s possible in VR.

Responsibilities:

• VFX Creation: Design, implement, and optimize visual effects that align with the artistic vision, art direction, and technical constraints of VR.
• Leadership: Lead and inspire other developers, fostering a collaborative environment while maintaining positive morale. Ensure clear communication, provide mentorship, and motivate others to achieve high-quality results within project deadlines.
• Planning: works with production to build credible VFX production plans
• Collaboration: Work closely with game Artists, designers, animators, and engineers to ensure that VFX integrates seamlessly with gameplay mechanics.
• Optimization: Balance visual quality with performance by optimizing effects for VR, focusing on maintaining high frame rates and minimizing latency.
• Pipeline Development: Develop and refine the VFX pipeline, ensuring efficient workflows and the best use of tools and technology.
• Innovation: Research and implement techniques and tools to continually push the visual fidelity and performance of our VR experiences.

Requirements:

• Experience: 5+ years of experience in VFX creation within the gaming industry, with at least 2 years in a leadership role.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency in industry-standard tools such as Unreal Engine, Houdini, and Maya. Strong understanding of particle systems, shaders, and blueprints.
• VR Expertise: The Lead VFX Artist must have in-depth experience with VR platforms like Quest 3, PSVR2, and PC VR, understanding each platform's unique performance requirements, rendering techniques, and optimization strategies.
• Artistic Focus: Demonstrates strong skills in photorealistic VFX creation.
• Artistic Vision: A strong portfolio/VFX reel demonstrating a keen eye for detail, creativity, and technical proficiency in creating high-quality visual effects.
• Collaboration: Excellent communication and leadership skills, with the ability to work effectively in a collaborative environment.
• Problem-Solving: Strong analytical skills with the ability to troubleshoot and resolve complex technical and artistic challenges.
• Remote and Hybrid Workplace: Capable of managing and working effectively with remote and hybrid team members, ensuring clear communication and productivity across different work environments. This includes establishing workflows, maintaining team cohesion, and addressing the challenges specific to remote and hybrid setups.
• Outsourcing: Must be adept at working with outsource teams by creating and defining tasks, while providing prompt feedback and establishing effective VFX outsource pipelines. Additionally, must be capable of managing time zone challenges to ensure smooth and efficient collaboration across global teams.
• Documentation: Assist in the creation and maintenance of documentation for VFX processes, tools, and best practices.

Pluses:

• Tool Development: Work with engineers to develop custom tools and scripts to enhance the VFX pipeline.
• Cross-Disciplinary Support: Provide support and insight to other departments, such as marketing, by creating visual effects for trailers and promotional material.

About Us:

Survios is an award-winning game studio that takes a holistic approach to development, merging our expertise in hardware, software, and games to create unbelievable, immersive game experiences in VR, AR, consoles, and PC. We’re dedicated to leveraging our passion, expertise, and creativity to develop and publish the next generation of groundbreaking and immersive video games on all platforms.

Base salary range between $120,000 USD - $150,000 USD (Base salary range for applicants located within the United States)

Please note that the compensation information provided is a good faith estimate for this position only and is provided pursuant to the California Salary Transparency in Job Advertisements Law.

Survios takes into consideration a candidate’s education, training, and experience, external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees. In compliance with the California Law, a potential new employee’s salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.