Senior VFX Artist (Apex Legends)

Respawn Entertainment; Vancouver; Hybrid; CAD 114,000 - 156,000; Full time

Job summary

Respawn Entertainment in Vancouver, BC is seeking a Senior VFX Artist to lead real-time effects for Apex Legends. You will create and implement VFX for legends, weapons, and seasonal moments, collaborating with Art, Design, Animation and Engineering to raise quality and readability in intense combat.

The role emphasizes mentorship, problem-solving across content pipelines, and shaping the visual language of Apex Legends, with a passion for visceral, impactful visuals and live-service content.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional experience as a real-time VFX artist in the games industry.
• Strong portfolio of shipped in-game real-time VFX work demonstrating gritty combat.
• Proficiency with Maya, Houdini, Photoshop, or Substance Designer, and engine integration.

Responsibilities

• Create and implement high-quality real-time VFX for legends, weapons, seasonal content and gameplay moments.
• Define and maintain visual quality across updates, weapon releases, abilities, and moments.
• Lead VFX problem-solving for complex content and pipeline constraints.
• Collaborate with Art, Design, Animation, and Engineering to support gameplay clarity and identity.
• Provide feedback and guidance to other VFX artists to raise team quality.
• Contribute to visual direction and evolve Apex’s real-time VFX language.

Skills

Real-time VFX

Portfolio review

First-person combat

Team mentorship

Collaboration

Tools

Maya

Houdini

Photoshop

Substance Designer

Job description

Description & Requirements

Electronic Arts creates next-level entertainment experiences that inspire players and fans around the world. Here, everyone is part of the story. Part of a community that connects across the globe. A place where creativity thrives, new perspectives are invited, and ideas matter. A team where everyone makes play happen.

• Madison, WI

Description & Requirements

Electronic Arts creates next-level entertainment experiences that inspire players and fans around the world. Here, everyone is part of the story. Part of a community that connects across the globe. A place where creativity thrives, new perspectives are invited, and ideas matter. A team where everyone makes play happen.

Job Title: Senior VFX Artist I — Apex Legends

Location: Vancouver, BC

• Los Angeles, CA
• Madison, WI

Work Model: Hybrid

Respawn Entertainment

Founded in 2010, Respawn was created with the philosophy that when talented people have creative freedom, they'll make extraordinary games that achieve the unexpected. Respawn Entertainment is the Academy Award-winning studio behind Apex Legends, Titanfall, and Star Wars™ Jedi titles. Join us to help shape the future of one of the world's leading live service franchises.

Respawn Entertainment is seeking a Senior VFX Artist to help lead the creation of high-impact real-time effects for Apex Legends. In this role, you will create and implement VFX that bring Legends, weapons, and seasonal moments to life — reporting to the Senior VFX Director and collaborating closely with Art, Design, Animation, and Engineering to raise the visual quality bar across the game. We are looking for someone with a passion for visceral, intense combat and a deep understanding of how VFX can drive player intensity, readability, and emotional impact in a fight.

Responsibilities

• Create and implement high-quality real-time VFX for legend abilities, weapons, seasonal content, and gameplay moments — with a focus on delivering effects that feel visceral, impactful, and true to the intensity of Apex combat.
• Help define and maintain the visual quality bar for VFX across seasonal updates, weapon releases, character abilities, and gameplay moments.
• Lead VFX problem-solving for complex content, including visual polish, performance constraints, and technical issues across the content pipeline.
• Collaborate closely with Art, Design, Animation, and Engineering to develop effects that support gameplay, improve clarity, and strengthen the visual identity of Apex Legends.
• Provide feedback, mentorship, and craft guidance to other VFX artists, helping raise the quality and consistency of the team’s work.
• Contribute to visual direction and help evolve Apex’s real-time VFX language, supporting production planning to ensure work is scoped and delivered effectively.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional experience as a real-time VFX artist in the games industry.
• Strong portfolio of shipped in-game real-time VFX work; portfolio examples that showcase bombastic, gritty combat and VFX-driven player intensity are a strong plus.
• Proficiency with relevant DCC tools such as Maya, Houdini, Photoshop, or Substance Designer, and experience implementing your own work within a game engine or proprietary toolset.
• Experience mentoring, reviewing work, or helping guide other artists, with strong communication and collaboration skills across disciplines.
• Passion for making and playing games.
• Experience creating VFX for visceral, intense combat games is a plus.
• Experience with first-person games, sci-fi art direction, or live-service seasonal content is a plus.
• Shipped AAA game credit is a plus.

Pay Transparency - North America

Compensation And Benefits

The ranges listed below are what EA in good faith expects to pay applicants for this role in these locations at the time of this posting. If you reside in a different location, a recruiter will advise on the applicable range and benefits. Pay offered will be determined based on a number of relevant business and candidate factors (e.g. education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, or business needs).

PAY RANGES

• British Columbia (depending on location e.g. Vancouver vs. Victoria) *$114,300 - $156,200 CAD
• California (depending on location e.g. Los Angeles vs. San Francisco) *$127,700 - $190,600 USD

Pay is just one part of the overall compensation at EA.

In the US, we offer a package of benefits including paid time off (3 weeks per year to start), 80 hours per year of sick time, 16 paid company holidays per year, 10 weeks paid time off to bond with baby, medical/dental/vision insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, and 401(k) to regular full-time employees. Certain roles may also be eligible for bonus and other incentive programs.

For Canada, we offer a package of benefits including vacation (3 weeks per year to start), 10 days per year of sick time, paid top-up to EI/QPIP benefits up to 100% of base salary when you welcome a new child (12 weeks for maternity, and 4 weeks for parental/adoption leave), extended health/dental/vision coverage, life insurance, disability insurance, retirement plan to regular full-time employees. Certain roles may also be eligible for bonus and other incentive programs.

About Electronic Arts

We’re proud to have an extensive portfolio of games and experiences, locations around the world, and opportunities across EA. We value adaptability, resilience, creativity, and curiosity. From leadership that brings out your potential, to creating space for learning and experimenting, we empower you to do great work and pursue opportunities for growth.

We adopt a holistic approach to our benefits programs, emphasizing physical, emotional, financial, career, and community wellness to support a balanced life. Our packages are tailored to meet local needs and may include healthcare coverage, mental well-being support, retirement savings, paid time off, family leaves, complimentary games, and more. We nurture environments where our teams can always bring their best to what they do.

Electronic Arts is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, genetic information, religion, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, marital status, family status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We will also consider employment qualified applicants with criminal records in accordance with applicable law. EA also makes workplace accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities as required by applicable law.