FX Artist [Animation Department]

The Third Floor; Los Angeles (CA); Remote; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

The Third Floor is seeking an FX Artist for a project-based, full-time remote position from September to November 2025. The role focuses on producing final imagery for animated content, requiring expertise in VFX creation, collaboration with artists, and staying current with industry techniques. Benefits include health insurance and a flexible work environment.

Benefits

Health Insurance (Medical, Dental, Vision)

Sick Time

401k (staff only)

PTO (staff only)

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years’ experience as a VFX artist with a preference for game or film.
• Proficient in Python, Houdini, Maya, and Unreal Engine.
• Ability to create VFX textures and experience with fluid simulations.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with artists to create relevant and grounded effects.
• Generate documentation for the VFX pipeline.
• Troubleshoot VFX-related bugs.

Skills

Particle systems

Lighting

Texture/UV animation

Dynamics and simulations

Material setup

VFX textures painting

Unreal Engine

Python

Houdini

FumeFX

Job description

The Third Floor is a visualization studio founded by artists, for artists. We offer a fun and creative culture where our talent can grow and thrive. From coffee Wednesdays to our learning and development opportunities, generous benefits, and more ... we know your experience at TTF will be unlike any other studio! Check out our openings today!

If you do apply, please know we are excited to consider your application and know your time is precious. We are unable to reply to all candidates but if we have questions or think you’d possibly be a good fit for the position, someone from recruiting will be in touch!

THE THIRD FLOOR is the world’s leading visualization company with offices in Los Angeles and London, as well as on location with productions around the world. Since 2004, the studio has helped clients visualize and maximize content by producing computer-animated blueprints, known as “previsualizations”. The Third Floor is a fun, creative company founded by artists, for artists. We work on extremely high-profile projects, while maintaining a small studio culture. The company has won multiple Emmy and VES awards for its work. Recent projects include Avatar: The Way of Water, House of the Dragon, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Guardians of the Galaxy 3, For All Mankind, Masters of the Air, and many more.

The Third Floor Los Angeles is looking for an FX Artist to help produce final imagery for Long Form Animated Content in a stylized, cinema-quality. The ideal candidate will develop visual effects (fluids, fire, smoke, explosions, etc.) using Houdini, as well as other external packages for execution in Unreal for a variety of projects and platforms.

Project Based. Full Time. Remote Position ~ September 2025 - November 2025.

Must be in California, Georgia, Texas, Oregon, Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey, New York (Outside NYC), Colorado, Washington, or Canada for remote positions.

Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with Character, Environment, and Lighting artists to create effects that are relevant and grounded in the environment.
• Create efficient, artistic, and compelling FX in Houdini, utilizing Unreal/other External Packages for execution.
• Work with Level Designers and Technical Artists to make VFX that are functional and efficient.
• Generate VFX documentation for the TTF real-time pipeline.
• Coordinate with Art, Design, and Animation to ensure VFX vision and quality expectations are met.
• Troubleshoot VFX-related bugs and optimize performance.
• Assist with R&D related to VFX creation for real-time productions at TTF.
• Stay current with industry real-time VFX techniques.

Requirements:

• Minimum 5 years’ experience as a VFX artist, with experience in video games and/or feature films preferred.
• Strong understanding of particle systems, lighting, texture/UV animation, sprite animation, dynamics and simulations, & material setup.
• Ability to paint VFX textures from scratch and match an established style.
• Tech-savvy, quick learner, and proactive attitude.
• Experience with creating VFX for Unreal Engine.
• Excellent knowledge of Python, especially Python for Maya.
• Proficiency in Houdini, Maya, and FumeFX (or similar fluid simulation systems).
• Experience with fluid simulations in FumeFX (or similar).
• Experience creating high-quality VFX in Unreal, Houdini, and Maya.
• Experience working with Blueprint.
• A balance of artistic and technical skills.
• Traditional art or animation background and experience creating real-time shaders is a plus.

The pay scale is between $30 - $70 / hour based on experience, skillset, and other factors. Additional TTF benefits include Health Insurance (Medical, Dental, Vision), Sick Time, 401k (staff only), PTO (staff only), and other perks.

U.S. & Canada Applicants only: TTF participates in E-Verify and will verify work authorization as required by law. All documents must be current and unexpired.

Note: If the government cannot confirm your work authorization, TTF will provide instructions and an opportunity to resolve the issue before any employment action is taken.