Lead VFX Artist

Ember Lab; Orange (CA); Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Ember Lab is seeking a Lead VFX Artist to guide our visual effects and set both the technical and creative direction for our projects. You will mentor teammates and collaborate with art, design, and technical teams to realize immersive storytelling through vibrant visuals.

You will own the VFX pipeline from concept to implementation, optimize assets for performance, and help define the game's visual identity across characters, environments and systems.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Art, Animation, or a related field (or equivalent).
• 5–7 years in creating visual effects for video games with a strong portfolio.
• Proficiency in real-time VFX for Unreal Engine.
• Experience with VFX optimization and performance profiling.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Strong communication and collaboration abilities in a team setting.
• Experience creating stylized FX textures from scratch.

Responsibilities

• Mentor and grow the team — Manage, support, and inspire a team of VFX artists with regular critique and coaching.
• Lead visual effects creation — Guide development and implementation of visually stunning and optimized VFX for characters, environments, and gameplay.
• Own the visual and technical bar — Drive artistic vision from concept to final implementation, including particles, shaders, textures, and simulations.
• Partner with production — Work with producers to estimate needs, break down tasks, and align schedules with capacity.
• Collaborate across disciplines — Integrate VFX with animation, programming, tech art and design for performance optimization.
• Maintain and improve pipelines — Refine tools and workflows for efficient asset production and integration.
• Ensure performance targets — Ensure assets meet engine/ platform constraints with quality and optimization.

Skills

VFX artistry

Real-time VFX

Profiling/optimization

Team leadership

Communication

Problem solving

Stylized FX textures

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Art/Animation or related field

Tools

Unreal Engine

Niagara Fluids

Chaos Destruction

Houdini

Maya

Photoshop

Job description

At Ember Lab, our goal is to create powerful, transformative experiences that impact people for a lifetime. Having released our debut game, Kena: Bridge of Spirits, in 2021 this journey is just beginning. We’re looking for collaborative team members who share our passion for storytelling and are eager to help us shape the future of Ember Lab.

Job Summary

As Lead VFX Artist, you will guide and elevate our visual effects, owning both technical and creative direction while mentoring other team members and contributing directly to production. You’ll collaborate closely with art, design, and technical teams to bring our world to life through compelling and thrilling visuals that support immersive storytelling.

You will play a pivotal role in shaping the game’s visual identity while ensuring that our visual effects support both gameplay and narrative goals. This is a leadership position for someone who can directly contribute while simultaneously guiding others on VFX tasks.

Key Responsibilities

• Mentor and grow the team – Manage, support, and inspire a team of VFX artists. Provide thoughtful feedback and help artists grow through regular critique and coaching.
• Lead visual effects creation – Guide the development and implementation of visually stunning and optimized visual effects for characters, environments, and gameplay.
• Own the visual and technical bar – Drive the artistic vision for the VFX team from concept to final implementation, including particles, shaders, textures, and simulations.
• Partner with production – Collaborate closely with producers to estimate departmental needs, break down project tasks, and ensure scope and schedules align with team capacity.
• Collaborate across disciplines – Work closely with animation, programming, tech art and design teams to integrate VFX seamlessly into the game with an eye to optimize performance and implement shader and material solutions.
• Maintain and improve pipelines – Uphold technical standards and help refine tools and workflows for efficient asset production and integration.
• Ensure performance targets – Validate that all assets meet engine and platform constraints, with a focus on quality, optimization, and consistency

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Art, Animation, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Minimum of 5-7 years of experience in creating visual effects for video games, with a strong portfolio demonstrating your skills.
• Proficiency at creating real-time VFX for Unreal Engine.
• Experience with VFX optimization and performance profiling.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Strong communication and collaboration abilities, with the ability to work effectively in a team-oriented environment.
• Experience creating stylized FX textures from scratch.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working on AAA game titles.
• Familiarity with game development pipelines and processes.
• Experience creating both stylized and realistic VFX.
• Up-to-date knowledge of the VFX tools inside Unreal Engine 5, including Niagara Fluids and Chaos Destruction.
• Knowledge of other VFX creation tools such as Houdini, Maya, and Photoshop.

Location

• Onsite or Hybrid Preferred, Remote upon consideration

Compensation

The anticipated base salary range for this position is $130,000–$170,000 USD annually. Actual compensation will be determined based on factors such as skills, experience, qualifications, and location. In addition to base salary, eligible employees may be considered for discretionary bonuses and a comprehensive benefits package.