Lead VFX Artist

Agbo; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

AGBO is seeking a Lead VFX Artist in the United States to establish and execute the visual effects style and system designs across the game. This hands-on leadership role balances creative work with planning and documentation to help a team move faster.

You will drive VFX quality, mentor artists, and architect scalable systems while collaborating with gameplay, design, and production teams to ensure visual consistency and efficient workflows.

Qualifications

• 7 years of professional, hands-on experience with real-time VFX in Unreal Engine.
• 1+ years experience overseeing a team of VFX artists
• A strong portfolio demonstrating high-caliber, real-time VFX craft across a range of styles
• Demonstrated experience creating stylized VFX, with an eye for shape, color, and timing that reads clearly in motion
• Subject matter expert in complementary VFX and compositing tools
• Demonstrated ability to think in systems – designing VFX frameworks and pipelines that scale across a full game, not just individual effects
• Experience collaborating cross-functionally with gameplay, design, technical art, and production teams
• Experience defining or contributing to technical standards, workflows, or documentation that other artists rely on
• Experience managing or directing the work of outsource or co-development studio partners
• Nice to have: Scripting/ tooling experience (Python, Blueprint, or equivalent) to support VFX pipeline development

Responsibilities

• Drive VFX quality and the visual bar across the game, partnering with art leadership to set and maintain the creative standard
• Act as the primary point of creative and technical accountability for VFX output; Guide and mentor VFX staff
• Design and architect reusable, scalable VFX systems across the game features and initiatives – built to support fast iteration today and reliable production as the game grows
• Create high-quality, action-oriented VFX for core gameplay moments as well as localized effects for specific characters and in-world assets
• Collaborate cross-departmentally with gameplay and art deliver VFX that support each teams’ goals without compromising visual consistency
• Build and document the processes, workflows, and technical standards that guide VFX production
• Provide creative and technical direction to outsource/ co-dev studios supporting VFX production
• Advocate for VFX needs in cross-discipline planning, ensuring the discipline is scoped and resourced appropriately
• Perform all other duties as assigned

Skills

Unreal Engine

Real-time VFX

Leadership

VFX systems design

Cross-functional collaboration

Scripting (Python/Blueprint)

Tools

Python

Blueprint

Job description

About the Company:

Founded in 2017 by Anthony and Joe Russo, AGBO is an artist-led independent studio shaping the future of film and television. The Russo Brothers and AGBO have generated more than $7 billion at the global box office, including Avengers: Endgame. The studio’s projects include Academy Award–winning Everything Everywhere All at Once, Netflix hits The Gray Man and Extraction, and Prime Video’s visceral thriller The Bluff and the global Citadel franchise. Citadel Season 2 premieres in May 2026.

AGBO is currently in production with Netflix on Tygo and Mercenary, both part of the Extraction universe, as well as with Lionsgate on John Rambo, a prequel to the iconic franchise. The studio is in post-production on The Whisper Man, starring Robert De Niro, and Avengers: Doomsday, which will be released December 18, 2026. AGBO will begin shooting Avengers: Secret Wars later this year. Both upcoming Avengers films are directed by Anthony and Joe Russo and co-produced by AGBO and Marvel Studios.

In 2023, AGBO welcomed Donald Mustard—former Chief Creative Officer at Epic Games and co-creator of Fortnite—as a partner. Mustard brings a bold creative vision to AGBO: to expand what storytelling can be through immersive, interconnected worlds that span across media. We’re building the future of storytelling—and we’re looking for bold, creative minds to help shape it. If you’re ready to help define what comes next, we’d love to meet you.

Position Summary:

AGBO is looking for a Lead VFX Artist to help establish and execute our visual effects style and system designs across the game. This is a hands-on leadership role. Bringing both strong artistic instincts and a technical, process-driven mindset to this role you’ll collaborate closely with art leadership and partner teams to build an approach to effects that’s cohesive and built to scale as the game grows. The role will balance hands-on creative work and enjoys the kind of planning and documentation that helps a whole team move faster by codifying processes and best practices.

Key Responsibilities:

• Drive VFX quality and the visual bar across the game, partnering with art leadership to set and maintain the creative standard
• Act as the primary point of creative and technical accountability for VFX output; Guide and mentor VFX staff
• Design and architect reusable, scalable VFX systems across the game features and initiatives – built to support fast iteration today and reliable production as the game grows
• Create high-quality, action-oriented VFX for core gameplay moments as well as localized effects for specific characters and in-world assets
• Collaborate cross-departmentally with gameplay and art deliver VFX that support each teams’ goals without compromising visual consistency
• Build and document the processes, workflows, and technical standards that guide VFX production
• Provide creative and technical direction to outsource/ co-dev studios supporting VFX production
• Advocate for VFX needs in cross-discipline planning, ensuring the discipline is scoped and resourced appropriately
• Perform all other duties as assigned

Qualifications & Skills:

• 7 years of professional, hands-on experience with real-time VFX in Unreal Engine
• 1+ years experience overseeing a team of VFX artists
• A strong portfolio demonstrating high-caliber, real-time VFX craft across a range of styles
• Demonstrated experience creating stylized VFX, with an eye for shape, color, and timing that reads clearly in motion
• Subject matter expert in complementary VFX and compositing tools
• Demonstrated ability to think in systems – designing VFX frameworks and pipelines that scale across a full game, not just individual effects
• Experience collaborating cross-functionally with gameplay, design, technical art, and production teams
• Experience defining or contributing to technical standards, workflows, or documentation that other artists rely on
• Experience managing or directing the work of outsource or co-development studio partners
• Nice to have: Scripting/ tooling experience (Python, Blueprint, or equivalent) to support VFX pipeline development

Additional Information:

• Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S.

AGBO Labs LLC is committed to operating fair and unbiased recruitment procedures allowing all applicants an equal opportunity for employment, free from discrimination on the basis of religion, race, sex, age, sexual orientation, disability, color, ethnic or national origin or any other classification as may be protected by applicable law. We aim to recruit the right people for the jobs we have to offer, and to assess applications on the basis of relevant skills, education and experience.

AGBO participates in E-Verify - English | Spanish

The job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent to this position.