Senior FX Artist - Temp

Blizzard Entertainment; Santa Monica (CA); Hybrid; USD 63,000 - 116,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) with company match

Paid holidays and vacation

Relocation assistance (where eligible)

Job summary

Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. is seeking a Senior FX Artist to support the SFD team in crafting next-generation cinematics and effects.

You will partner with modelers, animators, and game teams to deliver feature-film-quality FX using Houdini, PDG, and real-time engines. The role blends on-site Irvine, CA work with home-based options within a hybrid arrangement, and starts as a roughly 4-month temporary position mid-December or mid-January.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in Gaming/Animation/VFX delivering feature-film-quality FX in Houdini.
• Experience with particle systems, fluid dynamics, rigid body dynamics, and procedural systems.
• Portfolio demonstrating physical dynamics and natural phenomena.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with modelers, animators, texture artists, lighters, and game teams to deliver high-standard FX.
• Create simulations and systems mimicking real phenomena like smoke, fire, water.
• Contribute art direction for abstract magical and technological effects.
• Perform basic compositing for FX slap-comps for review.
• Leverage procedural tools and game engines for real-time FX.

Skills

Particle systems

Fluid dynamics

Rigid body dynamics

Procedural systems

Nuke

Unreal Engine

Unity

PDG

USD FX deliverables

VEX

C++

Python

Houdini Solaris (LOPS)

Renderers (Mantra/RenderMan/Redshift)

Tools

Houdini

Nuke

Unreal

Unity

PDG

USD

Solaris (LOPS)

RenderMan/Redshift/Mantra

Job description

Blizzard Entertainment is looking for a talented Senior FX Artist to assist our Story and Franchise Development (SFD) team in creating the next generation of our award-winning cinematics.

Responsibilities

Priorities can often change in a fast-paced environment like ours, so this role includes, but is not limited to, the following responsibilities:

You will work in partnership with modelers, animators, texture artists, lighters, compositors, and the various games teams to ensure FX are delivered to the highest standard. You have experience creating simulations and systems that mimic real life phenomena such as smoke, fire, and water. You’ll also need to have strong art skills to help design and implement abstract magical and technological effects. Basic compositing skills will be required for FX slap-comps for review by the supervision team. Lastly, your strong background with procedural tools, methodologies and game engines are a plus.

This role is anticipated to be a hybrid work position, with some work on-site and some work-from-home. The home studio for this role is Irvine, CA. However, we understand each person’s circumstances may be unique and will work with you to explore other possible options, including remote work arrangements.

This is roughly a 4-month temporary position starting mid-December or mid-January.

Minimum Requirements

Experience

• 8+ years' experience working in a professional Gaming/Animation/VFX company producing feature film quality effects in Houdini
• Extensive experience with particle systems, fluid dynamics, rigid body dynamics, and procedural systems

Knowledge & Skills

• A good understanding of physical dynamics and natural phenomena as demonstrated by your portfolio
• Familiar with feature film level pipelines and their respective issues
• Proven track record creating effects such as smoke, fire, clouds, water, steam, explosions, magic, etc.
• A trained creative eye that is able to participate in conceptual and practical discussions about what is needed to achieve an effect – and what is important to communicate with it
• Experience with node-based compositing software such as Nuke
• Experience with real-time VFX within a modern Game Engine (ex: Unreal, and Unity)
• Experience using PDG to execute caching and rendering processes
• Experience / familiar with USD FX deliverables

Key Attributes

• Able to problem solve both technically and creatively in a collaborative environment with directors / art directors
• Able to stay current with the latest tools, technologies, and techniques

Extra Points

• Experience with VEX
• Experience with C++ or Python
• Working Knowledge of Houdini’s Solaris lighting context (LOPS) and Karma, Mantra, RenderMan or Redshift renderers
• Shipped a AAA game title

Your Platform

Best known for iconic video game universes including Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, and StarCraft®, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard, which was acquired by Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment experiences. Blizzard Entertainment has created some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed and genre-defining games over the last 30 years, with a track record that includes multiple Game of the Year awards. Blizzard Entertainment engages tens of millions of players around the world with titles available on PC via Battle.net®, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android.

Our World

Activision Blizzard, Inc., is one of the world's largest and most successful interactive entertainment companies and is at the intersection of media, technology and entertainment. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty ®, World of Warcraft® , Overwatch ®, Diablo ®, Candy Crush TM and Bubble Witch TM. Our combined entertainment network delights hundreds of millions of monthly active users in 196 countries, making us the largest gaming network on the planet!

Our ability to build immersive and innovate worlds is only enhanced by diverse teams working in an inclusive environment. We aspire to have a culture where everyone can thrive in order to connect and engage the world through epic entertainment. We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for ‘Every World’ - we’ve got our employees covered!

The videogame industry and therefore our business is fast-paced and will continue to evolve. As such, the duties and responsibilities of this role may be changed as directed by the Company at any time to promote and support our business and relationships with industry partners.

We love hearing from anyone who is enthusiastic about changing the games industry. Not sure you meet all qualifications? Let us decide! Research shows that women and members of other under-represented groups tend to not apply to jobs when they think they may not meet every qualification, when, in fact, they often do! We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and strongly encourage you to apply.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status, among other characteristics.

Rewards

We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for ‘Every World’ - we’ve got our employees covered! Subject to eligibility requirements, the Company offers comprehensive benefits including:

• Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance;
• 401(k) with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching;
• Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave;
• Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other voluntary benefit programs like supplemental life & disability, legal service, ID protection, rental insurance, and others;
• If the Company requires that you move geographic locations for the job, then you may also be eligible for relocation assistance.

Eligibility to participate in these benefits may vary for part time and temporary full-time employees and interns with the Company. You can learn more by visiting https://www.benefitsforeveryworld.com/.

In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $45.48 - $84.13 Hourly. These values reflect the expected base pay range of new hires across all U.S. locations. Ultimately, your specific range and offer will be based on several factors, including relevant experience, performance, and work location. Your Talent Professional can share this role’s range details for your local geography during the hiring process. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not guaranteed. While we strive to provide competitive offers to successful candidates, new hire compensation is negotiable.