Senior VFX Artist — Lead Real-Time Effects (Remote/Hybrid)

Keywords Studios; Orlando (FL); Hybrid; CAD 95,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

3 weeks paid leave

Medical, dental and vision benefits

Sick Leave

Disability Coverage

Corporate holidays

Professional Development

Job summary

Keywords Studios’ GameSim is seeking a Senior VFX Artist to lead real-time effects across UE5/Unity with strong texture and materials work. You’ll translate art direction into ship-ready visuals, mentor artists, and align VFX delivery with client expectations in a production-focused role.

The role emphasizes leadership, in-engine implementation, and collaboration with Designers, Concept Artists, and Tech Art to maintain a high quality standard while balancing budgets and performance constraints.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of professional game industry experience with at least one shipped title.
• End-to-end real-time VFX workflow experience in Unreal Engine 4/5 and Niagara.
• Strong particle animation fundamentals and shape language.
• Material and texture creation skills in Photoshop and/or Substance Designer with optimization knowledge.
• Leadership-level communication and collaboration skills.
• Experience mentoring or leading other artists.

Responsibilities

• Create custom real-time visual effects and implement in engine (UE5, Unity, or proprietary).
• Create textures and materials; maintain readable graphs and parameterization.
• Use Photoshop, Blender, Houdini, or Maya as needed.
• Understand complex material setups; troubleshoot with Tech Art/Engineering.
• Own optimization: budgets, overdraw, particle counts, memory/perf constraints.
• Set quality bar and guide VFX execution for small pods or strike teams.
• Identify risks and propose solutions; elevate early.
• Collaborate with Designers, Concept Artists, and Art Director; work with Tech Art/Engineering.
• Support client-facing communication: clarify requirements and share WIP.
• Assign tasks and maintain backlog.

Skills

Real-time VFX

Unreal Engine 4/5

Niagara

Texture & material creation

Leadership communication

Mentoring / leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

C# / Python scripting

Tools

Photoshop

Blender

Houdini

Maya

Unreal Engine

Unity

Job description

Keywords Studios’ GameSim is seeking a Senior VFX Artist to lead real-time effects across UE5/Unity with strong texture and materials work. You’ll translate art direction into ship-ready visuals, mentor artists, and align VFX delivery with client expectations in a production-focused role.

The role emphasizes leadership, in-engine implementation, and collaboration with Designers, Concept Artists, and Tech Art to maintain a high quality standard while balancing budgets and performance constraints.