VFX Intern - Undergraduate or Master's

Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Japan); Burbank (CA); On-site; USD 50,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Insomniac Games is recruiting a Visual Effects Art Intern to contribute to AAA game production by creating and refining visual effects assets. You will work with experienced artists to develop effects from concept to implementation, using industry tools like Maya, Photoshop, Houdini, and proprietary software.

This internship offers mentorship, hands-on experience, and the chance to earn a game credit while learning Insomniac's workflow and industry techniques in a fast-paced studio environment.

Qualifications

• Pursuing a B.F.A. in a relevant art or design field.
• Six to twelve months of related experience or training is beneficial.
• Strong foundation and production design skills.
• Proficiency with Maya and Photoshop; real-time tools like Unreal or Unity.

Responsibilities

• Create and polish visual effects assets that contribute to the visual experience of a game.
• Develop visual effects from scratch, including materials, meshes, and particles.
• Set dress levels and cinematics with visual effects to enhance gameplay and storytelling.
• Optimize visual effects to maintain performance while achieving the intended visual quality.
• Use Maya, Photoshop, Houdini, and proprietary tools to create and refine visual effects.
• Collaborate with the VFX department to complete project milestones and contribute to game production.
• Learn game industry techniques and the Insomniac process for creating visual effects art while developing your creative, technical, and teamwork skills.

Skills

Creative

Self-motivated

Collaborative

Education

B.F.A. in Computer Art, Illustration, Game Design, Product Design, or equivalent

Tools

Maya

Photoshop

Unreal

Unity

Job description

Job ID: R-125840

Role Summary

Join the Visual Effects Art team at Insomniac Games and gain hands-on experience creating visual effects for AAA game production.

As a Visual Effects Art Intern, you'll work alongside experienced artists in a creative, collaborative game studio environment. You'll contribute to visual effects development, from creating and polishing assets to optimizing effects for gameplay and cinematics.

Throughout the internship, you'll receive mentorship from senior team members, learn the Insomniac process for creating visual effects art, and gain practical experience using industry tools such as Maya, Photoshop, Houdini, and proprietary tools. You'll have the opportunity to contribute to a AAA game production and earn a game credit for your work.

What You'll Be Doing

• Create and polish visual effects assets that contribute to the visual experience of a game.
• Develop visual effects from scratch, including creating materials, meshes, and particles.
• Set dress levels and cinematics with visual effects to enhance gameplay and storytelling.
• Optimize visual effects to maintain performance while achieving the intended visual quality.
• Use Maya, Photoshop, Houdini, and proprietary tools to create and refine visual effects.
• Collaborate with the VFX department to complete project milestones and contribute to game production.
• Learn game industry techniques and the Insomniac process for creating visual effects art while developing your creative, technical, and teamwork skills.

What We're Looking For

• Currently pursuing a B.F.A. in Computer Art, Illustration, Game Design, Product Design, or equivalent.
• Six to twelve months of related experience and/or training is beneficial.
• Strong foundation skills and production design skills.
• Proficiency in Maya, Photoshop, and a real-time toolset such as Unreal or Unity.
• Creative, self-motivated, and responsible, with the ability to contribute in a collaborative, fast-paced studio environment.
• Passion for video games and art, with an interest in learning visual effects techniques used in game development.

Eligibility

• Students with expected graduation between May 2026 and December 2029 from an accredited university. Undergraduate or Master's
• Able to work during one of the following periods: May 17th - August 6th or June 14th - September 3rd. Relocation assistance is available for eligible candidates.
• Must be available for the entire 12-week internship period.

At this time, SIE will only consider applicants who are authorized to work for any employer in the United States and who will not require work visa sponsorship from SIE now or in the future to maintain their authorization to work in the United States.

Our intern positions offer a fixed hourly pay rate. Please note that the pay rate is exclusive to the internship period and may not reflect what pay may look like following the completion of an internship.

Intern Pay Range

At SIE, we consider several factors when setting each role's base pay range, including the competitive benchmarking data for the market and geographic location. Please note that the base pay range may vary in line with our hybrid working policy and individual base pay will be determined based on job-related factors which may include knowledge, skills, experience, and location.

$36.50 - $40.25 USD

Please note, Sony Interactive Entertainment conducts background checks at the offer stage for all new employees (which may include criminal background checks for some roles) and will need to process personal information to support these checks.

Please refer to our Candidate Privacy Notice for more information about what personal information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and your data protection rights.