Senior Technical Artist (VFX)

Placements24; Centurion; Hybrid; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Conference access

Training programs

Remote-friendly

Modern studio

Job summary

Placements24 in Centurion is seeking a Senior Technical Artist (VFX) to bridge artistic vision and technical execution for our upcoming game titles. You will design and optimize real-time VFX pipelines, create tools, and collaborate with VFX artists, designers, and engineers to hit visual targets.

The role requires strong scripting, shader development, and a solid portfolio, with hands-on work in Houdini, Maya, and major engines like Unreal or Unity.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience as a Technical Artist or VFX Artist in games.
• Proven ability to create and optimize real-time VFX.
• Strong shader development and material authoring skills.
• Experience with major game engines (Unreal/Unity).
• Portfolio demonstrating VFX and technical work.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and maintain efficient VFX pipelines, tools, and shaders for game development.
• Collaborate with VFX artists, designers, and engineers to define and achieve visual targets.
• Create and optimize complex visual effects using industry-standard software and game engines.
• Write scripts (e.g., Python, MEL) and shaders (e.g., HLSL, GLSL) to automate tasks.
• Troubleshoot and resolve technical issues related to VFX performance and pipeline integration.
• Profile and optimize VFX assets to meet performance budgets across platforms.
• Research and implement new technologies and techniques to improve VFX quality and workflow efficiency.
• Provide technical support and training to the VFX art team.
• Contribute to the overall art direction and technical quality of visual effects.
• Document tools, pipelines, and best practices for the team.

Skills

VFX pipelines

Real-time VFX optimization

Shader development

Scripting (Python, MEL, Lua)

Unreal/Unity

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Graphics or related field

Tools

Houdini

Maya

Niagara/EmberGen

HLSL/GLSL

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a renowned game development studio situated in Centurion, Gauteng , is seeking a highly skilled and innovative Senior Technical Artist (VFX) . This role is crucial for bridging the gap between artistic vision and technical execution, specializing in visual effects. You will be responsible for developing and optimizing cutting-edge VFX pipelines, tools, and workflows to empower the art team. The ideal candidate is a creative problem-solver with a strong understanding of both art principles and programming/scripting. As part of a collaborative team, you will contribute to the creation of visually stunning and performant effects for our upcoming titles. This is an exciting opportunity to work on ambitious projects in a thriving tech hub, utilizing your expertise to enhance the visual fidelity of games. The role emphasizes innovation and efficiency, ensuring that our visual effects are both beautiful and technically sound in Centurion, Gauteng .

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and maintain efficient VFX pipelines, tools, and shaders for game development.
• Collaborate closely with VFX artists, game designers, and engineers to define and achieve visual targets.
• Create and optimize complex visual effects (e.g., fire, smoke, explosions, magic) using industry-standard software and game engines.
• Write scripts (e.g., Python, MEL) and shaders (e.g., HLSL, GLSL) to automate tasks and enhance artistic capabilities.
• Troubleshoot and resolve technical issues related to VFX performance, stability, and pipeline integration.
• Profile and optimize VFX assets to ensure they meet performance budgets across various platforms.
• Research and implement new technologies and techniques to improve VFX quality and workflow efficiency.
• Provide technical support and training to the VFX art team.
• Contribute to the overall art direction and technical quality of visual effects.
• Document tools, pipelines, and best practices for the team.

Requirements

• A minimum of 6 years of experience as a Technical Artist or VFX Artist in the game industry.
• Proven expertise in creating and optimizing real-time visual effects.
• Strong proficiency in VFX creation software (e.g., Houdini, Maya, Niagara, EmberGen).
• Experience with scripting languages such as Python, MEL, or Lua.
• Solid understanding of shader development (HLSL/GLSL) and material authoring.
• Proficiency with at least one major game engine (e.g., Unreal Engine, Unity).
• Excellent problem-solving skills and a deep understanding of performance optimization techniques.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively in a team environment.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Graphics, Game Design, or a related field, or equivalent industry experience.
• A strong portfolio demonstrating technical and artistic skills in VFX.

Benefits

Our client offers a competitive salary, comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance, and a robust retirement savings plan. Employees are entitled to generous paid time off, including vacation days and company holidays. Opportunities for professional growth are abundant, including access to conferences, training programs, and internal skill-sharing sessions. The studio boasts a modern and collaborative workspace designed to foster creativity and innovation. This role is currently remote-friendly, allowing flexibility for the right candidate, but is based out of our studio in Centurion, Gauteng .