Senior VFX Artist (Real-time Specialist)

Placements24; Stellenbosch; Hybrid; ZAR 700,000 - 900,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Health and wellness benefits

Hybrid work model

Paid time off

Job summary

Placements24 in Stellenbosch seeks a Senior VFX Artist to elevate real-time VFX for our upcoming titles. You will design, implement, and optimize particle systems, shaders, and effects, collaborating with art and engineering teams to ensure top-tier fidelity and performance in Unreal Engine or Unity.

You will mentor junior artists, stay ahead of real-time VFX trends, and contribute to a collaborative studio culture that values artistic excellence and technical quality.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of professional VFX experience in games.
• Strong portfolio of real-time visual effects.
• Proficiency with Unreal Engine or Unity and VFX toolsets.
• Expertise in particle systems, shaders, and performance optimization.
• Familiarity with 2D/3D art tools (Photoshop, Maya, Blender).

Responsibilities

• Create real-time VFX for games including explosions and environmental effects.
• Design, implement, and optimize particle systems and shaders.
• Collaborate with art directors and designers to realize desired visuals.
• Ensure VFX performance across various hardware.
• Mentor junior VFX artists and contribute to style guides.
• Work with engineers to integrate VFX into gameplay.

Skills

VFX artist expertise

Unreal Engine

Unity

Niagara/Shuriken

Shaders and particle design

Photoshop/Maya/Blender

Problem solving

Team collaboration

Education

Game Art / Digital Art degree or equivalent

Tools

Unreal Engine

Unity

Niagara

Shuriken

Photoshop

Maya

Blender

Job description

About the Role

About the Role Our client, a critically acclaimed game development studio located in the picturesque town of Stellenbosch, Western Cape , is searching for a highly skilled Senior VFX Artist to enhance the visual spectacle of their upcoming titles. This role is pivotal in creating captivating, high-performance visual effects that bring game worlds to life. You will be instrumental in designing, implementing, and optimizing particle systems, shaders, and special effects, working closely with the art and engineering teams to ensure seamless integration within the game engine. This position offers a fantastic opportunity to contribute your creative talents to cutting-edge projects in a studio renowned for its artistic excellence and collaborative spirit. The role embraces a hybrid work model, allowing for a blend of focused in-office collaboration and remote flexibility, ensuring a productive and balanced work environment within Stellenbosch . You will play a key role in defining the visual impact and technical quality of our game's dynamic elements.

Key Responsibilities

• Create stunning real-time visual effects for games, including explosions, magic spells, environmental effects, and more.
• Design, implement, and optimize particle systems and shaders using industry-standard game engines (e.g., Unreal Engine, Unity).
• Collaborate with art directors and game designers to conceptualize and execute desired visual effects.
• Ensure visual effects are performant across various target hardware platforms.
• Develop and refine VFX assets from concept through to final implementation in-game.
• Troubleshoot and resolve technical issues related to VFX rendering and performance.
• Contribute to the development of VFX style guides and best practices.
• Mentor junior VFX artists and provide technical guidance.
• Stay current with the latest trends and technologies in real-time VFX.
• Work closely with engineers to integrate VFX effectively into gameplay.

Requirements

• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience as a VFX Artist in the game industry.
• A strong portfolio demonstrating a wide range of impressive real-time visual effects.
• Proficiency in game engines such as Unreal Engine or Unity and their respective VFX tools (Niagara, Shuriken).
• Expertise in particle system design, animation, and behavior.
• Experience in creating and optimizing shaders for visual effects.
• Strong artistic eye for color, composition, timing, and motion.
• Familiarity with 2D/3D art software (e.g., Photoshop, Maya, Blender).
• Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Good communication and teamwork abilities.
• Degree in Game Art, Digital Art, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Commitment to a hybrid work schedule within Stellenbosch, Western Cape .

Benefits

• Our client offers a competitive salary, comprehensive health and wellness benefits, performance bonuses, and a generous pension fund.
• Employees enjoy ample paid time off, opportunities for professional growth and training, and access to state-of-the-art technology and a creative, supportive work environment.
• This hybrid role provides a balance between collaborative in-office work in beautiful Stellenbosch and the flexibility of remote work.
• We are committed to fostering a positive work-life balance for our team in the Western Cape .