Senior VFX Artist – Art Center

Snail Games USA•Beverly Hills, CA

15d•$115,000 - $155,000•Remote

About The Position

We are seeking a Senior VFX Artist to unify and elevate real-time visual effects quality across multiple Unreal Engine projects. This role operates within the Art Center as the VFX domain authority, responsible for defining standards, strengthening technical foundations, and ensuring combat and environmental effects are both visually compelling and gameplay-readable. This is not a project-embedded production role. You will monitor VFX execution across projects, proactively identify risks in performance, clarity, or workflow, and propose actionable solutions before escalation. You are expected to establish scalable Niagara systems, guide distributed teams, and step in hands-on during high-priority or high-risk moments to deliver critical work directly. You will collaborate closely with Design, Animation, Lighting, Engineering, and Technical Art to ensure VFX supports gameplay clarity, performance budgets, and visual identity across fantasy, stylized, and sci-fi projects.

Requirements

Proven experience delivering high-quality real-time VFX in Unreal Engine (UE4 or UE5)
Strong expertise in Niagara systems and real-time shader/material workflows
Deep understanding of gameplay readability, combat feedback, and visual hierarchy
Experience optimizing VFX for PC and console performance targets
Demonstrated ability to diagnose workflow inefficiencies and implement improvements
Comfort operating independently and proposing actionable solutions in ambiguous environments
Ability to provide clear, direct feedback across disciplines
Unreal Engine Experience: Proficiency with Unreal Engine, preferably UE4 or UE5
Comfort using AI tools to accelerate iteration and reduce friction.

Nice To Haves

Experience working across multiple visual styles (realistic, stylized, fantasy, sci-fi)
Familiarity with pipeline collaboration alongside Technical Art and Engineering
Experience mentoring or elevating other VFX artists
Background supporting both game and cinematic VFX workflows

Responsibilities

Define and elevate VFX standards across multiple Unreal Engine projects
Monitor cross-project VFX quality and proactively identify artistic or technical risks
Develop solution plans before escalation to senior leadership
Design and build high-quality real-time VFX from concept through final implementation
Establish scalable, reusable Niagara systems and clean production pipelines
Ensure combat and environmental effects maintain gameplay readability and performance discipline
Lead performance optimization efforts, managing particle counts, shader complexity, and overdraw budgets
Provide direct, constructive feedback to distributed teams (US, Poland, Suzhou)
Create benchmarks, documentation, and best practices for consistent VFX execution
Step in hands-on during high-risk or high-visibility moments to stabilize delivery
Operate as the single-discipline VFX authority within the Art Center