Senior VFX Artist - GameSim - Talent Pipeline

Role Summary

EN (FR to follow)

GameSim is a game development studio that partners with clients to build games across PC/console and a range of art styles. We care about craftsmanship, collaboration, and shipping work we’re proud to put our names on. If you love building environments and believable spaces we’d like to meet you. Our headquarters is based in Orlando, FL!

Talent Pipeline Posting Notice

Please note that this posting is not tied to an immediate vacancy. We are proactively building a pipeline of qualified candidates in anticipation of potential hiring needs over the coming months. Applications will be reviewed and retained for future consideration as opportunities arise.

We are seeking a Senior VFX Artist (~20% leadership / ~50% particle effects / ~30% materials) to join our team! You’ll create game-ready real-time VFX end-to-end: texturing/materials → particle effects → implementation in a proprietary or commercial engine. This is a senior, production-focused role with leadership responsibility: you’ll translate art direction into shippable effects, set a quality bar, mentor other artists, and help keep VFX delivery aligned across teams and client expectations.

90-day success looks like

Your portfolio must include

Easily readable executable visual effects with easy-to-understand elements.

Examples of material definition and solid textures (clean, readable, well created).

Evidence of your understanding of the foundations: composition, atmosphere, readability, choice of colors, timing of animations and understanding of natural energies (fire, water, smoke, etc.).

At least one example of an effect implemented in-game, shown in a real-time context (video showing the triggering of the effect during gameplay).

As a major asset, an example demonstrating the impact of your leadership (before/after comparison of your mentoring, a small set of effects with a consistent style, or analyses/models that you have created).

If your portfolio is mostly just effects alone, without showing how they're performed in-game, this position probably isn't for you.

Responsibilities

Within your first 90 days, you

• Depending on the project, you may need to learn a proprietary engine quickly and work effectively inside its constraints or work effectively in modern engines like UE5 and Unity.
• Deliver multiple complete, optimized effects and/or specialty materials (assets + assembly + implementation) that match concept and art direction.
• Establish trust as a lead: communicate progress and risks clearly, align cross-discipline dependencies early, and help unblock teammates.
• Contribute meaningfully to VFX standards (templates, naming, budgets, review checklists) that improve consistency and throughput.

Day-to-day Responsibilities

• Create custom real-time visual effects and implement them in engine (UE5, Unity, or proprietary).
• Create all necessary textures and materials; maintain clean, readable graphs and parameterization.
• Utilize additional software tools like Photoshop, Blender, Houdini, or Maya as needed.
• Understand complex material setups, blueprints, or scripting hooks; troubleshoot issues and partner with Tech Art/Engineering.
• Own optimization fundamentals: budgets, overdraw, particle counts, memory/perf constraints, and console targets.
• Set quality bar, provide clear reviews/paintovers, and guide VFX execution for small pods or strike teams.
• Proactively identify risks (missing hooks, perf spikes, unclear direction), propose solutions, and escalate early.
• Collaborate closely with Designers, Concept Artists, and the Art Director; partner with Tech Art/Engineering as needed.
• Support client-facing communication when required: clarify requirements, share WIP, and align on “definition of done.”
• Assign tasks, set short-term priorities, and maintain a healthy backlog.

Requirements

• Minimum 8-years of professional game industry experience with at least one shipped title.
• Proven end-to-end real-time VFX workflow experience working in-engine implementation in Unreal Engine 4 or 5 and Niagara.
• Strong particle animation fundamentals and shape language (readability, timing, impact).
• Strong material and texture creation skills in Photoshop and/or Substance Designer.
• Demonstrated optimization knowledge (particle counts, overdraw budgets, performance constraints).
• Leadership-level communication: clear written and verbal updates, actionable feedback, strong collaboration habits.
• Experience mentoring or leading other artists (formal lead role not required, but leadership behaviors are).
• Can work Central (CT) core hours with possible overlap hours with Pacific (PT) or Eastern (ET).
• Work options are flexible: remote / hybrid / onsite.
• Nice-to-have
• Houdini experience.
• Substance Designer experience.
• EmberGen experience.
• Unity experience.
• Scripting or coding skills (C#, Python, etc.).
• 2D or 3D animation skills.
• Versatility across stylized and realistic work; foliage/atmospherics experience.
• Experience establishing VFX standards/pipeline (templates, naming, libraries, scalability rules).

Portfolio requirements

• At least 8 years of professional experience in the video game industry, including at least one published game.
• Proven experience in real-time visual effects workflow from start to finish, related to implementation in Unreal Engine 4 or 5 and Niagara.
• Solid foundations in particle animation and shape psychology (readability, timing, impact).
• Strong skills creating materials and textures in Photoshop and/or Substance Designer.
• Proven knowledge of optimization methods (number of particles, available overdraws, performance restrictions).
• Ability to communicate leadership: clear written and oral updates, concrete feedback, good solid habits for collaboration.
• Experience mentoring or managing other artists (a formal manager role is not required, but associated behaviors are).
• Ability to work during common Central Time Zone (CST) hours, with the possibility of sharing some work hours with the Pacific (PST) or Eastern (EST) Time Zones.
• Flexible work options: teleworking / hybrid / face-to-face.
• Strengths
• Experience with Houdini.
• Experience with Substance Designer.
• Experience with EmberGen.
• Experience with Unity.
• Scripting or code writing skills (C#, Python, etc.).
• Skills in 2D or 3D animation.
• Versatile work on stylized and realistic projects; experience creating foliage/atmosphere.
• Experience in developing standards/processes for visual effects (models, designations, libraries, extensibility rules).
• Portfolio Requirements

Benefits

Your portfolio must include

• Run-time VFX assets with strong readability and clearly understandable elements.
• Strong material definition and texture work (clean, readable, well-constructed).
• Evidence of fundamentals: composition, mood, readability, color choices, animation timing, and understanding of natural energies (fire, water, smoke, etc.).
• At least one example shown in a real-time context implemented in-game (video of the effect happening during gameplay).
• Bonus (strongly preferred): an example showing leadership impact—before/after mentorship, a small set of effects kept consistent across a style bar, or breakdowns/templates you built.
• If your portfolio is mostly effects alone in a scene without runtime gameplay context, this is probably not the right fit.
• Opportunity to work on different projects
• 3 weeks of paid leave
• Benefits package including medical, dental and vision
• Sick Leave
• Disability Coverage
• Corporate holidays
• Professional Development
• GameSim is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and identities and evaluate candidates based on skills, experience, and alignment with the role.
• Keywords Studios is dedicated to following a well-established Equal Opportunities Policy. We endeavor to create a workplace which provides for equal opportunities for all employees and potential employees.
• Opportunity to work on different projects
• 3 weeks of paid vacation
• Benefits package including medical, dental and vision insurance
• Sick leave
• Disability insurance
• Public holidays
• Professional development
• GameSim is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and identities, and we evaluate them based on their skills, experience and compatibility with the role offered.
• Keywords Studios is dedicated to following a well-established equal opportunities policy. We strive to create a workplace that provides equal opportunity to every employee and potential candidate.
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Additional Information

Resume + portfolio link required.

An art test may be required as part of the process.

This position is currently open to candidates residing in the following Canada Provinces: Ontario, Quebec or British Columbia.

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GameSim est un studio de développement vidéoludique qui collabore avec des clients afin de créer des jeux aux styles artistiques variés, que ce soit sur PC ou sur console. Nous avons à cœur le savoir-faire, la collaboration et la livraison de produits auxquels nous sommes fiers d’être associés. Si vous aimez élaborer des environnements et des espaces crédibles, nous souhaitons vous rencontrer. Notre siège social est situé à Orlando, en Floride!

Avis d’offre d’emploi (vivier de talents)

Notez que cette offre d’emploi n’est pas associée à un poste actuellement vacant. Nous étoffons de manière proactive un vivier de candidat(e)s qualifié(e)s afin d’anticiper les embauches nécessaires au cours des mois à venir. Les candidatures seront analysées, conservées et considérées lorsque les occasions se présenteront.

Nous cherchons un(e) artiste senior pour les effets visuels (~20 % de leadership / ~50 % d’effets de particules / ~30 % de matériaux) pour notre équipe! Vous créerez en intégralité des effets visuels en temps réel utilisables en jeu : textures/matériaux → effets de particules → implémentation dans un moteur propriétaire ou commercial. Ceci est un rôle de haut niveau, centré sur la production, qui comporte son lot de responsabilités : vous créerez des effets utilisables en respectant la direction artistique, établirez le niveau de qualité à atteindre, accompagnerez d’autres artistes et vous assurerez que les effets visuels livrés sont cohérents au sein des équipes et sont conformes aux attentes des clients.

À quoi ressemble une période de 90 jours réussie

Au cours de vos 90 premiers jours de travail…

En fonction du projet, vous pourriez devoir apprendre à utiliser un moteur propriétaire rapidement et efficacement tout en respectant ses contraintes, ou à utiliser efficacement des moteurs modernes tels que UE5 et Unity.

Vous livrez plusieurs effets et/or matériaux spécialisés (éléments + assemblage + implémentation) complets et optimisés qui correspondent au concept et à la direction artistique.

Vous établirez la confiance en tant que chef(fe) d’équipe : vous communiquerez clairement la progression et les risques, vous vous assurerez de l’alignement des dépendances interdisciplinaires dès les premiers stades, et vous soutiendrez les coéquipiers qui ont de la difficulté à progresser.

Vous contribuez de manière significative aux standards des effets visuels (modèles, appellations, budgets, listes de vérification) afin d’améliorer la cohérence et la cadence de production.

Responsabilités au quotidien

Créer des effets visuels en temps réel sur mesure et les implémenter dans le moteur (UE5, Unity ou propriétaire).

Créer tous les matériaux et les textures nécessaires; conserver des diagrammes et des paramétrages clairs et lisibles.

Utiliser des logiciels supplémentaires tels que Photoshop, Blender, Houdini ou Maya, au besoin.

Comprendre des configurations matérielles complexes, des plans ou des hooks de scriptage; résoudre les problèmes et faire équipe avec les équipes d’art technique/d’ingénierie.

Se charger des fondements de l’optimisation : les budgets, le nombre de particules, les restrictions en matière de mémoire ou de performance et les cibles sur console.

Establish the level of quality to be achieved, provide clear assessments/repaints, and guide a small cell or strike team when executing visual effects.

Proactively identify risks (missing hooks, performance spikes, unclear direction), propose solutions and escalate issues at an early stage.

Collaborate closely with designers, concept artists and the artistic director; collaborate with technical artists/engineering as needed.

Contribute to communications with clients when necessary: clarify requirements, share elements under development and agree on a “finished definition”.

Assign tasks, establish short-term priorities and maintain a healthy backlog.

A resume and a link to your portfolio are required.

An artistic test might be necessary during the process.

This position is currently only open to candidates residing in the following Canadian provinces: Ontario, Quebec or British Columbia.

Salary range: between $95,000 and $100,000 CA

Main working language: English