Principal VFX Artist

Mountaintop is a new game studio creating multiplayer games for players that crave a challenge. We’re an independent, remote-first studio primarily located in the US and Canada.

We’re creating the types of games that bring people together — and keep them together for “just one more round.” The types of games that inspired us as kids. The games that become our hobbies, and sometimes our obsessions.

Games are a reflection of the teams that make them. So to make the best games, we’re building a studio that puts the team first — one that's collaborative, anti-crunch, diverse, and inclusive.

We’d love for you to join us.

We’re looking for a Principal VFX Artist who is passionate about creating exceptional gameplay effects within our new FPS Spectre Divide. This position will work closely with cross-functional teams to ensure their effects enhance gameplay and align with the overall creative vision of the project. If creating nano-bot spheres and distortion walls sounds more exciting than run-of-the-mill explosion VFX, join us in bringing our first title to life.

YOU'LL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR

• Producing high-quality effects through different stages of production.
• Creating novel stylized gameplay VFX that combines meshes, animations, particle & shader effects, and post processes to achieve a unique visual identity for player abilities (ex. Nano-bot spheres, distortion fields)
• Building & implementing VFX within Unreal Engine, ensuring optimal performance and compatibility with various platforms.
• Optimizing visual effects for performance without compromising quality, considering the limitations of different hardware platforms.
• Contributing VFX that adheres to the requirements and considerations of competitive gameplay.
• Working closely with the art and design teams to understand the game's creative vision and contribute to the overall aesthetic.

ABOUT YOU

• A minimum of 3 years of professional experience as a VFX artist in game development
• A love for playing and making amazing games
• Ability to create all source art needed for VFX, like textures, geometry, stylized flipbooks, normal maps, etc.
• A strong eye for timing, weight, realism, color, volume, energy, and other particle aesthetics
• A VFX reel with examples of novel and unique effects that combine multiple elements (ex. meshes, shaders, particles, post processes) that reinforce gameplay and meet all technical and aesthetic standards for the project.
• Solid knowledge of DCCs such as Blender, Maya, or 3ds max
• Strong technical ability is required to build and integrate VFX end-to-end, including material & shader creation and development of new VFX systems in Unreal Engine.
• Experience collaborating with graphics programmers
• Ability to analyze and optimize VFX for runtime performance
• Thrive in a team-oriented, creative environment
• Self-motivated, with great time management skills
• Willing to take risks and learn from failure

PLUSES

• AAA experience
• Fluent with Unreal Engine and Niagara
• Scripting or visual scripting experience
• Experience with 2D animation
• Experience with Houdini

PERKS

• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life insurance (100% of employee premiums paid, 90% of dependent premiums paid)
• 401k plan
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Unlimited PTO
• Remote-work Friendly

*Specific perks (benefits) apply to regular, full-time employees only (benefits do not apply to contractors). Benefits are determined by country of residency and comply with local, state, and country regulations.*