About the role
Location & Work Model
- Locations: Vancouver, BC · Los Angeles, CA · Madison, WI
- Work Model: Hybrid
About Respawn Entertainment
Founded in 2010, Respawn was created with the philosophy that when talented people have creative freedom, they'll make extraordinary games that achieve the unexpected. Respawn Entertainment is the Academy Award-winning studio behind Apex Legends, Titanfall, and Star Wars™ Jedi titles. Join us to help shape the future of one of the world's leading live service franchises.
Great games come from teams that love what they do. At Respawn Entertainment, creators from every discipline work together to build, improve, and evolve Apex Legends. We move fast, challenge assumptions, and constantly iterate to deliver experiences that resonate with players around the world. Every contribution matters - from gameplay systems and character design to art, narrative, and technology. We truly believe that the best ideas can come from anywhere and collaboration is at the heart of how we bring them to life.
Respawn Entertainment is seeking a Senior VFX Artist who is as passionate about growing people as they are about making great effects. In this role, you will create and implement high-quality real-time VFX that bring Legends, weapons, and seasonal moments to life — reporting to the Senior VFX Director and collaborating closely with Art, Design, Animation, and Engineering. Beyond your own craft, you will play an active role in mentoring, guiding, and supporting the career development of the VFX team, helping build the kind of environment where artists do their best work.
Responsibilities
- Create and implement high-quality real-time VFX for legend abilities, weapons, seasonal content, and gameplay moments, with a focus on effects that feel impactful, polished, and competitive.
- Help define and maintain the visual quality bar for VFX across seasonal updates, weapon releases, character abilities, and gameplay moments.
- Actively mentor and guide VFX artists on the team — investing in their growth, helping them develop their craft, and supporting their long-term career goals.
- Lead career development conversations, including goal-setting, performance feedback, and identifying opportunities for artists to stretch and grow.
- Lead VFX problem-solving for complex content, including visual polish, performance constraints, and technical issues across the content pipeline.
- Collaborate closely with Art, Design, Animation, and Engineering to develop effects that support gameplay, improve clarity, and strengthen the visual identity of Apex Legends.
- Contribute to visual direction and help evolve Apex’s real-time VFX language, supporting production planning to ensure work is scoped and delivered effectively.
Qualifications
- 5+ years of professional experience as a real-time VFX artist in the games industry.
- Strong portfolio of shipped in-game real-time VFX work; portfolio examples that showcase bombastic, gritty combat and VFX-driven player intensity are a strong plus.
- A genuine passion for mentoring and guiding other artists — someone who finds as much satisfaction in a teammate’s breakthrough as in their own shipped work.
- Proficiency with relevant DCC tools such as Maya, Houdini, Photoshop, or Substance Designer, and experience implementing your own work within a game engine or proprietary toolset.
- Strong cross-discipline communication and collaboration skills with a proactive approach to feedback and problem-solving.
- Passion for making and playing games.
Preferred Qualifications / Plus Factors
- People management experience, including supporting career growth, providing regular feedback, and leading team members through development goals.
- Experience with first-person games, sci-fi art direction, or live-service seasonal content.
- Shipped AAA game credit.
Compensation and Benefits
The ranges listed below are what EA in good faith expects to pay applicants for this role in these locations at the time of this posting. If you reside in a different location, a recruiter will advise on the applicable range and benefits. Pay offered will be determined based on a number of relevant business and candidate factors (e.g. education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, or business needs).
Pay Ranges
- British Columbia (depending on location e.g. Vancouver vs. Victoria): $114,300 - $156,200 CAD
- California (depending on location e.g. Los Angeles vs. San Francisco): $127,700 - $190,600 USD
US Benefits
- Paid time off (3 weeks per year to start)
- 80 hours per year of sick time
- 16 paid company holidays per year
- 10 weeks paid time off to bond with baby
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- Life insurance
- Disability insurance
- 401(k) to regular full-time employees
- Eligibility for bonus and equity (for certain roles)
Canada Benefits
- Vacation (3 weeks per year to start)
- 10 days per year of sick time
- Paid top-up to EI/QPIP benefits up to 100% of base salary when you welcome a new child (12 weeks for maternity, and 4 weeks for parental/adoption leave)
- Extended health, dental, and vision coverage
- Life insurance
- Disability insurance
- Retirement plan to regular full-time employees
- Eligibility for bonus and equity (for certain roles)