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Lead VFX Artist - Raven - Middleton, WI

R028050

Raven Software is seeking a highly capable, motivated Lead VFX Artist to play a key role on our team, partner across disciplines, and shape compelling visual effects. We are looking for a driven, trusted, and autonomous leader to own VFX development initiatives, guiding a world‑class team of VFX Artists to solve technical and creative challenges and deliver industry‑leading visual effects for the blockbuster Call of Duty franchise. Qualified candidates will be adaptable to evolving development needs, possess excellent communication skills, navigate the technical and creative challenges of VFX development, and deliver visual effects at the scale, quality, and complexity expected of a AAA blockbuster franchise. They will partner with some of the most talented and passionate developers in the industry to mentor artists, lead the team, and drive excellence. Above all, we are looking for an innovative and dedicated teammate to help tell our story. This role is based in our Middleton, WI office and follows an onsite work schedule of four days per week. Work arrangements may change at the company's discretion to meet business needs.

The video game industry and therefore our business is fast‑paced and will continue to evolve. As such, the duties and responsibilities of this role may be changed as directed by the Company at any time to promote and support our business and relationships with industry partners. Therefore, this role includes, but is not limited to, the following responsibilities:

• Work closely with the Art Director to bring ambience, life, and drama to environments, gameplay, and cinematics.
• Lead a team to craft and implement compelling particle effects and systems that communicate essential game information.
• Drive visual and technical quality to deliver cutting‑edge, AAA‑worthy VFX.
• Prototype VFX systems, particle materials, and improve workflows to achieve the desired tone and gameplay needs.
• Spearhead VFX R&D efforts, partnering with experts within and across disciplines to champion best practices and visual targets.
• Take high‑level direction and guide your team through day‑to‑day execution, iteration, and feedback on VFX tasks and initiatives.
• Partner with artists, designers, and programmers to be a trusted champion of performance, efficiency, and quality.
• Inspire and mentor others as a role model of initiative, accountability, and attitude.
• Foster a thriving team with open communication, constructive feedback, and development opportunities.
• Hold a high bar for quality, execution, and accountability while fostering artist growth.
• Collaborate with Production to plan team goals, forecast milestone deliveries, and identify resource needs.
• Clearly communicate risks, mitigations, and updates while maintaining effective working relationships across the studio.

8+ total years of Visual Effects experience, with 2+ years in a Lead role, in real-time game development or equivalent experience in film/television. Lead by example with a passionate and egoless attitude that welcomes feedback and enjoys a collaborative, iterative, fast‑moving and adaptive workflow. Ability to quickly learn new software and adapt to proprietary tools. Excellent communication, collaboration, and problem‑solving skills. Expert experience with game development engines and particle effects tools (Unreal, Unity, or equivalent proprietary engines). Strong experience with relevant 2D and 3D software (Photoshop, After Effects, Maya, Max, Houdini, Substance Designer, EmberGen, or similar tools). Strong understanding and application of rigid body and fluid simulations, post‑processing, and shader development for visual effects creation. Strong understanding of modern game VFX workflows and emerging industry trends. An inspiring reel demonstrating strong, realistic visual effects, modern development workflows, and creative solutions to development challenges.

• Extra Points: Experience working with the Call of Duty tools or other proprietary engines.
• Experience in a secondary area such as modeling, animation, or lighting.
• Experience with basic scripting.
• Experience with procedural workflows and tools.
• Understanding of real‑time physics systems.
• Familiarity with performance optimization for console and PC.
• Passion for the Call of Duty franchise.
• Strong traditional art foundation.

Founded in 1990 by brothers Brian and Steve Raffel in Middleton, Wisconsin, Raven Software began as a small studio focused on crafting fantasy and role‑playing games. Since then, our award‑winning portfolio has grown to include beloved titles such as Hexen, Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, and - for the past 15 years - major contributions to the critically acclaimed Call of Duty franchise. As the lead developers behind Call of Duty: Warzone and the force behind the campaigns of the Black Ops series, most recently Black Ops 6, we have established ourselves as a key player in shaping the FPS genre and pushing the boundaries of what games can achieve. Our motto, "Our Work Speaks For Us," symbolizes the dedication and passion that drives everything we do. We’ve built a team rooted in respect, collaboration, and a shared focus on what’s best for the game. We prioritize ambition balanced with care, direct communication, and a culture free of egos. By fostering innovation and owning our mistakes, we continually push boundaries to create unforgettable games for our players. As a studio located in Middleton - a suburb of Madison consistently ranked among the best places to live - we offer a thriving, supportive environment paired with exceptional quality of life. As we grow and enter the next chapter of our journey, we’re looking for talented individuals eager to pave new ground in our industry.

Job Opportunities: https://careers.ravensoftware.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/raven-software/

We strive to create the most iconic brands in gaming and entertainment. We’re driven by our mission to deliver unrivaled gaming experiences for the world to enjoy, together. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty®, Crash Bandicoot™, Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™, and Guitar Hero®. As a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and products, our "press start" is simple: delight hundreds of millions of players around the world with innovative, fun, thrilling, and engaging entertainment experiences. We’re not just looking back at our decades‑long legacy; we’re forging ahead to keep advancing gameplay with some of the most popular titles and sophisticated technology in the world. We have bold ambitions to create the most inclusive company as we know our success comes from the passionate, creative, and diverse teams within our organization. We’re in the business of delivering fun and unforgettable entertainment for our player community to enjoy. And our future opportunities have never been greater — this could be your opportunity to level up.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status, among other characteristics. We are committed to working with and providing reasonable assistance to individuals with physical and mental disabilities. If you are a disabled individual requiring an accommodation to apply for an open position, please email your request to accommodationrequests@activisionblizzard.com. General employment questions cannot be accepted or processed here. Thank you for your interest.

We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well well‑being for 'Every World' - we've got our employees covered! Subject to eligibility requirements, the Company offers comprehensive benefits including:

• Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance;
• 401(k) with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching;
• Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave;
• Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other voluntary benefit programs like supplemental life & disability, legal service, ID protection, rental insurance, and others;
• If the Company requires that you move geographic locations for the job, then you may also be eligible for relocation assistance.

Eligibility to participate in these benefits may vary for part time and temporary full‑time employees and interns with the Company. You can learn more by visiting https://www.benefitsforeveryworld.com/.

In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $99,200.00 - $183,520.00 Annual. These values reflect the expected base pay range of new hires across all U.S. locations. Ultimately, your specific range and offer will be based on several factors, including relevant experience, performance, and work location. Your Talent Professional can share this role’s range details for your local geography during the hiring process. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not guaranteed. While we strive to provide competitive offers to successful candidates, new hire compensation is negotiable.