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Visual Effects Artist Jobs in Raleigh, NC (NOW HIRING)

Senior Technical Artist

Cary, NC · On-site

$117K - $140K/yr

ART What We Do Push your artistic talent to the limit on a team of world-class environment ... visual effects * Generate textures and bake data using tools such as Substance Designer, Substance ...

... Arts, Design and Technology with a focus on Visual Effects for Interactive Media and Virtual Production (Games Design and Development, Virtual and Mixed Reality, 2D and 3D animation, kinetic and ...

... visual and technical standard for how effects work across the game. You're someone who gets ... Mentor and elevate artists across disciplines; raise the floor and the ceiling What we're looking ...

... Effects and Photoshop. * Demonstrated ability to develop compelling visual stories through video ... creative, artistic, and skilled videography and photographic activities. OR AN EQUIVALENT ...

... Effects and Photoshop. * Demonstrated ability to develop compelling visual stories through video ... creative, artistic, and skilled videography and photographic activities. OR AN EQUIVALENT ...

Founded in 2017 by Anthony and Joe Russo, AGBO is an artist-led independent studio shaping the ... the visual boundaries of what's possible in interactive experiences tied to some of the most ...

Founded in 2017 by Anthony and Joe Russo, AGBO is an artist-led independent studio shaping the ... the visual boundaries of what's possible in interactive experiences tied to some of the most ...

Founded in 2017 by Anthony and Joe Russo, AGBO is an artist-led independent studio shaping the ... the visual boundaries of what's possible in interactive experiences tied to some of the most ...

Bachelor's degree in graphic design, visual arts, web design or similar * 5+ years of professional ... InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat, Premiere Pro, After Effects), Figma, Lucidchart ...

Visual Effects Artist information

See Raleigh, NC salary details

$35.5K

$104.8K

$148.2K

How much do visual effects artist jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 6, 2026, the average yearly pay for visual effects artist in Raleigh, NC is $104,812.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $86,000.00 and $147,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What Is a Visual Effects Artist?

As a visual effects artist, your job is to create special effects for the film industry to portray visuals or action sequences that are too difficult or too costly to film. Your primary responsibilities center on consulting with clients, supervisors, and other artists to create visual effects (VFX) to their specifications. Your job duties include using computer animation software programs and working with the various production departments to meet the film’s needs. You need creativity and imagination to work as a visual effects artist, and you must be proficient with animation, graphic design, and visual effects computer programs.

What are Visual Effects Artists?

Visual Effects Artists are professionals who create imagery and effects that cannot be achieved during live-action filming. They use computer software and other digital tools to design, animate, and composite visual elements such as explosions, weather effects, creatures, and set extensions. Visual Effects Artists work closely with directors and other production staff to seamlessly blend these effects into movies, television shows, commercials, and video games. Their work enhances storytelling by bringing imaginative and realistic visuals to the screen.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Visual Effects Artist, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Visual Effects Artist, you need a solid background in digital art, animation, and computer graphics, often supported by a degree in visual effects or a related field. Mastery of industry-standard software such as Adobe After Effects, Autodesk Maya, Houdini, and familiarity with compositing and rendering engines is crucial. Creativity, attention to detail, and strong teamwork and communication skills help artists stand out in collaborative production environments. These skills ensure the creation of high-quality, believable visual effects that enhance storytelling and meet project requirements.

What is the difference between Visual Effects Artist vs Motion Graphics Designer?

AspectVisual Effects ArtistMotion Graphics Designer
Required CredentialsPortfolio, degree in film, animation, or related fieldPortfolio, degree in graphic design, animation, or related field
Work EnvironmentFilm, TV, advertising, post-production studiosAdvertising agencies, media companies, digital agencies
Industry UsageSpecializes in integrating CGI and effects into live-actionCreates animated graphics for videos, presentations, and branding

While both roles involve digital artistry, Visual Effects Artists focus on integrating CGI and effects into live-action footage, often working in film and TV post-production. Motion Graphics Designers create animated graphics for various media, emphasizing branding and visual communication. Understanding these differences helps clarify career paths and job expectations in the digital media industry.

What are some common challenges Visual Effects Artists face when working on collaborative projects?

Visual Effects Artists often work closely with directors, animators, and other post-production professionals, which can present challenges in maintaining a unified creative vision and meeting tight deadlines. Balancing technical limitations with artistic goals, adapting to rapidly changing feedback, and ensuring seamless integration of effects into live-action footage are frequent hurdles. Strong communication skills and flexibility are essential to effectively collaborate and deliver high-quality results within project constraints.
What are the most commonly searched types of Visual Effects Artist jobs in Raleigh, NC? The most popular types of Visual Effects Artist jobs in Raleigh, NC are:
What are popular job titles related to Visual Effects Artist jobs in Raleigh, NC? For Visual Effects Artist jobs in Raleigh, NC, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Visual Effects Artist jobs in Raleigh, NC look for? The top searched job categories for Visual Effects Artist jobs in Raleigh, NC are:
What cities near Raleigh, NC are hiring for Visual Effects Artist jobs? Cities near Raleigh, NC with the most Visual Effects Artist job openings:
Infographic showing various Visual Effects Artist job openings in Raleigh, NC as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 81% Full Time, and 19% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $104,812 per year, or $50.4 per hour.
Senior Technical Artist

Senior Technical Artist

Epic Games

Cary, NC • On-site

$117K - $140K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 14 days ago


Job description

WHAT MAKES US EPIC?
At the core of Epic's success are talented, passionate people. Epic prides itself on creating a collaborative, welcoming, and creative environment. Whether it's building award-winning games or crafting engine technology that enables others to make visually stunning interactive experiences, we're always innovating.
Being Epic means being a part of a team that continually strives to do right by our community and users. We're constantly innovating to raise the bar of engine and game development.
ART
What We Do
Push your artistic talent to the limit on a team of world-class environment, character and concept artists who strive to innovate and inspire.
What You'll Do
Epic is looking for a Technical Artist with a strong focus on material creation to join the Fortnite team. In this role, you'll be responsible for building visually rich, performant materials for characters and character accessories, using Unreal Engine and industry-standard texturing tools to deliver a wide range of effects. While this position favors a materials specialist, the ideal candidate brings a generalist mindset and a solid understanding of the broader game art pipeline. You'll work closely with artists, engineers, and other tech artists to create scalable solutions that support Fortnite's visual style across many platforms.
In this role, you will
  • Create high-quality, game-ready materials for characters and other cosmetics
  • Build materials that leverage procedural textures and custom material logic to achieve distinctive visual effects
  • Generate textures and bake data using tools such as Substance Designer, Substance Painter, and Houdini
  • Develop reusable material frameworks and workflows that enable tech artists and artists of other disciplines to efficiently create unique assets
  • Collaborate with character artists, tech artists, and engineers to integrate materials with geometry, effects, and Blueprints
  • Optimize materials and textures to meet performance, memory, and scalability targets across multiple platforms
  • Contribute to improving Unreal Engine material pipelines and best practices
What we're looking for
  • A strong reel or portfolio demonstrating realtime game materials, ideally with character or cosmetic-focused examples
  • Advanced understanding of PBR workflows, real-time rendering constraints, and material authoring best practices
  • Proven experience creating complex materials using procedural textures and custom material behaviors
  • Hands-on experience with Substance Designer and Substance Painter for texture generation and asset authoring
  • Familiarity with the Unreal Engine 5 art and material pipeline
  • Experience developing content for multiple platforms
  • A solid understanding of modeling and texturing fundamentals within a real-time art pipeline, strong collaboration skills, and a desire to own features and initiatives from inception through ship
  • Bonus: Tools, scripting, or pipeline development experience for Unreal Engine, Substance Designer, and/or Substance Painter
  • Bonus: Experience in setting up or working with modern character art pipelines, building custom tools, templates, or automation to improve material and texture workflows
  • Bonus: Familiarity with Blueprints, Python, or similar scripting languages and experience in secondary areas such as modeling, lighting, or VFX
EPIC JOB + EPIC BENEFITS = EPIC LIFE
Our intent is to cover all things that are medically necessary and improve the quality of life. We pay 100% of the premiums for both you and your dependents. Our coverage includes Medical, Dental, a Vision HRA, Long Term Disability, Life Insurance & a 401k with competitive match. We also offer a robust mental well-being program through Modern Health, which provides free therapy and coaching for employees & dependents. Throughout the year we celebrate our employees with events and company-wide paid breaks. We offer unlimited PTO and sick time and recognize individuals for 7 years of employment with a paid sabbatical.
ABOUT US
Epic Games is a leading interactive entertainment company. For over 30 years we've been making award-winning games and engine technology that empowers others to make visually stunning games and 3D content that bring environments to life like never before. Epic's award-winning Unreal Engine technology not only provides game developers the ability to build high-fidelity, interactive experiences for PC, console, mobile, and VR, it is also a tool being embraced by content creators across a variety of industries such as media and entertainment, automotive, and architectural design. As we continue to build our Engine technology and develop remarkable games, we strive to build teams of world-class talent.
Like what you hear? Come be a part of something Epic!
Epic Games deeply values diverse teams and an inclusive work culture, and we are proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. Learn more about our Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy here.
Note to Recruitment Agencies: Epic does not accept any unsolicited resumes or approaches from any unauthorized third party (including recruitment or placement agencies) (i.e., a third party with whom we do not have a negotiated and validly executed agreement). We will not pay any fees to any unauthorized third party. Further details on these matters can be found here.