Lighthouse Games is a new AAA studio in Leamington Spa. We are defined by our pedigree of talent and serious ambition to build a new best-in-class game. When you join us at Lighthouse, you’ll create the best work of your career within a collaborative, hybrid working environment. You’ll learn from the best and work alongside the future greats of the gaming industry. As a Senior VFX Artist, you will be at the forefront of enhancing our games' visual experiences through cutting-edge effects that captivate our players.
In this role, you will collaborate with various teams to conceptualise and implement high-calibre visual effects that align with our artistic goals. Your expertise will not only help shape the aesthetic of our projects but also serve as a guiding light for our junior artists, helping them grow and thrive in their roles.
Key Responsibilities:
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Work alongside the Lead VFX Artist and interdisciplinary teams to design and deliver photorealistic VFX grounded in real-world reference, elevating both gameplay and immersion.
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Create high-fidelity effects representing natural phenomena — including rain, smoke, fire, dust, and atmospheric systems — with a strong focus on believability, physical behaviour, and material response.
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Develop and optimise VFX assets using industry-standard tools, ensuring a balance between visual authenticity and real-time performance.
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Study and apply real-world reference, motion, and physics to inform the behaviour, timing, and interaction of effects in-game.
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Contribute to the refinement of VFX workflows and pipelines, improving both quality benchmarks and production efficiency.
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Mentor junior artists, helping them transition from stylised approaches toward physically grounded, photoreal execution where required.
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Collaborate closely with Technical Artists and Engineers to ensure seamless, performant integration of effects within the game world.
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Participate in creative reviews, consistently pushing toward a best-in-class, photoreal visual standard across all VFX.
Requirements
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Proven experience creating photorealistic VFX for games, supported by a portfolio that demonstrates strong real-world grounding (e.g. smoke, fire, weather systems, destruction, environmental effects).
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Deep understanding of natural phenomena and physical behaviour — how elements such as fluid, gas, heat, and particulate systems behave and interact.
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Strong eye for reference-driven detail, with the ability to translate real-world observation into convincing in-game effects.
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Proficiency with tools such as Houdini and Maya for simulation and content creation.
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Experience implementing and optimising VFX in Unreal Engine (Niagara) or similar real-time engines.
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Solid understanding of performance constraints and how to achieve high visual fidelity within them.
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Ability to work collaboratively across disciplines, with clear communication around both artistic intent and technical constraints.
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Passion for mentoring and raising the overall quality bar within a team.
Preferred Qualifications:
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Familiarity with Unreal Engine, particularly the Niagara VFX system.
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Experience with Houdini and EmberGen for advanced visual effects.
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Knowledge of shader programming (HLSL or visual scripting for UE4/5) for creating custom effects.
Benefits
- 25 Days Holiday, plus 1 day for your birthday
- Studio Shutdown between Christmas and New Year
- Discretionary Bonus Scheme
- Private Pension Scheme
- Private Healthcare
- Health and Well-Being Benefits
- Dental Care
- Optical treatments
- Mental Health Support
