Company : Hanger 13
Position: Lead VFX Artist
Brighton, England, United Kingdom
Department: Art
Location: Brighton, UK
Reports To: Art Director
Job Type: Permanent
Who We Are
Hangar 13 is an internal 2K development studio dedicated to crafting unforgettable AAA gaming experiences across all major platforms. With studios in Brighton (UK), Brno, and Prague (CZ), we operate as one unified team, bringing to life narrative-rich games that keep players immersed. Each studio offers the opportunity to collaborate with highly talented developers on creatively challenging projects within a diverse and welcoming environment.
Job Summary
We are searching for a highly skilled Lead VFX Artist with advanced expertise in Unreal Engine 5. In this role, you will define artistic and technical standards for VFX, lead and mentor a team of artists, and partner closely with design, cinematic, and engineering teams to deliver visually stunning, high-performance effects fully integrated into gameplay.
This leadership position requires a strong balance of creative vision and technical mastery, with hands-on experience in Niagara, Lumen, Nanite, materials, and UE5’s rendering systems.
Additionally, you will guide and review the work of external co-development partners, ensuring alignment with our creative direction, production goals, and technical standards.
Please note: this role requires working from one of our studios at least 3 days per week.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Elevate visual fidelity of VFX using UE5 features (Niagara, Lumen, Nanite) while maintaining performance targets.
- Drive innovation in real-time effects, cinematic visuals, and player feedback.
- Collaborate with technical artists and engineers to enhance UE5 VFX tools and AAA production pipelines.
- Establish and maintain VFX performance budgets across PC, console, and next-gen platforms.
- Lead, mentor, and guide a team of VFX artists with clear direction and actionable feedback.
- Define efficient, scalable workflows and pipelines for UE5 VFX production.
- Partner with design teams to ensure VFX support gameplay clarity, feedback, and immersion.
- Work with cinematics, animation, and lighting teams to integrate VFX into cutscenes and storytelling sequences.
- Serve as the studio’s primary Unreal VFX expert, supporting cross-team problem solving and technical guidance.
Essential Skills, Attributes, and Experience
- Minimum 7+ years of VFX experience in the games industry, including 2+ shipped AAA titles.
- Expert-level proficiency in Unreal Engine 5 (Niagara, shaders, materials, Lumen, optimization workflows).
- Strong portfolio demonstrating high-quality, real-time UE5 VFX.
- Deep understanding of real-time rendering, particle systems, physics, and performance constraints.
- Proven leadership and team management experience.
- Excellent collaboration, communication, and problem-solving abilities.
Highly Desirable
- Experience with procedural tools (Houdini, EmberGen) in UE5 pipelines.
- Familiarity with cinematic or pre-rendered VFX using Unreal Sequencer.
- Experience managing outsourcing or external vendors.
- Understanding of VFX challenges for multiplayer or networked gameplay.
- Passion for cutting-edge real-time VFX and Unreal Engine advancements.
Equal Opportunity Commitment
Hangar 13 values diversity across our teams, partners, and communities. We are committed to offering equal employment opportunities throughout every stage of employment—from hiring and compensation to benefits, discipline, and termination.
We also ensure reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the application process, interviews, essential job functions, and access to company benefits. Please contact us if you need accommodations.
Security Notice
We are aware of increasing scams where individuals pose as HR personnel to conduct fraudulent interviews or extend fake job offers. These scams may appear legitimate.
Please note: Hangar 13 and 2K never use instant messaging apps for contacting candidates or conducting interviews.
If you believe you have been targeted by such a scam, you may file a complaint at:
We take such matters seriously and apologize for any inconvenience.