Senior VFX Artist; Remote

Company Description

Keywords Studios is a global provider of creative and technical services to the video games industry, with over 13,000 professionals across 70+ studios in 25+ countries. We support clients across the entire game lifecycle through four core Service Lines:

• Create — Game development, art production, and audio
• Globalize — Localization, localization QA, functional testing
• Engage — Marketing, Live Ops, community, and player support
• Media & Entertainment

In Japan, Keywords Studios delivers its full range of services across Create, Globalize, and Engage, supporting leading publishers, developers, agencies, and IP owners through both local and global teams.

Applicants must be currently residing in Japan and possess valid authorization to work in Japan.

Ownership & Rendering

• Drive the creation and optimisation of complex real‑time VFX and shader networks to achieve the game's visual goals.
• Design, implement, and optimise complex real‑time shader networks and materials to support both VFX and general rendering needs (e.g., custom rendering passes, post-effects).
• Research and integrate innovative rendering techniques, specialised VFX tools, and procedural methods to push the visual quality bar.

Pipeline Engineering & Optimisation

• Develop and maintain robust tools, scripts, and processes that facilitate content creation, focusing on automation and improving team productivity and user experience.
• Establish and govern content creation standards and technical specifications for all art assets, personally overseeing optimisation, integration, and validation prior to certification.
• Lead the advancement and maintenance of the art production pipeline, ensuring smooth data flow and technical stability between DCC packages and the game engine.

Cross-Discipline Collaboration

• Act as the primary technical liaison between the Art, Design, and Engineering teams, translating artistic requirements into technical specifications and engineering limitations into actionable art goals.
• Serve as the go‑to for the Art and Animation teams, providing prompt technical support, troubleshooting complex bugs, and resolving pipeline blockages.
• Share learnings, technical insights, and new workflows across the studio, actively mentoring mid-level and junior artists on best practices in real‑time VFX and optimisation.

Documentation & Research

• Create and maintain clear, up-to-date technical documentation on all tools, workflows, best practices, and established art specifications.
• Proactively identify technical debt and potential future production risks, proposing, testing and documenting long‑term technical solutions.
• Maintain an active awareness of emerging technologies, engine updates, and industry trends to ensure the studio's technical art practices remain competitive and efficient.

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• Approximately 5+ years of professional experience in the games industry.
• Strong foundational knowledge of the art pipeline, an artistic eye and practical experience in art and animation content creation.
• Demonstrated skills and interest across multiple technical domains:
  Shader development, VFX / Particles, Pipeline and tool development, and Real‑time physics simulations.
• Proven proficiency in scripting and coding in one or more core languages.
• Current, hands‑on development experience with modern commercial game engines.
• Strong foundational knowledge in at least one industry DCC package (Maya, 3ds Max, Blender, Adobe Suite) and advanced skills in at least one relevant development package (Houdini, Ember Gen, After Effects, or Substance suite).
• Strong attention to detail, excellent time management, problem‑solving, and highly effective communication skills.
• Fluent in Japanese and with a high degree of English language proficiency.

Desirable Skills and Experience

• Previous production experience working on the demands and complexities of AAA game development.
• Familiarity with console development, including handheld platforms.
• Specialised experience creating motion graphics, interface animations and in‑engine visual effects (VFX) specifically designed for user interface elements.
• Skill set in traditional art, drawing, or painting, providing a solid foundation in composition, colour theory, and aesthetic sensibility.

• Employment Type: 1‑Year Contract
• Employment Type: Full Time, Contract
• Working Pattern: Remote
• Location: Asia Pacific, Japan, Tokyo
• Area of Work: Art Services
• Service: Create