Mob Entertainment is a startup multimedia studio that is best known for our hit indie horror game "Poppy Playtime". This franchise is one of the hottest new properties in gaming, and our team is naturally expanding as our ambition expands. To give a taste of our brand's popularity, more than 100 billion YouTube views of Poppy Playtime related content have occurred since the game's launch 4 years ago.
We’re looking for a Contract VFX Artist to help bring our worlds to life through high-quality, real-time visual effects. You’ll play a key role in creating atmospheric, stylized, and gameplay-driven effects that enhance immersion, tension, and player feedback.
This is a hands-on role focused on execution and iteration, working closely with art, design, and engineering to deliver polished in-game effects on a defined timeline.
What You’ll Do- Create high-quality real-time VFX for gameplay, environments, and cinematics (particles, shaders, lighting effects, etc.)
- Design and implement effects that enhance player feedback, readability, and emotional impact
- Work within Unreal Engine (Niagara preferred) to build, iterate, and polish effects
- Collaborate with art direction to ensure consistency with the game’s visual style and tone
- Partner with designers to support gameplay clarity and moment-to-moment feedback
- Optimize VFX for performance, memory, and scalability across target platforms
- Iterate quickly based on feedback and production needs
- Maintain clean organization and documentation of VFX assets
- 3+ years of experience creating real-time VFX for games
- Strong portfolio demonstrating high-quality, stylized, and/or atmospheric effects
- Experience with Unreal Engine (Niagara strongly preferred) or similar real-time engines
- Solid understanding of shaders, materials, and particle systems
- Ability to balance visual quality with performance constraints
- Strong collaboration and communication skills
- Ability to work independently and deliver assets on schedule in a contract environment
- Experience working on horror or atmospheric games
- Knowledge of Houdini or procedural VFX workflows
- Basic scripting or technical art experience
- Experience shipping at least one game title
- Familiarity with console and multi-platform optimization
Contract Rate:
The contract rate for this position is listed below. Final compensation within the applicable salary range will be determined based on factors such as the applicant’s experience, qualifications, and work location.
San Francisco, CA; New York City, NY; Los Angeles, CA; Seattle, WA; Boston, MA; & Seattle, WA DC Metropolitan Areas: $37 - $54 USD hourly
Austin, TX; Denver, CO; Nashville, TN; Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; & Miami, FL Metropolitan Areas: $33 - $47 USD hourly
All Other U.S. Locations: $28 - $40 USD hourly
Mob Entertainment is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and complies with all federal, state, and local laws prohibiting discrimination in employment. We are committed to providing equal opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, age, disability, military service, or any other protected class under applicable state or local law. Mob Entertainment also considers all qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with Fair Chance laws as well as any other applicable state and local laws.
Similar Jobs
What you need to know about the Chicago Tech Scene
Key Facts About Chicago Tech
- Number of Tech Workers: 245,800; 5.2% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
- Major Tech Employers: McDonald’s, John Deere, Boeing, Morningstar
- Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, biotechnology, fintech, software, logistics technology
- Funding Landscape: $2.5 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
- Notable Investors: Pritzker Group Venture Capital, Arch Venture Partners, MATH Venture Partners, Jump Capital, Hyde Park Venture Partners
- Research Centers and Universities: Northwestern University, University of Chicago, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Institute of Technology, Argonne National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
