3D Senior FX Artist Brown Bag Films, Dublin

Brown Bag Films, an award-winning and creatively driven animation studio globally recognized for its commitment to high-quality, engaging content for children and families, is officially seeking an experienced and forward-thinking Senior FX Artist (Unreal Engine). Driven by our core philosophy, "We Love Animation ," we position our creative talent at the center of our operational and artistic ecosystem.

This senior-level position requires a masterful blend of technical acumen, creative look-development, and collaborative leadership. Based out of our state-of-the-art Dublin studio, the successful candidate will play a pivotal role in shaping the visual effects landscape of our current production pipeline, leveraging Unreal Engine to build premium FX assets and shots.

Beyond individual technical execution, this role serves as a cornerstone for mentorship, studio infrastructure refinement, and cross-departmental collaboration.

Job Overview : Senior FX Artist

Parameter Specification Details

Vacancy Name Senior FX Artist - Unreal Engine

Hiring Company Brown Bag Films

Core Function Computer Graphics (CG) / Visual Effects (FX)

Primary Software Environment Unreal Engine

Office Location Dublin, Ireland

Work Arrangement Hybrid (Minimum of 2 days per week required on-site)

Employment Nature Full-Time, Fixed-Term Contract

Contract Duration 12 Months

Remuneration Range €46,722.29 - €53,317.89 (Gross Per Annum)

Eligibility Requirements Open to EU Candidates Only (Must possess immediate right to work in Ireland)

Position Overview & Strategic Purpose

The modern animation landscape demands a seamless marriage between cinematic storytelling and cutting edge real time technology. As a Senior FX Artist specializing in Unreal Engine, you will be tasked with transforming the creative visions of our Art Directors and Episodic Directors into functional, stunning, and technically optimized real time visual effects.

This role balances high level aesthetic look development with strict adherence to the production's technical parameters. In addition to delivering production ready assets under rigorous deadlines, you will act as a technical pillar and mentor within the CG department. By supervising assets from both internal and overseas teams, refining pipeline workflows, and coaching junior to mid level talent, you will directly influence the creative output and operational efficiency of Brown Bag Films.

Comprehensive Roles and Responsibilities as Senior FX Artist

The responsibilities of the Senior FX Artist span three core domains: technical execution, pipeline optimization, and team leadership.

Creative & Technical Execution

• Asset & Shot Delivery: Author, simulate, and implement high caliber FX assets and shots within the designated production timelines, ensuring all deliverables align with the stylistic mandate of the Art Director.
• Look Development: Lead the research, development, and prototyping of visual styles for environmental phenomena, magical elements, and character driven interactions within Unreal Engine.
• Cinematic Integration: Evaluate shots for timing, composition, and lighting integration, ensuring that FX seamlessly complement the underlying animation and narrative beats.

Pipeline Management & Quality Assurance

• Technical Approvals: Conduct meticulous technical and artistic sign offs on FX assets and shots generated by both internal team members and external overseas partner studios.
• Proactive Problem Solving: Identify, isolate, and troubleshoot rendering or simulation bottlenecks within the Unreal Engine pipeline. Generate IT and pipeline tickets to systematically resolve infrastructure vulnerabilities.
• Administrative Diligence: Maintain rigorous administrative tracking by logging daily operational hours into the studio's proprietary time tracking software, ensuring project managers have accurate data for resource allocation.
• Dailies & Reviews: Actively participate in daily reviews and animatic evaluations, collaborating closely with the FX Lead, Directors, and production management to maintain stylistic consistency across episodes.

Leadership, Mentorship & Resource Strategy

• Team Coaching: Serve as a dedicated mentor to junior and mid level FX artists, facilitating skill development, offering constructive critique, and sharing advanced techniques within Unreal Engine.
• Workflow Evolution: Contribute to the continuous improvement of the studio's best practices, toolsets, and documentation to optimize real time workflows.
• Resource Casting: Provide expert advice to production leads during resource casting and task allocation, ensuring assignments align with individual artist strengths and project priorities.

Candidate Requirements & Qualifications

To maintain our studio's high standards of excellence, the ideal candidate must possess an advanced blend of artistic insight, industry experience, and technical mastery.

Advanced Knowledge & Insight

• A profound, foundational understanding of the physics, behavior, and styling of natural and stylized FX elements (e.g., fire, smoke, water, explosions, magical accents).
• A highly developed eye for animation timing, cinematic composition, and how real time lighting interacts with complex visual effects.

Proven Industry Experience

• Extensive experience establishing look development pipelines and transforming abstract conceptual art into functional real time systems.
• Proven success in designing, organizing, and maintaining modular, reusable asset libraries that empower wider production teams to scale output efficiently.
• Demonstrated experience working within a studio environment that utilizes distributed teams (collaborating with overseas animation partners).
• Deep familiarity with established studio production methodologies, including asset tracking, version control, and collaborative code/asset reviews.
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical challenges to non technical stakeholders (e.g., Directors and Producers).

Workspace Architecture: The Hybrid Model

Brown Bag Films believes that creative synergy thrives on a blend of collaborative in person interaction and flexible remote focused work. This position operates under a structured hybrid model:

• In Studio Presence: A minimum of two days per week must be spent on site at our vibrant Dublin studio. This ensures direct communication during critical review phases, collaborative brainstorms, and face to face mentorship sessions.
• Remote Flexibility: The remaining working days can be executed remotely, provided the candidate maintains a secure, high speed internet connection capable of interfacing with our studio infrastructure.

Compliance, Eligibility, and Application Mandate Legal Right to Work

This position is explicitly restricted to candidates who are EU citizens or currently possess a valid, uncompromised right to work in Ireland for the entire duration of the 12 month contract. Brown Bag Films cannot provide visa sponsorship or work permit assistance for this particular contractual vacancy.

Commitment to Diversity

Brown Bag Films is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications.

How to Apply

Please ensure your submission includes:
1. An up to date, professional CV/Resume.
2. A link to your portfolio or showreel showcasing your best FX work within Unreal Engine (please include a breakdown sheet detailing your specific contributions to each shot).

Brown Bag Films 3D Senior FX Artist, Dublin