---
title: 'Artiste principal en VFX / Principal VFX Artist at Highdive'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/artiste-principal-en-vfx-principal-vfx-artist-highdive-montreal-hq8psscj223j'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-08'
---

# Artiste principal en VFX / Principal VFX Artist at Highdive

- **Company:** Highdive
- **Location:** Montréal, Canada
- **Posted:** 2026-05-04
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-08
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/highdive/jobs/5127481007

## Job description

Artiste principal en VFX

Notre équipe de Montréal s'agrandit et nous recherchons un artiste VFX principal pour nous aider à jeter les bases de notre projet original stylisé dans UE5 et diriger une équipe de talentueux artistes VFX afin de créer ensemble des univers !

Vous travaillerez en étroite collaboration avec la direction artistique, gérerez l'équipe VFX et lui attribuerez les tâches. Si vous avez un excellent esprit d'équipe, aimez vous impliquer et recherchez une opportunité exceptionnelle de laisser votre empreinte sur une toute nouvelle propriété intellectuelle, rejoignez-nous !

Ce que vous ferez :

- Assurer la liaison pour tout ce qui concerne les effets visuels (environnements, gameplay, etc.)
- Planifier, organiser et répartir les tâches au sein de l'équipe ; notamment en utilisant des logiciels tels que JIRA pour suivre l'avancement et les interdépendances
- Superviser et définir le périmètre des ressources d'effets visuels, les préparer pour que l'équipe et les sous-traitants puissent y travailler.
- Travailler en étroite collaboration avec les directeurs pour contribuer au maintien de la direction artistique tout au long du projet
- Collaborer avec tous les autres départements dans le cadre de notre approche interdisciplinaire afin de garantir le maintien d'une qualité visuelle optimale, d'une optimisation maximale et du meilleur pipeline tout au long de la production
- Contribuer à la mise en place du pipeline de sous-traitance pour les éléments VFX
- Être un modèle, animé par la volonté d’aider les autres à réussir avec une attitude positive inspirer, encadrer et gérer l’équipe VFX
- Documenter et partager vos connaissances régulièrement et librement avec les autres membres de l’équipe
- Participer de manière proactive au recrutement pour le département
- Soutenir la création d’éléments en tant que tâche de priorité secondaire

Les compétences que nous recherchons :

- Au moins un titre AAA commercialisé en tant qu'artiste VFX
- Au moins 6 ans d'expérience en tant qu'artiste VFX ou équivalent avec un moteur de jeu AAA
- Maîtrise des outils et des flux de travail standard de l'industrie, tels que 3ds Max/Maya, Photoshop, Embergen, Houdini.
- Un portfolio complet mettant en valeur vos compétences et votre passion pour les éléments VFX stylisés
- Ouverture d'esprit pour essayer de nouvelles choses et explorer différents styles.
- Expérience dans le cycle complet de développement d'un jeu (de la préproduction à la commercialisation)
- Esprit d'entreprise qui vous motive à faire avancer les choses dans un studio en pleine expansion et volonté de toujours faire mieux.
- Une expérience avec Unreal Engine dans le développement de jeux est un plus
- Une expérience avec JIRA ou d'autres logiciels de suivi des tâches est un plus

Pourquoi nous pourrions être la compagnie parfaite pour toi:

Nous offrons l’expérience unique de faire partie de la création d'une nouvelle équipe de jeu internationale en plein cœur de Montréal, qui bénéficie de la richesse de la diversité de ses membres et de l’échange culturel avec nos partenaires à Hangzhou.

Nous offrons également :

- Couverture d'assurance et télémédecine dès le 1er jour;
- Indemnité transports et repas;
- Prime de référencement;
- REER avec contribution de l'employeur.

Rejoins-nous pour travailler sur un projet ambitieux, dans une atmosphère unique de start-up et avec une équipe de développeurs de jeux passionnés et pleins d'énergie !

Principal VFX Artist

Our team in Montreal is growing and we are looking for a Principal VFX Artist to help us lay the groundwork for our stylized original project in UE5 and lead a team of great VFX Artists creating worlds together!

You will work closely towards the established Art Direction, manage and task the VFX Team. If you have a great collaborative spirit, like to get involved and look for an exceptional opportunity to leave your mark on a completely new IP, come join us!

What will you be doing:

- Serve as liaison for all things VFX (Environment, Gameplay, etc.)
- Plan, organize and task work for the team; including using software such as JIRA to track the progress and dependencies
- Supervise and scope the VFX assets, prepare them for the team and outsourcing to work on.
- Work closely with the Directors to assist in maintaining Art Direction throughout the project
- Collaborate with all other departments in our cross-discipline approach to ensure we maintain the highest visual quality, optimization and the best pipeline throughout production
- Assist in setting up the outsourcing pipeline for the VFX Assets
- Be a role model with the drive to help others succeed with a positive attitude inspire, mentor, and manage the VFX Team
- Document and share your knowledge often and freely with other members of the team
- Proactively assist with the recruitment for the department
- Support the creation of assets as a lower priority task

The skills we’re looking for:

- 1+ shipped AAA title as a VFX Artist
- 6+ years of experience as VFX Artist or equivalent with a AAA game engine
- Knowledge of industry standard tools and workflows, such as 3ds Max/Maya, Photoshop, Embergen, Houdini.
- Extensive Portfolio that highlights your skills and passion for the Stylized VFX Assets
- Openness to try new things and explore different styles.
- Experience in full game development cycle (Pre-Production to Shipped)
- Entrepreneurial spirit that motivates you to move the needle forward in a fresh studio and the drive to do things better.
- Unreal Engine experience in Game Development is a plus
- JIRA or other task tracking software experience is a plus

Why could we be the perfect place for you:

We are Highdive, a NetEase Games ThunderFire development studio from Montreal. Bond by no borders, we create games that let us dive into pure emotions, together.

We also offer:

- Insurance coverage and telemedicine from day one,
- Transportation and meal allowance,
- Referral bonus,
- RRSP with employer contribution.

Join us to work on an ambitious project, in a unique ‘Start-Up Atmosphere’ and with a team of passionate and energetic game developers!

Justification des exigences linguistiques

NetEase s'engage à favoriser un environnement de travail francophone pour ses employés au Québec. Tous les efforts ont été faits pour éviter d'exiger une langue autre que le français pour ce poste.

Cependant, la maîtrise de l'anglais est essentielle pour ce poste, car l'employé devra communiquer régulièrement avec des collègues et des parties prenantes situés à l'extérieur du Québec, où l'anglais est la principale langue de communication entre les bureaux.

Language Requirement Justification

NetEase is committed to supporting a French-speaking workenvironment for its employees in Quebec. Every effort has been made to avoidrequiring a language other than French for this position.

However, proficiency in English is essential for thisrole because the employee will be required to communicate regularly with colleagues and stakeholders located outside Quebec, where English is theprimary language of communication between offices.

## About Highdive

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Highdive is a NetEase Games ThunderFire development studio from Montreal that creates story-driven, emotional video games.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Part of NetEase Games ThunderFire Group)
- **Headquarters**: Montreal, Quebec, Canada (with a Toronto office)
- **Founded**: 2019
- **Founders**: Not publicly disclosed (formed as part of NetEase Games Montréal)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry/industries**: Video Game Development (Computer Games)
- **Target customers**: B2C – consumers and players of action-adventure and story-driven games on console/PC
- **Mission or purpose statement**: "Bound by no borders, we create games that let us dive into pure emotions, together." Their values include cultivating harmony, embracing the unknown, venturing into wonder, and thriving together.

## Products & Services
- **Blood Message**: An epic, cinematic story-driven adventure combining stealth and survival mechanics, set in the late Tang Dynasty. Announced June 2025. Currently in development.
- **CARE**: A game currently in development (details not yet revealed).
- **FragPunk (contributor)**: Highdive contributed to the development of FragPunk, a high-octane 5v5 hero shooter released by Thunderfire colleagues in March 2025.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed (private studio, part of NetEase Games)
- **Key Metric – Total Funding**: Not applicable – Highdive is a first-party development studio within NetEase Games, not a venture-funded startup.
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: NetEase Games (parent company), Thunderfire Group (internal label)
- **Growth Signals**: 
    - Rebranded and unveiled as "Highdive" in December 2024, celebrating its 5th anniversary.
    - Announced its first original IP, *Blood Message*, in June 2025.
    - Headcount has grown 18.6% year-over-year to approximately 99 employees.
    - Active hiring with 10+ open positions across Montreal and Toronto.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Backed by NetEase**: As a NetEase Games ThunderFire studio, Highdive has access to significant resources, funding, and publishing infrastructure, allowing it to focus on high-quality, ambitious game development without the financial instability of an independent studio.
- **Creative Autonomy**: The studio emphasizes a "bound by no borders" philosophy, encouraging experimentation and creative expression, which is attractive for developers seeking creative ownership.
- **Strong Talent Pool**: The team is heavily composed of senior talent (30% senior, 5% director-level), with many recruits coming from top studios like Ubisoft, WB Games, and Eidos-Montréal, indicating a high-caliber, experienced workforce.

## Strategic Focus
- **Original IP Development**: The studio is focused on building its own original game IP, starting with *Blood Message*. This is a major shift from being an unannounced support studio to a brand with its own identity.
- **Expansion & Growth**: Highdive is actively growing its team (18.6% YoY headcount growth) and has opened a second office in Toronto, indicating a scaling strategy to support multiple projects.
- **Emotional & Cinematic Experiences**: The studio is doubling down on "story-driven" and "cinematic" games that evoke emotion, positioning itself in the premium, narrative-focused segment of the market.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture & Values**: The studio promotes a culture of "harmony," "trust," and "mutual respect," with a strong emphasis on experimentation and "embracing the unknown." They explicitly value creative expression and spreading joy.
- **Work Environment**: Based in Montreal (with a Toronto office), a major hub for the video game industry. The company has a flat-ish structure with a high ratio of senior to junior staff, suggesting a mentorship-rich environment.
- **Stability & Resources**: Being part of NetEase Games provides financial stability, benefits, and the ability to work on high-budget, polished titles without the "crunch" culture often associated with independent studios.
- **Perks & Activities**: The studio holds team celebrations (e.g., Lunar New Year events, studio reveal party at Cirque Eloi), indicating a strong emphasis on team bonding and a positive social culture.
- **Recruitment Process**: A 5-step process: Application Review → Recruiter Call → Interviews with the Team → Final Selection → Dive In. The process is transparent and focused on finding the right cultural and technical fit.

## Sources
1. [highdivegames.com](https://highdivegames.com/en)
2. [highdivegames.com - About](https://highdivegames.com/en/about)
3. [highdivegames.com - Careers](https://highdivegames.com/en/careers)
4. [LinkedIn - Highdive](https://ca.linkedin.com/company/highdivegames)
5. [Greenhouse - Highdive Jobs](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/highdive)

## Other roles at Highdive

- [Chef d'équipe - Artiste de niveaux / Lead Level Artist](https://feeny.ai/job/chef-d-equipe-artiste-de-niveaux-lead-level-artist-highdive-montreal-rhtq999kr4tp) — Montréal, Canada
- [Analyste senior des données de jeu / Senior Game Data Analyst](https://feeny.ai/job/analyste-senior-des-donnees-de-jeu-senior-game-data-analyst-highdive-montreal-3sd3k52t393j) — Montréal, Canada
- [Animateur de gameplay senior / Senior Gameplay Animator](https://feeny.ai/job/animateur-de-gameplay-senior-senior-gameplay-animator-highdive-montreal-0fcdgyr28pam) — Montréal, Canada
- [Concepteur de niveaux senior / Senior Level Designer](https://feeny.ai/job/concepteur-de-niveaux-senior-senior-level-designer-highdive-montreal-heggnqzynr8x) — Montréal, Canada
- [Senior Modeler](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-modeler-highdive-toronto-8evqzs0asb0z) — Toronto, Canada
- [Artiste de niveau senior / Senior Level Artist](https://feeny.ai/job/artiste-de-niveau-senior-senior-level-artist-highdive-toronto-s78sb40dw9eb) — Toronto, Canada
- [Generalist Content Tech Director - Directeur Technique Généraliste de Contenu](https://feeny.ai/job/generalist-content-tech-director-directeur-technique-generaliste-de-contenu-qna6maby6c67) — Toronto, Canada
- [Chef d'équipe - Artiste de niveau / Lead Level Artist](https://feeny.ai/job/chef-d-equipe-artiste-de-niveau-lead-level-artist-highdive-toronto-s4ype1hdjs9c) — Toronto, Canada