Creature Technical Director (Project Hire)

TL;DR

Creature Technical Director (Maya/VFX): Rigging and enveloping characters, creatures, vehicles, and props with an accent on simulations for flesh, hair, rigid bodies, crowds, and cloth. Focus on troubleshooting pipeline issues, scripting tools, and mentoring junior artists.

Location: Onsite in San Francisco, California, United States

Salary: $90,400–$118,700 per year

Company

Leading visual effects facility founded by George Lucas, creating effects for motion pictures, commercials, and attractions, part of The Walt Disney Company.

What you will do

• Provide rigging and enveloping in Maya for vehicles, characters, and creatures
• Run cloth, hair, rigid body, crowd, or muscle simulations
• Troubleshoot creature pipeline issues for other artists
• Script utilities, tools, and plug-ins in Maya
• Participate in reviews, dailies, department meetings, and mentor entry-level artists
• Handle special projects as necessary

Requirements

• 3 years relevant professional experience and a diploma in computer graphics, fine arts, design, or related field; or 5 years experience in lieu of education
• Experience as Maya rigger for assets in digital animation, visual effects, games, or commercials
• Experience running simulation shotwork
• Experience in corrective sculpting
• Knowledge of anatomy and enveloping
• Positive attitude, team player, good communication skills

Nice to have

• Experience with Massive or Houdini crowd software
• C++
• Basic proficiency in modeling, texture, TD, or animation
• Proficiency with Linux
• Expertise with Maya
• Experience with Python scripting

Culture & Benefits

• Full range of medical, financial, and other benefits
• Bonus and/or long-term incentive units possible
• Equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion