Character Effects Artist (Animation)

TL;DR

Character Effects Artist (Maya/Houdini): Designing and crafting character effects such as cloth and fur simulations for animated feature films with an accent on tool development and pipeline improvement. Focus on creating high-quality simulations, solving complex technical animation problems, and achieving precise art direction.

Location: Hybrid (Glendale, CA). Minimum of four days per week in office.

Salary: $89,752 - $130,000 yearly

Company

One of the world's leading producers of high-quality, award-winning, animated films and series.

What you will do

• Design and craft character effects, specifically cloth and fur simulations.
• Develop generalized CFX tools to improve the production pipeline.
• Create cloth and hair simulations, prop animation, and animation cleanup for production shots.
• Collaborate with art direction to solve creative and technical problems independently.
• Perform technical animation, deformations, and procedural modeling for production.

Requirements

• Strong understanding of animation principles and a keen eye for motion.
• Proficiency in Maya and Houdini.
• Scripting skills in Python and Mel.
• Ability to work independently and prioritize tasks without direct supervision.
• Must be based in or able to work from Glendale, CA (Hybrid: 4 days/week in office).

Nice to have

• Experience with rigging tools and surface modeling techniques.
• Background in dynamic simulation.
• Previous production experience.

Culture & Benefits

• Opportunity to work at a world-leading animation studio on award-winning content.
• Collaborative environment focused on transparency and trust.
• Culture of innovation and shared passion for animation and storytelling.
• Standard full-time employment benefits.