Technical Director PaFX (Houdini) - Netflix Animation Studios

Netflix
Vancouver
Workplace: HybridFull timeUSD 120,000 - 180,000 annuallyFunction: Executive & General ManagementExperience: 5+ yearsSkills: ["Communication","Mentoring","Problem-solving","Stakeholder management"]

Provide technical direction and pipeline support for Houdini-based Procedural Asset and FX work across Surfacing/Modelling and shot-based teams (FX, Character-FX, Crowds, Matte Painting). Troubleshoot workflow issues, design and maintain production-ready Houdini Digital Assets, and develop tools and user interfaces using Python. Partner with craft groups, Solutions Engineering, and R&D to standardize artist workflows, validate releases/changes, and ensure technologies support creative production goals.

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FursaFursa
Netflix
Netflix
3 months ago

Technical Director PaFX (Houdini) - Netflix Animation Studios

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Source: Company careers pageValidated by: Fursa AI
Last checked: 21 hours agoStatus: Live

Job Summary

Provide technical direction and pipeline support for Houdini-based Procedural Asset and FX work across Surfacing/Modelling and shot-based teams (FX, Character-FX, Crowds, Matte Painting). Troubleshoot workflow issues, design and maintain production-ready Houdini Digital Assets, and develop tools and user interfaces using Python. Partner with craft groups, Solutions Engineering, and R&D to standardize artist workflows, validate releases/changes, and ensure technologies support creative production goals.
Location: Vancouver
Workplace: Hybrid
Employment Type: Full time
Job Function: Executive & General Management
Seniority: Mid level

Key Responsibilities

  • •Provide technical expertise and guidance for Houdini and USD technology for supported departments in PAFX.
  • •Design, develop, review, and write production-level, maintainable tools and code to support artist workflows.
  • •Track, debug, and resolve workflow issues with technical supervisors, solutions engineers, and R&D.
  • •Participate in or lead the direction, evolution, and maintenance of PAFX technology, including QA/validation of releases and pipeline changes.
  • •Mentor junior team members, provide day-to-day technical guidance/escalations, and help keep development initiatives on track (e.g., breaking down projects in Jira).

Pay and Benefits

Salary: USD 120,000 - 180,000 annually
Perks:Health InsuranceDentalVisionRetirement ProgramsPaid Leave

Key Requirements

  • •5+ years of proven pipeline TD experience in large-scale animated features, animated TV series, gaming, and/or VFX feature films.
  • •Comprehensive Houdini experience troubleshooting procedural node-based workflows, including strong USD understanding (including Houdini Solaris/LOP).
  • •Ability to design and build production-ready Houdini Digital Assets (HDAs) to simplify artist workflows.
  • •Practical experience developing custom UIs using Python (PySide/PyQt) and knowledge of Python/GUIs/toolkits.
  • •Experience with version control (git/GitHub), code review/troubleshooting, and familiarity with Agile/Jira workflows.
Experience:5+ yearsVFXAnimationGaming
Education:
Skills:CommunicationMentoringProblem-solvingStakeholder management
Tech Stack:HoudiniUSDSolarisLOPHoudini Digital Assets (HDAs)PythonPySidePyQtGitGitHubFlow Production Tracking (Shotgrid)JiraSlackAgileMayaNukeC++

Company Brief

Netflix
Global subscription streaming service that produces and distributes movies, TV series, and games across multiple devices, operating worldwide with extensive original content and localized offerings.
Industry: Streaming Platforms
Company Size: Enterprise (1,001+ employees)
Revenue: USD 1B+
Growth: Public Company
Valuation: Public Company (Market Cap in USD)
Funding: IPO / Publicly Listed
Headquarters: Los Gatos, United States
Founded: 1997
Glassdoor
Glassdoor: 4.1
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