Senior In-House Technical Director

SideFX is seeking an exceptional, seasoned Technical Director with sharp, up-to-date Houdini skills and broad industry knowledge to join its Toronto-based R&D team. This is a permanent full time position, starting immediately.

As a member of the Research and Development group you will have the opportunity to work alongside some of the brightest minds in the industry and interact with an outstanding artist community. We see this full time position as a career-defining opportunity in which to grow professionally and contribute to Houdini and its user community. As a uniquely qualified production experience specialist, you will be right at the heart of a constantly evolving synergy between technology and art and we need you to be the best.

Job Responsibilities

• Provide production insight into R&D feature development
• Design, develop and test Houdini tools (HDA's, shelves, shaders, rigs, etc) using Houdini and Python
• Help adapt partner technologies for seamless use in Houdini
• Help steer the direction of the product with an emphasis on workflow, production readiness and completeness
• Work directly with the C++ programmers and interact with sales and production consulting staff as well as the user community
• Broaden and deepen your knowledge of Houdini while maintaining close contacts with industry and anticipating trends
• Occasionally represent R&D at Houdini events and on client visits
• Occasionally mentor junior TD's and interns

Reporting Structure

As a member of R&D, you will report to the Director of Product Development in Toronto.

• 7+ years of production experience, preferably in film
• Up-to-date, well-rounded knowledge of Houdini – a true Houdini master
• A record of professional excellence and outstanding innovation
• Visionary thinking with broad and insightful knowledge of the industry
• Ability to learn independently, think fast, and use solid judgement
• Ability to draw from varied technologies and innovate rapidly
• Ability to deliver elegant, practical, and complete solutions to diverse areas of the product
• Knowledge of HOM/Python programming and software development skills (C++ not required)
• Ability to work well independently and in a nimble team environment
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Positive, professional demeanour

Bonus Skills

• Solid familiarity with a wide range of physical simulation environments
• Fluids, soft-body, crowds, long hair expertise
• Advanced shader writing experience with a deep understanding of various lighting and rendering software
• Hands-on exposure to pipeline development
• Some working knowledge of OpenCL, CUDA, GLSL, C++
• User interface design (workflow, look, and feel)
• Familiarity with game development environments