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LAIKA Studios · 9 hours ago

Sr Character FX Artist

Hillsboro, OR

Full-time

Hybrid

Senior Level, Lead/Staff

10+ years exp

Laika is a company specializing in high-quality animation and visual effects, and they are seeking a Sr Character FX Artist responsible for creating character-related simulations and deformations. The role involves collaboration with various teams to ensure seamless integration of character motion that enhances storytelling.

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Responsibilities

Develop and run simulations for cloth, hair, fur, muscles, skin, etc. that align with the artistic direction of the film

Collaborate with animation and rigging to ensure seamless integration of CFX work into character performances

Troubleshoot and optimize CFX rigs and simulations for efficiency while maintaining quality

Work with the groom, lighting, and compositing teams to ensure simulations render correctly and meet established style

Maintain clear communication with supervisors, leads, and other departments to anticipate and solve technical and creative challenges

Document and share workflows, tools, and techniques to support team-wide consistency

Collaborate with technical directors to develop CFX pipelines and tools when needed

Support the Lead CFX Artist by mentoring and helping train junior members of the team

Qualification

Maya (nCloth)Houdini (Vellum)Photo-realistic simulationAnatomy understandingCloth behaviorHair dynamicsRendering workflowsScripting PythonScripting MELScripting VEXCommunication skillsCollaboration skills

Required

10+ years of feature film, VFX, or high-end animation production experience

Strong knowledge of Maya (nCloth) and Houdini (Vellum)

Advanced knowledge of photo-realistic cloth and hair simulation

Solid understanding of anatomy, cloth behavior, hair dynamics, and physical motion

Experience creating and maintaining sim templates in collaboration with rigging, modeling, and groom departments

Excellent communication and collaboration skills

Preferred

Familiarity with rendering workflows (i.e., RenderMan) a plus

Knowledge of scripting (Python, MEL, VEX, or similar) a plus

Company

LAIKA Studios

Founded in 2005 just outside Portland, Oregon, LAIKA has produced five films: Missing Link (2019), Kubo and the Two Strings (2016), The Boxtrolls (2014), ParaNorman (2012) and Coraline (2009).

Founded in 2004

Hillsboro, Oregon, USA

201-500 employees