Simulation (Houdini) - Technical Engineer

<p>Sony Pictures Imageworks is located on the unceded traditional territory of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations. We are committed to respecting traditional lands, and working with communities towards reconciliation.</p> <p><strong>Sony Pictures Imageworks Canada Inc.</strong></p> <p><strong>658 Homer Street., Suite 405, Vancouver, BC, V6B 2R4</strong></p> <p><strong>Language in work environment - English</strong></p> <p><strong>Benefits per company policy: include healthcare, tuition reimbursement, RRSP's, Sick and Vacation leave, standard increases as applicable</strong></p> <p>Sony Pictures Imageworks is an Academy Award®-winning visual effects and animation studio known for photoreal live-action visual effects, dynamic creature and character animation, and full-CG features.</p> <p><strong>Role Review:</strong></p> <p>We are looking to expand our development team dedicated to enhancing our Creature Effect, Crowds, Environment, and FX tools and workflow. We are looking for a highly proficient Technical Engineer to focus on the development and implementation of robust, high-performance, and domain-specific procedural toolsets using SideFX Houdini.</p> <p>This role requires strong technical leadership and the ability to work effectively with minimal supervision alongside a Lead Software Engineer or Architect. The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced production environment where priorities can shift quickly.</p> <p><strong>What You’ll Be Doing:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Design, develop, and implement scalable procedural systems and workflows within Houdini for various departments (FX, Creature, Crowds, Environments).&nbsp;</li> <li>Create, maintain, and optimize robust Houdini Digital Assets (OTLs), ensuring stability, ease of use, and adherence to production standards.</li> <li>Extend the core pipeline by developing, integrating, and supporting tools that manage data flow, asset publishing, and version control.</li> <li>Collaborate closely with artists (Creature, FX, Lighting) to gather requirements and troubleshoot technical issues, providing support for both in-house and commercial tools.</li> <li>Partner with engineers across other teams (Shading, Lighting, Rendering) to ensure seamless integration of procedural assets into the overall rendering and compositing pipeline.</li> <li>Document tools and workflows thoroughly for use by the wider artistic and engineering teams.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Required Technical Experience &amp; Skills:</strong></p> <ul> <li>3-5+ Years of professional experience in developing procedural workflows and tools in a VFX, Animation, or Game production environment.</li> <li>Demonstrated knowledge of the Houdini environment, including tool creation, optimization, and workflow techniques.</li> <li>Strong proficiency in Python and VEX for writing efficient, custom nodes, and tool wrappers.</li> <li>Proven experience developing and supporting production pipeline tools and asset delivery.</li> <li>Experience leveraging the Houdini API and other DCCs like Katana.</li> <li>Strong grasp of 3D math, linear algebra, and data structures as applied to geometry processing and simulation.</li> <li>Strong verbal and written communication skills, with a collaborative approach to problem-solving.</li> <li>Capable of delivering on multiple competing priorities with little supervision.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Preferred skills:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Applies curiosity and judgment to identify broader or systemic issues and recommends creative approaches that address wider issues.</li> <li>Documented experience with desktop application development using PyQt/PySide to create custom user interfaces.</li> <li>Experience with C++ for high-performance plugin development.</li> <li>Experience with data science, machine learning, or complex simulation techniques (e.g., fluid dynamics, cloth) in a production context.</li> <li>Bachelor’s or Master's Degree in Computer Science, Digital Media, or a related tech