Environment Lead

This is a Full Time Job

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.

Project based, Full Time

Language in work environment - English

Benefits per company policy: include healthcare, tuition reimbursement, RRSP's, Sick and Vacation leave, standard increases as applicable

Sony Pictures Imageworks is searching for a highly experienced and skilled Environments Tech Lead to join our Environments team!

As the Environments Tech Lead, you will support the Environments team on your show by developing Houdini-centric tools and workflows.

This is a show-based role, but with plenty of scope to profoundly influence the way Imageworks' environment artists across the company work.

Show-based responsibilities
• Collaborating with show creative leadership to develop tools and workflows that help artists achieve the creative goals of the client.
• Training your colleagues on the use of those tools and workflows.
• Creating high-quality documentation of the tools, workflows and pipelines you build.
• Participating in the creation of environment assets and builds.
• Supporting the tech needs of your team through shot work.
• Contributing to the initial technical setup of your show, ensuring a smooth start to the work of the environment team.

Departmental Responsibilities
• Contributing to the development of long-term roadmaps for the Environments Department's pipeline and workflows.
• Working closely with the department Workflow TD, Imageworks' Dev Group and Environment artists to craft performant, artist-friendly tools and templates for Houdini.
• Working with Pipe and Dev teams on troubleshooting and optimizing environment tools and pipelines in production contexts.
• Contributing to the technical documentation of studio-level environment tools, workflows and pipelines.
• Collaborating with the Learning & Development department to create training materials and run training sessions for the tools and workflows.

Qualifications:

• 7 years of proven experience in high-end visual effects and/or animation.
• 5 years of demonstrated ability working in large-scale pipelines.
• Highly qualified and proficient with Houdini, including VEX, HScript.
• Demonstrated experience creating custom tools and templates in Houdini (OTLs/HDAs) to address needs in some or all of the following areas:
• Layout/dressing/scattering of natural environments
• Procedural city layout & dressing
• Terrain generation
• Procedural generation of cliff & rock geometry
• Procedural generation of building geometry
• Photogrammetry
• Volumes (i.e. clouds) & other environmental FX
• Procedural texturing, shading
• A detailed understanding of the principles of good UI design, and a dedication to making tools that are intuitive, sophisticated and easy to use.

Ways to stand out in the crowd:
• Experience as an Environment Generalist at a Senior or higher level is a significant advantage.
• Strong knowledge and understanding of the natural world (geology, geography, and meteorology) and architecture (design and engineering).
• Experience with Houdini Solaris, USD, MaterialX.
• Experience with Python and Qt in a Houdini context.
• Familiarity with Katana, Maya, Speedtree, Substance, Quixel Megascans/Mixer, Unreal Engine.
• Familiarity with Git or similar software repositories.
• A collaborative and open mentality: excited to tackle artists' requests, learn from their experiences, and apply those lessons to the next version.
• Ability to think strategically whilst also keeping on top of present needs.
• Excellent communication skills in English. Proficiency in French is a nice bonus, especially if located in the Montreal office.
• Must be capable of developing and supporting multiple tools and workflows in the context of a fast-paced production environment.
• Organized and highly diligent.

Please note that you must be able to provide a demo reel that illustrates your relevant artistic and technical experience that also includes the nuances for this specific role.

We value unique perspectives, and want diverse, unique talent to work with us. We encourage candidates from all identities to apply.

The anticipated base salary for this position is $50.34 to $64.95/hr. Benefits are per company policy: which include healthcare, tuition reimbursement, RRSP's, Sick and Vacation leave, standard increases as applicable. The actual base salary offered will depend on a variety of factors, including without limitation, the qualifications of the individual applicant for the position, years of relevant experience, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held, and if applicable, the location of the position.

Sony Pictures Entertainment is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other protected characteristics.