Senior Technical Engineer - Simulation (Houdini)

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and implement scalable procedural systems and workflows within Houdini for FX, Creature, Crowds, and Environments
• Create, maintain, and optimize robust Houdini Digital Assets (OTLs)
• Extend the core pipeline by developing tools for data flow, asset publishing, and version control
• Collaborate with artists to gather requirements and troubleshoot technical issues
• Partner with shading, lighting, and rendering engineers for seamless pipeline integration
• Document tools and workflows for artistic and engineering teams

Requirements

• 3-5+ years of professional experience in procedural workflow development within VFX, Animation, or Games
• Demonstrated knowledge of the Houdini environment and tool creation
• Strong proficiency in Python and VEX
• Proven experience with production pipeline tools and asset delivery
• Experience with Houdini API and DCCs like Katana
• Strong grasp of 3D math, linear algebra, and data structures
• Excellent communication skills in English and French

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with desktop application development using PyQt/PySide
• Experience with C++ for high-performance plugin development
• Knowledge of machine learning or complex simulation techniques (fluids, cloth)
• Degree in Computer Science, Digital Media, or a related technical field

About the Company

Sony Pictures Imageworks is an Oscar®-winning visual effects and animation studio renowned for photorealistic visual effects, dynamic creature animations, and fully CG feature films.