Creature Technical Director

Job Description

Description

Position at Industrial Light & Magic

Creature technical directors are responsible for setting up and running animation rigs, flesh-surface, hair, cloth, rigid body dynamics as well as being able to wrangle creature asset and pipeline issues proficiently under the direction and guidance of their leads and supervisors.

Primary Responsibilities
• Setup and run proprietary cloth, hair, fur, feather, flesh and rigid body simulations
• Setup and maintain hero animation puppet rigs for both deforming and rigid assets
• Manage communication with the modelling/animation/lighting departments to continually improve assets
• Troubleshoot creature rigging and pipeline issues for artists in other departments (for example, animation)
• Support creature specific workflows where necessary for other departments
• Support and enhance the Creature departments working standards and conventions within Rigging, Simulation, and Pipeline
• Work within Production deadlines
• Mentor entry level artists

Required Technical Skills
• A sound understanding of Maya Rigging concepts and principles
• Maya's deformation stack and layering deformers
• Working knowledge of Simulation concepts
• Basic understanding of anatomy and locomotion for bipeds and quadrupeds
• Communicate technical knowledge through various mixed media forums (documentation)

Desirable Technical Skills
• Experience using a modular rigging system
• Script utilities/tools/plug-ins in various software packages using python
• Experience setting up and running cloth, hair, and muscle simulations in Houdini
• c++ maya plugin development
• Vex houdini experience
• Proficiency with the Linux operating system

Required General Skills / Competencies
• Attention to detail
• Thinks analytically and innovatively
• Enjoys creative problem solving
• Good social and communication skills
• Encourages collaboration
• Remains agile and flexible under pressure
• Plans well and manages priorities
• Welcomes new learning opportunities

Education / Experience
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent degree in Computer Science, computer visualization, or computer animation required
• At least 3 years work experience required in 3D CGI for digital animation, visual effects or producing cg characters and creatures for visual media
• At least 3 years work experience as a Maya rigger in digital animation, visual effects, games, commercials or producing cg characters and creatures for visual media

**FOR US BASED NEW HIRES ONLY:** We are taking a responsible approach to creating environments that allow us to do what we do best - entertain and inform millions around the world. As part of our commitment to health and safety, COVID-19 vaccines are required for current US salaried and non-union hourly employees, as well as all newly hired US employees.
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This position is with Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. LLC, which is part of a business segment we call Industrial Light & Magic.

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-d8e1qd-3-145-12-1-42 in your application.