// Open Role at barnstormvfx
English version below :
Creature Lead
À propos de Barnstorm
Barnstorm est un studio d’effets visuels nommé aux Emmy et aux VES, avec des équipes à Burbank (CA) et Vancouver (BC). Nous créons des effets visuels photoréalistes pour des projets télévisés et de streaming, tous genres confondus.
Notre culture de studio repose sur la créativité et la collaboration. En pleine croissance, nous nous engageons à préserver notre ADN agile et centré sur les artistes, tout en faisant évoluer nos structures, workflows et notre encadrement.
Qui vous êtes
Vous êtes un(e) Creature Lead senior, avec une solide expérience en CFX, rigging et disciplines associées, prêt(e) à apporter à la fois une profondeur technique et une grande polyvalence à une équipe qui valorise la clarté, l’autonomie et l’adaptabilité.
Vous avez travaillé sur des pipelines stylisés et photoréalistes, allant de la déformation de personnages à la simulation de cloth, hair, muscle et grooming, avec une compréhension claire de l’impact de ces systèmes sur les départements animation, FX et lighting.
Vous êtes à l’aise avec Maya, Houdini et Python (ainsi que les outils de scripting associés), et capable de résoudre sans difficulté des problèmes complexes de rigs, simulations et déformations en shot.
Vous évoluez naturellement dans des environnements de production rapides, aimez encadrer des artistes, et êtes aussi à l’aise en production hands-on qu’en développement de workflows ou en amélioration des méthodes de travail de l’équipe.
Dans la continuité du modèle Creature Generalist de Barnstorm, vous êtes amené(e) à intervenir sur plusieurs disciplines : rigging, scripting, simulation, tech animation, crowd et CFX setup, avec une forte capacité d’adaptation aux besoins de production.
Environ 25% de votre temps est dédié aux activités de leadership et de développement de département (mentorat, outils, amélioration de workflows, documentation, QC et réunions), le reste étant consacré à la production.
Ce que vous ferez
Production (50%)
Pionnier / Développement (20%)
Équipe (30%)
Ce que vous apportez
English version :
Creature Lead
About Barnstorm
Barnstorm is an Emmy and VES-nominated visual effects studio with locations in Burbank, CA and Vancouver, BC. We provide photo-realistic visual effects for television and streaming projects across genres. Our studio culture is built on creativity and collaboration. As we grow, we are committed to preserving our nimble, artist-driven DNA while evolving our structure, workflows, and leadership.
Who You Are
You are a Senior Creature Lead with strong experience across CFX, Rigging, and adjacent creature disciplines, ready to bring both technical depth and multi-disciplinary flexibility to a team that values clarity, ownership, and adaptability.
You’ve worked across stylized and photoreal pipelines, from character deformation to cloth, hair, muscle, and groom simulation, with a strong understanding of how these systems connect downstream into animation, FX, and lighting.
You are fluent in Maya, Houdini, Python (and supporting scripting tools), and are comfortable troubleshooting complex rigs, simulations, and shot-level deformation issues without hesitation.
You thrive in fast-moving production environments, enjoy mentoring artists, and are equally comfortable contributing hands-on to shots, developing workflows, or improving how the team works as a whole.
In line with Barnstorm’s Creature Generalist model, you are expected to work fluidly across rigging, scripting, simulation, tech animation, crowd support, and CFX setup workflows, remaining highly taskable across production needs.
Approximately 25% of your time is dedicated to leadership and department development activities, including mentoring, tooling, workflow improvement, documentation, QC, and meetings, with the remainder focused on hands-on production delivery.
What You’ll Do
Process (50%)
Build, maintain, and troubleshoot high-quality body and facial rigs using mGear and Maya
Simulate cloth, hair, muscle, and skin using Houdini or Maya-based workflows
Optimize rigs and simulation setups for animation and shot production use, including grooming integration and cache publishing
Develop and maintain internal tools, scripts, and workflows in Python or VEX
Handle shot-level creature work including tech anim, deformation cleanup, corrective sculpting, and collision fixes
Debug, version, and publish rigs, caches, and simulations using Alembic and USD pipelines
Use ShotGrid/Flow to track assigned work and support artists in maintaining production schedules
Work across multiple creature disciplines as required to support production needs and maintain team flexibility and taskability
Pioneering (20%)
Prototype and improve rigging, simulation, and deformation systems to scale with show demands
Collaborate with Pipeline and CG Supervision on creature workflow development across Maya, Houdini, and mGear
Develop procedural systems including auto-rigging tools, simulation libraries, and caching workflows
Contribute to pipeline integration improvements across creature disciplines
Create documentation, templates, and workflow standards supporting groom, layout, animation, and lighting handoff
Support development of scalable, reusable systems that increase production efficiency and consistency
People (30%)
Mentor junior and mid-level rigging, CFX, and creature artists, supporting their technical and career growth
Encourage and develop multi-disciplinary capability within the team (rigging, simulation, tech anim, crowd support)
Work closely with animation, FX, and lighting teams to ensure character fidelity and shot continuity
Lead technical reviews, QC passes, and reinforce best practices across creature workflows
Collaborate with Production on scheduling, task tracking, and delivery updates
Collaborate with Artist Management on crewing, performance feedback, and team development needs
Provide technical input into bidding and scheduling for creature-related work
Report to the Head of Assets & Creature
What You Bring
8+ years experience in high-end VFX for episodic or feature production
2+ years experience in a Lead or Supervisory role within rigging/CFX or creature departments
Strong production experience across Houdini CFX workflows (cloth, hair, muscle, or equivalent systems)
Strong proficiency in Maya, Houdini, and Python, with additional experience in mGear, USD, Alembic, and VEX
Proven ability to build, debug, and maintain rigs, simulations, and shot-level deformation systems
Experience working across multiple creature disciplines in a production environment (rigging, simulation, tech anim, crowd support)
Strong understanding of shot-based workflows, caching strategies, and downstream integration requirements
Comfortable working in fast-paced, evolving production environments with shifting priorities
Strong communication skills and a collaborative, solution-oriented mindset
About This Role
This role is open to Canadian based talent . Candidates must be legally authorized to work in Canada and be willing to work on-site/hybrid as required by production and studio location.
Barnstorm VFX is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive team that provides a meaningful work environment free of discrimination and harassment. We seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. Indigenous people, people of color, people of all genders or non-genders, and people with disabilities of all types are encouraged to apply. We thank everyone for their interest and application, however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
We thank all applicants for their interest. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.