Company: Zero VFX

    Jobs in montreal canada Zero VFX is seeking a talented, technically adept Senior CFX Artist for a fixed-term, hybrid contract position within its Montreal 3D department. In this role, you will bridge the gap between technical execution and artistic performance by creating high-quality hair, fur, muscle, skin, and costume layers for photorealistic live-action projects. Collaborating closely with CG and VFX Supervisors. you will run dynamic simulations, prepare production grooms, execute shot sculpting, and provide basic rigging support to seamlessly anchor digital characters into live-action plates. This mid-to-senior level role requires a strong technical-artistic hybrid background with a minimum of 3 years of VFX studio experience, deep production knowledge of SideFX Houdini on Linux, and a solid understanding of body mechanics. Due to regional funding and compliance structures, all candidates must reside in Quebec and be legally authorized to work in Canada. (Note: Embracing a human-centric philosophy, Zero VFX maintains a strict ethics policy and does not utilize artificial intelligence at any stage of its recruitment process.)   jobs in montreal canada Overview : CFX Artist Attribute Enterprise Specification Department Montreal 3D Work Architecture Hybrid (Montreal-based studio access paired with remote infrastructure) Employment Structure Fixed Term Contract Financial Compensation $45.00/hr – $65.00/hr CAD Core Ecosystem SideFX Houdini, Linux OS Architecture Secondary Pipeline Toolsets Houdini VEX, Python Scripting, MEL Scripting (Highly valued assets) Experience Benchmark Mid to Senior Tier (Minimum 3+ years within an active VFX studio environment) Regulatory Requirements Current residency in Quebec and full legal eligibility to work within Canada   About Zero VFX & Our Cultural Philosophy At Zero VFX, we believe that world-class visual effects are born from the perfect intersection of raw artistic passion, technical precision, and an unyielding respect for the human element of production. Our studio has built its reputation on delivering stunning, hyper-realistic imagery for some of the most compelling stories in modern feature films and episodic television. We don’t just build pixels; we craft cinematic experiences that resonate with audiences globally. We purposefully reject the industry trend toward the automation of human creativity. Our team thrives on collaborative problem-solving, open artistic dialogue, and a supportive, inclusive studio culture. When you join Zero VFX, you are not merely a resource on a production tracker—you are an essential creative partner whose unique voice, technical expertise, and artistic perspective directly shape the final image on screen. Detailed Position Overview & Objective Zero VFX is expanding its core character and creature development department. We are seeking an exceptionally talented, highly autonomous, and technically adept CFX Artist to join our Montreal 3D team on a fixed-term contract basis. This is a premium, performance-driven role designed for a seasoned technical artist who possesses a deep, intuitive understanding of physical mechanics, biological systems, and cinematic storytelling. In this position, you will step beyond the boundaries of standard rigging and simulation. You will be responsible for bringing the complex layer of secondary anatomy to life, crafting the dynamic hair, fur, muscle, skin, and clothing elements that ground digital characters flawlessly into live-action plates. Working in close alignment with our CG Supervisors, VFX Supervisors, and internal production leads, you will serve as a crucial bridge between raw character animation and realistic environmental interaction. This role demands an artist who is equally comfortable executing subtle, micro-expression fabric and hair movement as they are staging high-octane, physically complex muscle and skin deformation sequences. Key Responsibilities & Daily Deliverables As a CFX Artist at Zero VFX, your day-to-day responsibilities will span a diverse range of artistic and technical challenges: High-Fidelity Creature Asset Creation: Author complex, high-quality hair, fur, muscle, skin, and costume layers for photorealistic live-action projects. You will translate creative briefs and concept art into deeply detailed, anatomically accurate, and cinematically compelling dynamics that satisfy the director’s and client’s exact vision. Advanced Simulation & Shot Sculpting: Run stable, complex dynamic simulations and prepare technical grooming setups in production. You will execute precision shot sculpting on a per-frame basis when necessary to correct simulation errors, eliminate intersections, and preserve aesthetic beauty. Plate Integration & Motion Matching: Work masterfully with both keyframed character animation and matchmoved plate data. You will ensure that simulated elements perfectly match filmed real-world surfaces, physical interactions, and spatial lighting environments, while generating entirely new digital components based on creative briefs. Secondary Rigging & Technical Support: Provide basic rigging solutions for supporting assets, including vehicles, props, and structural scene elements. You will execute simple rig adjustments, corrections, or custom tool creation specifically geared toward driving and facilitating smoother, more predictable downstream CFX simulations. Proactive Technical & Artistic Problem Solving: Actively analyze production bottlenecks and simulation challenges. You will proactively ideate, develop, and communicate optimized technical and artistic approaches, ensuring your workflow remains efficient, scalable, and stable. Cross-Departmental Collaboration: Actively engage with your peers across the animation, asset creation, core FX, and general CG teams. You will openly share technical expertise, provide constructive critique, and engage in collaborative workflows to elevate the studio’s collective output. Quota & Schedule Management: Consistently deliver high-quality shot simulations and assets that meet established production quotas and tracking metrics. You will maintain absolute transparency with show production coordinators and managers regarding your daily schedules, workflow velocity, and milestone deadlines.   Required Technical Qualifications & Essential Skills To excel within our fast-paced, high-end production pipeline, candidates must demonstrate the following baseline qualifications: VFX Studio Pedigree: A minimum of 3 years of continuous, verifiable professional creature effects (CFX) experience working directly inside a fast-paced visual effects studio environment handling live-action film or high-end episodic series. Technical-Artistic Hybrid Background: A proven technical background balanced by a strong track record of executing highly artistic tasks. This training must manifest as an advanced, deep-seated comprehension of physical weight, balance, timing, body mechanics, human/animal anatomy, and cinematic storytelling techniques. Software Mastery: Advanced, production-proven mastery of SideFX Houdini. You must demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of Houdini’s native grooming frameworks, Vellum solvers, hair/wire systems, and character effects workflows. Operating System Proficiency: Comprehensive familiarity and comfort working within a native Linux desktop environment. You should … Read more

Montreal Jobs : Zero VFX is seeking a talented, mid-to-senior 3D Animator for a fixed-term, hybrid contract in Montreal, QC. Working within the Montreal 3D department, you will create hyper-realistic character and hard-surface animations for high-end episodic and feature film projects. This role bridges the gap between artistic performance and technical pipeline execution, collaborating closely with CG and VFX Supervisors to achieve the client’s vision. Montreal Jobs Overview: 3D Animator (VFX) Location: Montreal, Quebec (Hybrid) Department: Montreal 3D Employment Type: Fixed Term (Contract) Compensation: $45.00/hr – $65.00/hr CAD Company: Zero VFX Project Types: Episodic & Feature Films   About the Role 3D Animator Zero VFX is looking for a talented 3D Animator to join our team in Montreal on a fixed-term basis. In this role, you will bring characters and hard-surface assets to life, blending hyper-realistic performances with technical precision. You will work closely with CG and VFX Supervisors to deliver stunning visuals for high-end film and episodic projects. Key Responsibilities as 3D Animator Character Performance: Craft hyper-realistic character animations from scratch (ex nihilo) that align with the client’s creative vision. Rotomation & Takeovers: Blend matchmoved/rotomation data seamlessly with keyframe animation for complex, impossible-to-shoot stunts. Hard Surface & FX Support: Animate vehicles, props, and secondary objects, either as final elements or to drive dynamic FX simulations. Collaboration & Pipeline: Work proactively with the CG and Animation teams to solve technical/artistic bottlenecks and optimize workflows. Production Delivery: Meet scheduling quotas and maintain transparent communication with the production team regarding timelines and deadlines.   Required Technical Qualifications & Essential Skills To excel within our fast-paced, high-end production pipeline, candidates must demonstrate the following baseline qualifications: VFX Studio Pedigree: A minimum of 3 years of continuous, verifiable professional animation experience working directly inside a fast-paced visual effects studio environment handling live-action film or high-end episodic series. Artistic Foundation: A formal educational background in traditional hand-drawn animation, classical illustration, sculpture, or fine arts. This foundational training must manifest as an advanced, deep-seated comprehension of weight, balance, arcs, staging, timing, body mechanics, human anatomy, and subtle acting principles. Software Mastery: Advanced, production-proven mastery of Autodesk Maya. You must know the software inside and out, specifically regarding graph editor optimization, camera positioning, and complex animation layers. Operating System Proficiency: Comprehensive familiarity and comfort working within a native Linux desktop environment. You should be comfortable navigating terminal environments and standardized studio asset-management architectures. Pipeline Comprehension: A solid, working knowledge of 3D asset construction, specifically relating to structural rigging systems, blend shapes, skinning constraints, and basic modeling principles. You must be able to evaluate a rig’s performance capabilities and articulate specific technical needs to the rigging department. Professional Atributes: Outstanding professional communication skills, a proactive team-first mindset, and an intrinsic ability to juggle multiple tasks while prioritizing critical shot fixes. You must be receptive to rigorous creative direction and maintain the psychological agility required to embrace sudden script or design changes gracefully.   What You Bring (Requirements) Experience: Minimum 3+ years of animation experience within a VFX studio environment. Artistic Core: A strong background in traditional animation or fine arts, with an elite understanding of body mechanics, acting, and storytelling. Tech Stack: Expert knowledge of Autodesk Maya and familiarity working in a Linux environment. Pipeline Knowledge: A solid understanding of rigging and modeling workflows. Soft Skills: Highly collaborative, self-motivated, adaptable to feedback, and excellent at multitasking under deadlines. Nice-to-Haves Experience with Houdini. Scripting skills in Python or MEL.   Logistics & Compliance Location & Funding: Due to regional funding structures, applicants must currently reside in Quebec and be legally eligible to work in Canada. Our Commitment to Tech Ethics: As part of our commitment to a fair and human-centric hiring process, Zero VFX does not use AI at any stage of our recruitment process. Zero VFX is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Accommodations for candidates with disabilities or medical needs are available upon request.   We thank all applicants for their interest in Zero VFX, however only those candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. As part of our commitment to a fair and thoughtful hiring process, we do not use AI at any stage of our hiring process. Must be legally entitled to work in Canada as specified and, where applicable, must have a valid work permit that allows the candidate to fulfill the requirements of the role. Zero VFX is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to providing employment in accordance with the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms. Accommodations for candidates with disabilities or medical needs are available upon request during the recruitment process, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.   (Note: Zero VFX is a human-centric employer and does not use AI at any stage of the recruitment process.)