As a Senior FX Artist, you will design and execute complex, photorealistic visual simulations—including fire, smoke, fluids, destruction, and abstract magical effects—while upholding Rodeo FX’s high artistic and technical standards. Integrated at the heart of our 3D pipeline, you will collaborate closely with FX Leads, CG Supervisors, and downstream departments to deliver dynamic, stable, and visually stunning shots. Your creativity, technical precision, and mastery of procedural workflows will turn complex visual concepts into cinematic reality.
Job Overview : Senior FX Artist
| Job Details | Specification |
| Job Title | Senior FX Artist |
| Department | 3D / FX |
| Location | Montreal, Canada (On-site required) |
| Employment Type | Full-Time, Permanent Contract |
| Experience Level | Senior (10+ years recommended) |
| Eligibility | Canadian Citizenship, Permanent Residency (PR), or Open Work Permit required |
| Core Tech Stack | Houdini (Pyro, FLIP, RBD, Vellum, SOPs), USD, Solaris, Arnold, Karma, Nuke |
Company Overview: Welcome to Rodeo FX
Repeatedly voted one of Montreal’s Top Employers and named Employer of the Year at the 2022 Mercuriades Awards, Rodeo FX is a world-class creative studio offering high-end services across visual effects, advertising, animation, and experiential experiences.
As an independent, Oscar®-winning company, Rodeo FX boasts a global footprint of nearly 900 artists crafting across studios in Montreal, Québec City, Toronto, Los Angeles, and Paris. We are a trusted creative partner to the world’s premier storytellers, including Netflix, HBO, Disney, Marvel, Amazon Studios, Warner Bros., and Sony.
Rodeo FX‘s portfolio includes multiple Emmy® nominations for groundbreaking work on Stranger Things (Season 4), The Witcher (Season 2), and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season 1), alongside a 2023 VES Award for Love, Death and Robots (Volume 3). By joining our Montreal studio, you will contribute to high-profile projects following the success of blockbusters like John Wick: Chapter 4, Blue Beetle, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, and Rebel Moon.
Key Responsibilities as FX Artist
1. Mastery of Craft & Simulation
- Design and produce complex, optimized simulations (including Pyro, FLIP, RBD, Vellum, and SOPs) that match project look-development requirements.
- Maintain a high level of autonomy throughout the lifecycle of assigned tasks, from initial setup and logic design through to final rendering.
- Enforce rigorous quality control on files, simulations, and caches prior to daily production submissions.
2. Creative Quality & Visual Storytelling
- Propose elegant, efficient artistic solutions that directly align with the Director’s and Supervisor’s visual intent.
- Actively participate in daily reviews (dailies), integrating constructive feedback rapidly into shot iterations.
- Tailor effect behaviors to serve the narrative needs, art style, and precise pacing of each sequence.
3. Technical Integrity & Pipeline Collaboration
- Optimize simulation caches, establish setup stability, and adhere strictly to internal technical pipelines and naming conventions.
- Troubleshoot complex technical hurdles independently and provide scalable solutions for the broader team.
- Collaborate with the Pipeline team to test, integrate, and document new tools or workflows.
- Verify asset and effect compatibility with upstream and downstream departments, including Layout, Lighting, and Compositing.
4. Production Communication & Growth
- Provide realistic time estimates, flag production risks or delays early, and collaborate with production management to balance priorities.
- Share technical knowledge, custom tools, or workflow techniques with the broader FX department to foster a culture of continuous learning.
Role Requirements & Qualifications for Senior FX Artist
Core Technical Profile
- Experience: A minimum of 10 years of professional experience specializing in FX within a recognized VFX studio environment.
- Houdini Mastery: Expert-level command of SideFX Houdini, specifically across Pyro, FLIP, RBD, Vellum, and SOPs.
- Ecosystem Knowledge: Strong working knowledge of USD (Universal Scene Description) and Solaris.
- Rendering & Comp Foundations: Solid fundamental understanding of rendering engines (Arnold and Karma) and basic compositing workflows (Nuke).
Professional & Artistic Skills
- An exceptional eye for natural physics, real-world scale, timing, and visual rhythm.
- High level of autonomy, attention to visual detail, and a collaborative team-first mindset.
Highly Regarded Assets
- Experience with Flow Production Tracking (formerly ShotGrid).
- A proven track record of developing custom Houdini tools, Python scripts, or VEX expressions.
Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion
At Rodeo FX, diversity is a core value. We are dedicated to building an inclusive, equitable workplace where varied perspectives are embraced. Every team member brings unique insights that strengthen our collective creativity, challenge our standard thinking, and empower us to deliver exceptional global work.
How to Apply for Senior FX Artist role
Interested candidates who meet the location and residency requirements are invited to submit their application, resume, and current VFX showreel through our careers portal.
Recruitment Transparency Note: Rodeo FX may utilize AI-based tools to support specific administrative phases of the recruitment process, such as automated interview transcription or preliminary application sorting. These tools never replace human judgment; all final hiring decisions are evaluated and made solely by our recruitment team and hiring managers.
