Data Engineer

The Groom Supervisor will oversee the groom department, leading the creation of hair, fur, feathers, and other grooming elements for characters and creatures in a full CG family animated feature film. This role demands a strong blend of artistic vision and technical proficiency, particularly in Houdini, to ensure that all grooming work aligns with the artistic goals and production deadlines.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Lead the grooming team, managing workflows and delivering high-quality grooms that meet both aesthetic and technical standards, with a specific focus on using Houdini for grooming tasks.
2. Collaborate closely with the Art Department, Character Designers, and R&D teams to develop grooming solutions that are in sync with the film’s artistic vision.
3. Develop, maintain, and enhance grooming pipelines and tools, focusing on Houdini, in collaboration with Technical Directors and the R&D team.
4. Provide direct production of complex grooming tasks using Houdini, including but not limited to hair, fur, and feather systems.
5. Conduct regular reviews, offer feedback, and mentor grooming artists to improve quality and efficiency.
6. Address technical challenges related to grooming, ensuring seamless integration with other departments, particularly focusing on the compatibility with Houdini’s workflows.
7. Stay updated on the latest trends and technologies in grooming, with a focus on Houdini developments, and represent the grooming department in production meetings.
8. Optimize grooms for performance, ensuring they meet the rendering requirements while being efficiently manageable within Houdini.
9. Manage documentation of grooming processes and techniques specific to Houdini for future reference and training purposes.

Qualifications:

1. Strong proven experience in digital grooming, specifically using Houdini, in feature films, animation, or VFX.
2. Deep understanding of hair / fur physics and styling, with advanced skills in Houdini’s grooming tools.
3. Previous experience with Maya is beneficial; ability to script in Python is advantageous.
4. Excellent leadership and communication skills, capable of inspiring a team and collaborating effectively across departments.
5. Creative problem-solving skills with the ability to meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
6. Portfolio / reel that showcases a strong artistic sense and technical mastery in grooming, particularly with Houdini.