Environment Modeler

Position: Environment Modeler - Senior (Houdini)

Hiring Range: $106,000 to $124,800/year for a 40-hour work week

Project Contract: As soon as possible - 3-month contract

Company Benefits: Extended healthcare from day 1, premiums 100% covered by Image Engine, up to 8 paid Health and Wellness days per year.

*Candidates are required to be based in British Columbia and eligible to work in Canada*

ABOUT IMAGE ENGINE

Image Engine is a world-class VFX studio based in Vancouver, BC, that has built a reputation for excellence in the visual effects industry since 1995. We specialize in crafting stunning visual effects for feature films and television with an award-winning portfolio that includes The Book of Boba Fett, The Mandalorian, Game Of Thrones, Lost in Space, Jurassic World, and District 9.

We offer a full range of visual effects services, from concept designs and pre-visualization to CG animation, compositing, and explosive volumetric digital effects. Our crew is passionate about storytelling and pushing the artistic and technical boundaries to deliver the highest quality work on every project. R&D is central to our philosophy of driving creativity through innovation and we're committed to continually evolving our robust production pipelines.

At Image Engine, we value diversity and teamwork, and we're proud to foster a workplace culture that is supportive, respectful, and empowering. We believe that our success is a reflection of our exceptionally talented team, and we're always looking for passionate and dedicated individuals to join us on our mission to create unforgettable visual experiences. Join our team and be part of something extraordinary.

POSITION PURPOSE

The primary focus of the Environment Modeller is to create large-scale, photo-realistic natural and urban environments for use in VFX production. This includes building complex terrain, cliffs, rock formations, and landscapes; assembling and scattering vegetation, trees, and other set-dressing elements; and integrating these environments seamlessly with live-action plates and digital assets.

The artist will work closely with the modelling and asset leads to ensure environments meet creative and technical requirements while maintaining efficiency and scalability within the pipeline. This role requires both artistic sensitivity to composition and scale, and strong technical understanding of Houdini-based procedural workflows.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Build large-scale environments including terrain, geological formations, foliage, and architectural elements.
• Use Houdini to procedurally scatter and manage vegetation, rocks, and debris for naturalistic compositions.
• Collaborate with the other assets, and lighting teams to ensure assets integrate smoothly into shots.
• Manage time and resources to meet weekly and show-based targets.
• Work within the established environment and asset pipeline, following studio conventions and best practices.
• Produce the highest quality work possible within schedule constraints.
• Participate in meetings and dailies reviews, applying feedback efficiently.
• Perform quality control on assets before handoff to downstream departments.
• Maintain organized scene files and documentation for reusability and consistency.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• 5+ years' experience creating high-quality environments for visual effects for film or episodic production.
• Demonstrated proficiency in building photo-realistic landscapes and natural environments.
• Strong understanding of composition, scale, and spatial design for cinematic environments.
• Knowledge of traditional art principles such as form, lighting, and color theory.
• Experience with vegetation scattering, instancing, and procedural generation techniques in Houdini.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Technical skills

• Proficiency in Houdini for procedural environment creation and scattering.
• Familiarity with Maya and ZBrush for modeling and sculpting environment elements.
• Experience with UV mapping and optimizing geo for lookdev and lighting.
• Knowledge of Mari or Substance Painter, Photoshop, and Linux is desirable.
• Experience with USD-based workflows and scene assembly is an asset.

Core skills

• Strong eye for detail, composition, and realism.
  
• Ability to troubleshoot and problem-solve technical and artistic challenges.
  
• Able to take direction positively and work collaboratively within a diverse team.
  
• Comfortable working under tight production deadlines.
  
• Excellent communication and time management skills.
  
• Enthusiasm for pushing the quality of large-scale CG environments.