Freelance: Lead FX Technical Director

Framestore•New York, NY

13d•Hybrid

About The Position

This is a freelance position within the New York team, candidates must be available from roughly September 2026 thru May 2027. Remote work is acceptable (from within the USA), but hybrid is encouraged and you may need to come into the office upon request. Ideal candidates will be based in the New York area, and must have valid US work authorization at time of hire. The Lead FX Technical Director oversees the artistic vision and technical execution of complex naturalistic physical effects while maintaining specialized authority over character and creature dynamics (cloth, fur, hair, skin, and muscle simulations). As the Lead, you will serve as a primary technical mentor, driving best practices for procedural simulations, pipeline architecture, and physical fidelity while also acting as communication point for Supervisors and Artists for both technical and artistic decisions.

Requirements

High-level mastery of Houdini (including Vellum, Carbon, FLIP, and VEX) and Maya
Proven track record in a senior or lead capacity, with deep specialization in character dynamics (cloth, fur/hair, skin, and muscle system simulations)
Exceptional understanding of animation principles, physical dynamics, real-world motion, and creature anatomy/biomechanics
Advanced scripting and tool development skills in Python, VEX, and HScript within a Linux operating environment
Deep familiarity with end-to-end visual effects pipelines, including multi-package asset transfer and cross-departmental dependency management
Solid working knowledge of lighting/rendering tools (Arnold, V-Ray) and compositing software (Nuke) for element integration and preview renders
Strong creative problem-solving skills, with a proven ability to troubleshoot complex technical barriers under strict production timelines
Excellent communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to translate complex technical challenges into actionable guidance for artists and supervisors alike
Must have valid US work authorization at time of hire.

Nice To Haves

Programming experience in C/C++ with exposure to the Houdini HDK or Maya API
Advanced Unix shell scripting and experience navigating USD (Universal Scene Description) pipelines

Responsibilities

Lead, mentor, and supervise a team of CFX and FX Technical Directors, setting artistic and technical standards for complex character dynamic simulations and environmental FX
Design, build, and stress-test production setups for complex character/creature FX (hero cloth, hair/fur groom dynamics, skin drift, and tissue/muscle deformation) alongside traditional FX
Run hero-level shot simulations, perform shot sculpting, apply lighting and shaders, and produce reviewable composites for final delivery
Partner with other departments to ensure seamless asset handoffs and resolve inter-departmental pipeline bottlenecks
Conduct regular artistic and technical reviews, providing clear, constructive feedback to team members to ensure output aligns with project targets and visual expectations