Lead Creature TD [Feature Animation] – ILM London

Job Position(s): Lead Creature TD [Feature Animation] - ILM London

ILM London is hiring a Lead Creature TD for feature animation production based in London, UK. This role sits within the creature development department and owns the technical and creative quality of simulation setups covering cloth, hair, and flesh, from asset builds through to final shot delivery. It suits a senior-level TD who has moved into leadership and wants to drive both the technical direction and the day-to-day output of a creature team on feature-length productions.

About the Role

The Lead Creature TD works directly with the Creature HoD, CG Supervisor, and VFX Supervisor to define the approach for character rigs and simulations across a feature animation slate. Day-to-day work involves reviewing asset and shot output from the crdev team, troubleshooting simulation problems before they become production blockers, and coordinating with other departments to keep the VFX pipeline moving. Schedule estimation and team staffing are also part of the remit, so this is a role with real production influence, not just a technical one.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and implement the technical and aesthetic approach for cloth, hair, and flesh simulations in collaboration with senior VFX supervision.
• Review crdev team output at both asset and shot level, providing specific technical and aesthetic notes that improve quality and meet production deadlines.
• Anticipate simulation and rigging problems before they reach shot production and implement solutions with minimal escalation required.
• Work with production management on scheduling estimates and contribute to staffing decisions, including delegating work based on individual skill assessment.
• Participate in recruitment for the creature development team and support the professional development of TDs at junior and mid levels.
• Maintain awareness of studio-wide decisions and apply that context when making show-level calls that affect the broader feature animation pipeline.

What You Bring

• Senior-level creature TD experience with demonstrated leadership on feature film or high-end VFX productions.
• Hands-on experience with Maya rigging and character simulation in Houdini or Zeno, with a strong understanding of anatomy and character deformation.
• Familiarity with the ILM crdev toolset and pipeline, gained through previous work at the studio or a comparable feature animation environment.
• Proficiency in Python scripting and Linux systems as part of a production VFX pipeline.
• Proven ability to mentor a team while maintaining personal output quality under strict feature film deadlines.

Why This Role

ILM has a long history at the center of feature film VFX, and the London studio works on productions at the top end of the industry. This is a hybrid role requiring two days on-site per week, which gives the Lead Creature TD meaningful access to supervision and department heads without a full five-day commute. For a senior TD looking to take the next step in leadership while staying close to the craft, the scope of work here is as good as it gets in the UK market.

Apply now for the Lead Creature TD position at ILM London and bring your creature development expertise to feature animation production at one of the industry’s most respected VFX studios.