CFX Pipeline Tech

Sony Pictures Imageworks is hiring a CFX Pipeline Tech based out of their Vancouver, British Columbia studio. This role sits within the Character FX department and is focused on building, maintaining, and improving the simulation pipeline that drives cloth, hair, feathers, muscle, and rigid body work across feature film and animation productions. It’s a technical position that suits someone who thinks in code first and picks up the art side along the way.

About the Role

The CFX Pipeline Tech works at the intersection of software development and character simulation, reporting into CFX Pipeline leadership and collaborating daily with CFX Supervisors, leads, and the internal software team. The work is show-level, meaning this person is embedded in active production and responsible for pipeline tools that artists depend on to hit their shots. A typical day involves writing and debugging Python tools, troubleshooting simulation setups in Houdini, and coordinating with Rigging, Animation, and Surfacing to keep assets moving cleanly through the VFX pipeline.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain Character FX tools and workflows in Python, with additional scripting in C++ or VEX where the pipeline requires it.
• Build and optimize simulations for cloth, hair, feathers, muscles, and rigid bodies across feature animation and VFX productions.
• Work directly with CFX Supervisors and leads to identify pipeline bottlenecks and deliver technical solutions that hold up under production pressure.
• Provide hands-on troubleshooting support to the CFX team, helping artists resolve complex simulation issues without losing time on shot deadlines.
• Evaluate new tools and simulation techniques relevant to character effects, and integrate those that improve quality or throughput in the production pipeline.
• Coordinate with Rigging, Animation, and Surfacing departments to ensure CFX assets integrate cleanly across the full character pipeline.

What You Bring

• Strong Python programming skills are required; experience with C++ or VEX is a meaningful advantage.
• Mid to high proficiency in SideFX Houdini, including procedural workflows, Vellum, and multiple solvers.
• Five or more years in a Character FX or technical pipeline role within a production environment is preferred, though candidates with strong programming backgrounds and limited CFX experience are encouraged to apply.
• A track record of building production pipeline tools that artists actually use, not just prototypes.
• Solid understanding of simulation principles for cloth, hair, feathers, and muscle systems.

Why This Role

Sony Pictures Imageworks is one of the more technically serious animation and VFX studios operating out of Vancouver, with a production slate that spans major studio features and a pipeline infrastructure that reflects that scale. The base salary for this CFX Pipeline Tech position is $75,000 to $115,000 CAD, with benefits that include healthcare, tuition reimbursement, RRSP contributions, and sick and vacation leave. For a pipeline-focused technical artist, the scope of the character simulation work here and the access to experienced CFX leadership makes this a substantive career move.

Apply now for the CFX Pipeline Tech role at Sony Pictures Imageworks and bring your simulation and pipeline development experience to one of Vancouver’s leading VFX studios.