Fx Artist – Senior(Redefine) Sydney, Australia

Job Position(s): Fx Artist - Senior(Redefine) Sydney, Australia

DNEG is hiring a Senior FX Artist for its feature animation pipeline based in Sydney, Australia. This role sits within the FX department, where the work centres on producing high-fidelity simulations including pyro, fluid, cloth, rigid body, and particle effects that feed directly into final rendered sequences. It is a strong fit for an experienced FX TD who has shipped credits on high-end feature animation projects and is comfortable owning complex simulations from brief through to delivery.

About the Role

The FX department at DNEG works downstream of Build, Layout, and Animation, taking 3D assets and pushing them through simulation workflows to produce effects that hold up at feature quality. On a given day, that might mean developing a large-scale pyro simulation for a destruction sequence, refining fluid behaviour to match a director’s reference, or working with pipeline tools to get Houdini and Unreal Engine talking to each other cleanly. The role carries genuine technical weight, with scripting and procedural problem-solving as regular parts of the job rather than occasional requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and deliver particle, pyro, rigid body, fluid, cloth, fur, and hair simulations to brief across feature animation productions.
• Work directly with assets from Build, Layout, and Animation departments to integrate simulation elements into the broader VFX pipeline.
• Develop and maintain Houdini-based workflows, including integration between Houdini and Unreal Engine pipelines for real-time and offline deliverables.
• Write Python and VEX scripts to automate tasks, build tools, and solve production-specific technical challenges.
• Troubleshoot simulation, rendering, and pipeline issues under production deadlines, applying both a technical and artistic eye to the output.
• Collaborate with FX supervisors and other department leads to align simulation work with the overall look and production schedule.

What You Bring

• Proven credits on high-end feature animation projects, with a visible range of effects work including smoke, fire, water, clouds, steam, and explosions.
• Expert-level knowledge of Houdini and its simulation toolset, including particle-based and voxel-based rendering approaches.
• Hands-on experience with Houdini to Unreal Engine pipeline integration.
• Scripting proficiency in Python and VEX, with the ability to write production-ready tools and solve technical problems independently.
• Familiarity with Linux or Unix-based operating systems and procedural pipeline workflows is a clear advantage.

Why This Role

DNEG is one of the most consistently credited visual effects and animation studios in feature film production, with a track record across major studio releases that few facilities can match. The Sydney studio offers genuine depth of work on high-profile animation projects, with access to a pipeline and peer group that reflects that level of output. The position operates on a hybrid model requiring at least three days in the office each week, with relocation to Sydney required for candidates based elsewhere.

If you are an experienced Senior FX Artist ready to take on complex simulation work at DNEG, apply through the link on this page.