Creature Technical Director (Rigging) – Expression of Interest – ILM Vancouver

Job Position(s): Creature Technical Director (Rigging) - Expression of Interest - ILM Vancouver

ILM Vancouver, part of Disney, is building a pipeline of talent for a Creature Technical Director (Rigging) role based in Vancouver, BC, Canada. This position sits within the creature department, where the TD Rigger is responsible for building and enveloping hero creatures, vehicles, and props in Maya for use across the full VFX pipeline. It suits an experienced rigger who has worked across both realistic creature work and toon-style animation on animated features or live action productions.

About the Role

This is an expression of interest posting, meaning ILM is collecting resumes now for a role that is expected to open in the future. The specific production attached to this position requires fluency in both exaggerated cartoon-style rigs and photoreal creature animation, which is a less common combination in VFX pipeline work. Day to day, the Creature Technical Director (Rigging) builds and maintains creature rigs, supports artists across departments, and contributes to reviews and dailies.

Key Responsibilities

• Build hero-level creature rigs and perform enveloping in Maya to production-ready standards.
• Troubleshoot rigging and creature pipeline issues raised by artists in disciplines outside the creature department.
• Write scripts, utilities, and plug-ins in Maya to support and extend the rigging workflow.
• Optimize rig performance using solid working knowledge of Maya rigging techniques.
• Mentor entry-level artists joining the creature department.
• Participate in production reviews, dailies, and department meetings as part of the standard VFX pipeline cycle.

What You Bring

• At least 3 years of professional VFX experience with a college diploma in computer graphics, fine arts, design, or a related field, or 5 years of professional experience without a formal degree.
• Hands-on credits rigging and enveloping hero assets in Maya on realistic VFX productions or toon-style animated feature films.
• Experience with corrective sculpting and a working knowledge of anatomy as it applies to enveloping.
• Proficiency with Linux and expert-level Maya skills are required for this role.
• Python scripting experience, Houdini familiarity, and simulation shot work are all strong assets.
• Basic competency in a secondary discipline such as modeling, texturing, or animation is a plus.

Why This Role

ILM is one of the most established visual effects studios in the feature film production world, and this Vancouver studio has become a serious production hub for major tent-pole projects. The hybrid schedule means 2 to 3 days onsite at the Vancouver facility with some remote flexibility. The hiring range for the Creature Technical Director (Rigging) position in Vancouver is C$100,300 to C$128,300 per year based on a 40-hour work week, with a full range of medical, financial, and other benefits potentially available depending on the position level.

Submit your resume now to be considered for the Creature Technical Director (Rigging) role at ILM Vancouver when it opens.