Senior FX TD – Short Term Remote Contract Remote, Sydney, Australia

Job Position(s): Senior FX TD - Short Term Remote Contract Remote, Sydney, Australia

DNEG is hiring a Senior FX TD on a short-term remote contract, with connections to their Sydney, Australia studio for candidates based in the region or open to relocation. This role sits within the FX department, where the TD is responsible for building and delivering high-quality simulations including pyro, fluid, rigid body, cloth, and particle effects for top-tier feature film VFX productions. It suits a seasoned effects artist with deep Houdini experience who is comfortable owning complex sim work independently inside a structured VFX pipeline.

About the Role

FX TDs at DNEG work directly with assets delivered by the Build, Layout, and Animation departments to generate photoreal effects sequences for feature film production. Day-to-day work involves setting up and running simulations in Houdini, troubleshooting pipeline integration, and ensuring output meets the technical and aesthetic bar required for final comp. The position is available immediately on a short-term basis, with potential to convert into a longer-term engagement at the Sydney studio.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and refine Houdini-based simulations for effects including smoke, fire, explosions, water, steam, and clouds to photoreal feature film standards.
• Ingest and work with 3D assets from Build, Layout, and Animation to ensure FX elements integrate cleanly within the production pipeline.
• Manage voxel and particle-based rendering workflows to deliver sim output that holds up in final composite.
• Troubleshoot pipeline issues and coordinate with technical staff to resolve blockers across the VFX workflow.
• Review FX work against reference and supervisor notes, iterating quickly to meet production deadlines without compromising quality.
• Use node-based compositing tools, with Nuke preferred, to understand downstream requirements and deliver comp-ready elements.

What You Bring

• Minimum six years of experience in high-end feature film VFX, with credits that demonstrate photoreal effects work on major productions.
• Extensive knowledge of Houdini as a primary simulation and effects tool, used in a live-action VFX context.
• Familiarity with at least one node-based compositing application, with Nuke strongly preferred.
• Experience navigating large-scale VFX pipeline environments and solving technical integration problems under production pressure.
• Knowledge of Maya, Python, Hscript, or MEL is a plus, as is comfort working within Linux or Unix-based operating systems.

Why This Role

DNEG is one of the most consistently credited VFX studios in feature film production, with a track record across major studio releases that few facilities match. This contract offers immediate engagement on active film work, with real visibility into a Sydney studio that is building its longer-term roster. For effects artists looking to work at scale inside a serious production environment, this is a direct path in.

Apply now for the Senior FX TD role at DNEG and submit your current showreel, reel breakdown, and resume to be considered.