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Junior Houdini Artist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

MFI Technologies Incorporated

$67 - $86/hr

A certificate or degree in Computer Graphics, Animation, Fine Arts, Design or Photography or a ... Experience with Maya or Houdini is required * A reel demonstrating character or creature effects ...

New

Imerza

Senior Real-Time Viz Artist

Sarasota, FL · On-site

$80K - $90K/yr

Actively mentor mid and junior artists in UE5 tools, pipeline, and production standards; this is a ... Houdini and Substance beneficial. * Perforce required; Jira or equivalent project tracking.

Together Group

Senior Real-Time Viz Artist

Sarasota, FL · On-site

$80 - $90/hr

Actively mentor mid and junior artists in UE5 tools, pipeline, and production standards; this is a ... Houdini and Substance beneficial * Perforce required; Jira or equivalent project tracking

Together Group

Senior Real-Time Viz Artist

Sarasota, FL · On-site

$80K - $90K/yr

Actively mentor mid and junior artists in UE5 tools, pipeline, and production standards; this is a ... Houdini and Substance beneficial * Perforce required; Jira or equivalent project tracking

Together Group

Senior Real-Time Viz Artist

Sarasota, FL · On-site

$80K - $90K/yr

Actively mentor mid and junior artists in UE5 tools, pipeline, and production standards; this is a ... Houdini and Substance beneficial * Perforce required; Jira or equivalent project tracking

Epoch Games

Unreal Engine Level Designer

Winston Salem, NC · On-site

$93K/yr

We also expect you to use various Houdini Tools that we've built, so Houdini is recommended, but ... If you are comfortable with teaching, you may be called upon to aid the more junior members of the ...

Floss Creatives Limited

3D Creative Art Director

Portland, OR · On-site +1

$128K - $134K/yr

You will lead external teams of designers, animators, artists, and technologists to deliver world ... junior staff members. * Strong knowledge of 3D Max, Maya, Houdini and C4D Employment Type ...

The Mill

Senior Systems Engineer

Manhattan, NY

$114K - $156K/yr

Interpersonal skills are essential as you will be working closely with Artists, Producers as well ... Support and mentor more junior members of the team. Qualifications Required skills, knowledge and ...

The Mill

Senior Systems Engineer

Manhattan, NY · On-site +1

$114K - $156K/yr

Interpersonal skills are essential as you will be working closely with Artists, Producers as well ... Support and mentor more junior members of the team. Qualifications Required skills, knowledge and ...

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Junior Houdini Artist information

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$84.5K

$246.3K

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How much do junior houdini artist jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 4, 2026, the average yearly pay for junior houdini artist in the United States is $246,250.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $92,500.00 and $400,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a junior Houdini Artist?

A Junior Houdini Artist is an entry-level role in visual effects (VFX) and animation, focusing on procedural modeling, simulation, and effects using SideFX Houdini. They assist senior artists by creating elements like fire, smoke, water, destruction, or other dynamic effects. Responsibilities typically include asset development, troubleshooting, and optimizing simulations for production. This role requires a strong foundation in Houdini, problem-solving skills, and an understanding of physics-based effects. It's a great starting point for those looking to specialize in FX within the VFX industry.

What does a junior Houdini Artist do?

As a Junior Houdini Artist, you’ll often support the creation of visual effects such as simulations for smoke, fire, water, debris, or particle systems under the guidance of senior artists and supervisors. Your day-to-day tasks may involve setting up procedural systems, preparing assets for simulations, troubleshooting scene issues, and iterating on feedback. You’ll usually work within a collaborative team environment, interacting closely with animators, lighting artists, and compositors to integrate your effects seamlessly. This exposure helps you learn industry workflows and develop the technical and artistic skills needed for future advancement.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a junior Houdini Artist?

To thrive as a Junior Houdini Artist, you need a solid understanding of 3D animation principles, procedural modeling, and visual effects concepts, usually backed by a relevant degree or strong demo reel. Proficiency in SideFX Houdini, and familiarity with rendering engines like Redshift or Mantra as well as version control systems, are often required. Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and the ability to communicate effectively with artists and supervisors will help you stand out. These skills are essential for producing high-quality visual effects and collaborating efficiently within fast-paced VFX or animation teams.

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Junior Houdini Artist jobs near you
Infographic showing various Junior Houdini Artist job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 75% In-person, and 25% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $246,250 per year, or $118.4 per hour.

ILM hiring Junior Crowd Technical Director, California

Festybay

San Francisco, CA • On-site

$67.90 - $86.90/hr

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement

Posted 2 days ago

New

Job description

Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), a global leader in visual effects and a subsidiary of Lucasfilm and The Walt Disney Company, is seeking a Junior Crowd Technical Director (TD) to join our San Francisco studio. This role focuses on bringing life to large‑scale cinematic environments, choreographing the motion of thousands of agents to create realistic, dynamic crowds in movie production.

Industrial Light & Magic provides a competitive compensation package for this position. Base salary is 67,900 – 86,900 USD annually, with eligibility for performance‑based bonuses and long‑term incentive units, along with comprehensive medical, dental, vision, 401(k), life and disability insurance and Disney “Cast Member” perks.

Shot Production and Choreography
  • Behavior Animation: Choreograph crowd motion and behavior in entry‑level shots, ensuring characters avoid obstacles, interact logically, and follow scene flow.
  • Motion Blending: Manage animation cycles, creating blending motions to guarantee smooth transitions between actions such as walking to running.
  • Visual Diversity: Use motion libraries and character variations to avoid repetition, varying heights, clothing colors, and animation offsets.
Technical Pipeline Development
  • Houdini Workflow: Assist in developing and refining Houdini workflows, creating and modifying Digital Assets (HDAs) for use by the broader crowd team.
  • Troubleshooting: Identify and resolve technical bugs within the crowd pipeline, ensuring accurate data transfer from animation to lighting and rendering departments.
  • Scripting: Support automation of tasks using Houdini/VEX or Python to increase department efficiency.
Team Collaboration and Communication
  • Cross‑Discipline Synergy: Communicate with rigging, animation, and compositing artists to ensure crowd assets are integrated correctly.
  • Dailies and Feedback: Attend daily production meetings, present progress, and quickly apply constructive artistic and technical feedback from supervisors.
  • Knowledge Sharing: Document new processes and share findings with the wider team.
Qualifications
  • Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Graphics, Traditional Animation, Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.
  • Professional Background: Minimum of 2 years of relevant VFX experience with a related degree, or at least 3 years of professional VFX experience in a production environment.
  • Houdini Proficiency: Strong foundational knowledge of Houdini and its crowd‑specific toolsets (State Machines, Agent nodes, etc.).
  • OS Environment: Proficiency in Linux, the primary operating system for our production pipeline.
  • Cinematic Eye: Deep understanding of composition, weight, and timing to achieve film‑quality simulations.
Preferred “Nice to Have” Skills
  • Scripting: Proficiency in VEX (Houdini’s language) or Python for tool creation.
  • Secondary Simulations: Experience with cloth or hair simulations for crowd agents.
  • Animation Knowledge: Working knowledge of Maya and character rigging; ability to understand how skeletal data affects crowd agents.
  • Observational Skills: Keen eye for natural human movement, flocking, and group dynamics.
Diversity and Equal Opportunity

ILM and The Walt Disney Company are committed to creating a diverse environment. Lucasfilm is an equal‑opportunity employer and we do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or disability.

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