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Temporary Houdini Jobs (NOW HIRING)

System Administrator

Los Angeles, CA ยท Hybrid

$60 - $70/hr

Temporary Position : This is a six-month temporary assignment supporting Cosm. The selected ... Hands-on support experience with VFX/post creative tools (Nuke, Resolve, Cinema 4D, Houdini, or ...

New

System Administrator

Los Angeles, CA ยท Hybrid

$60 - $70/hr

Temporary Position : This is a six-month temporary assignment supporting Cosm. The selected ... Hands-on support experience with VFX/post creative tools (Nuke, Resolve, Cinema 4D, Houdini, or ...

New

System Administrator

Los Angeles, CA ยท Hybrid

$60 - $70/hr

Temporary Position : This is a six-month temporary assignment supporting Cosm. The selected ... Hands-on support experience with VFX/post creative tools (Nuke, Resolve, Cinema 4D, Houdini, or ...

New

System Administrator

Los Angeles, CA ยท On-site

$60 - $70/hr

Temporary Position : This is a six-month temporary assignment supporting Cosm. The selected ... Hands-on support experience with VFX/post creative tools (Nuke, Resolve, Cinema 4D, Houdini, or ...

New

This is a temporary, project-based role and an Expression of Interest for upcoming needs ... Advanced knowledge of DCC tools such as Maya, Blender, 3ds Max, ZBrush, Houdini, or similar.

Asset Artist

Los Angeles, CA ยท On-site +1

This is a temporary, project-based role and an Expression of Interest for upcoming needs ... Advanced knowledge of DCC tools such as Maya, Blender, 3ds Max, ZBrush, Houdini, or similar.

This is a temporary, project-based role and an Expression of Interest for upcoming needs ... Advanced knowledge of DCC tools such as Maya, Blender, 3ds Max, ZBrush, Houdini, or similar.

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Temporary Houdini information

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How much do temporary houdini jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 3, 2026, the average hourly pay for temporary houdini in the United States is $18.38, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $15.38 and $19.95 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Temporary Houdini vs Temporary FX Artist?

AspectTemporary HoudiniTemporary FX Artist
Required CredentialsProficiency in Houdini, relevant certificationsProficiency in FX software, certifications often preferred
Work EnvironmentVFX studios, animation companies, post-productionVFX studios, film, and game development companies
Industry UsageUsed for procedural modeling, simulations, effectsCreates visual effects like explosions, smoke, fire

Temporary Houdini and Temporary FX Artist roles both operate within VFX and animation industries, often in similar environments. While Temporary Houdini focuses on procedural modeling and simulations using Houdini software, Temporary FX Artists create specific visual effects like explosions and smoke. Both roles require related skills and certifications, but their focus areas differ slightly, making them distinct yet complementary positions in visual effects production.

What is a Temporary Houdini?

A Temporary Houdini is a visual effects (VFX) artist who specializes in using the software Houdini on a short-term or contract basis. Houdini is a powerful 3D animation and visual effects tool widely used in film, television, and gaming to create complex simulations like smoke, fire, water, destruction, and more. Temporary Houdinis are often hired for specific projects or deadlines where specialized Houdini skills are needed. They work alongside other VFX professionals to deliver high-quality effects within a set timeframe. This role requires strong technical skills, artistic ability, and an understanding of production pipelines.

What are some common challenges faced by professionals in temporary Houdini roles, and how can they prepare for them?

Professionals in temporary Houdini roles often face the challenge of quickly adapting to new pipelines and workflows, as projects may vary significantly between studios. They may also need to rapidly familiarize themselves with proprietary tools and integrate seamlessly with existing teams, often under tight deadlines. To prepare, it's helpful to have a strong foundational knowledge of Houdini, stay current with industry trends, and develop good communication skills to effectively collaborate with artists, technical directors, and supervisors. Being proactive in seeking out project documentation and asking clarifying questions can also smooth the transition into new environments.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Houdini Artist, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Houdini Artist, you need a strong background in 3D animation, visual effects (VFX), and procedural modeling, typically supported by experience in computer graphics or a related field. Mastery of SideFX Houdini software, along with familiarity with rendering engines like Mantra or Redshift, and scripting languages such as Python or VEX, is highly valued. Creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration are crucial soft skills for developing innovative effects and working effectively in production teams. These skills ensure the efficient creation of high-quality visual effects and seamless integration into complex pipelines in film, TV, or gaming projects.
What cities are hiring for Temporary Houdini jobs? Cities with the most Temporary Houdini job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Houdini jobs? The most popular types of Houdini jobs are:
What states have the most Temporary Houdini jobs? States with the most job openings for Temporary Houdini jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Temporary Houdini jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Temporary Houdini jobs are:
Infographic showing various Temporary Houdini job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 24% Locum Tenens, 8% Internship, 42% As Needed, 5% Full Time, 20% Nights, and 1% Summer. Highlights an 82% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 16% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $38,238 per year, or $18.4 per hour.

System Administrator

cosm

Los Angeles, CA โ€ข Hybrid

$60 - $70/hr

Other

Posted 3 days ago

New


Job description

Summary:

Cosm is looking for a Senior Systems Administrator to keep our creative infrastructure running โ€” render farms, remote VFX/post workstations, and large-scale media asset management and archival systems, alongside the broader storage, network, and compute environment that supports them. This is a hands-on role covering local and cloud systems as well as employee workstations, with primary focus on the high-performance infrastructure our creative and production teams depend on daily.

We're looking for someone methodical and detail-oriented under pressure, organized enough to manage complex systems independently, and collaborative enough to work cross-functionally with production, creative, and IT teams.

This role may require nights and/or weekends for scheduled maintenance, deployments, and emergency response, and requires the ability to maneuver around a server room and lift up to 50 lbs, with or without reasonable accommodation. This is a hybrid role based in El Segundo, CA, with a minimum of 3 days per week on-site.

Temporary Position: This is a six-month temporary assignment supporting Cosm. The selected individual will be employed and paid by a third-party staffing partner.

Responsibilities:

  • Perform system imaging, software deployment, patching, and OS hardening across servers, virtual infrastructure, and remote workstations (Windows, Mac, Linux).
  • Administration of render, storage, network, and virtual infrastructure devices and core services (e.g. AD, DNS, DHCP).
  • Monitor and optimize performance and security for real-time creative workflows and high-speed data transfer.
  • Support and optimize industry-standard creative applications (e.g., Nuke, Resolve, Cinema 4D, Houdini) for artists and production teams.
  • Develop and maintain automation/scripts to reduce manual administration overhead.
  • Manage backup and disaster recovery for critical media assets and pipeline infrastructure.
  • Provide Tier 2 assistance with multi-site ticket escalations and incident resolution that may include on-call rotation.

ย Experience:

  • Education: BS/BA in a technical field Is preferred but overall experience will be considered.
  • Experience: 5+ years in infrastructure/system administration, preferably in media production, animation, or VFX environments.
  • Expert knowledge of Windows, Mac, and Linux administration; comfortable in terminal/shell environments across all three.
  • Experience with system imaging and deployment tools (e.g., WDS, WSUS, SCCM/ECM, PDQ Deploy).
  • Scripting/automation proficiency: PowerShell, Bash, or Python.
  • Advanced understanding of remote access protocols/platforms used in creative pipelines (e.g., HP Anyware, Parsec, Splashtop, Jump Desktop).
  • Hands-on support experience with VFX/post creative tools (Nuke, Resolve, Cinema 4D, Houdini, or similar).
  • Advanced understanding of high-performance unstructured storage, compute, and networking (protocols, architectures, and models relevant to media workflows).
  • Intermediate to advanced understanding of hyper-converged virtual infrastructure
  • Render farm administration experience (e.g., Thinkbox Deadline, AWS Deadline Cloud, RenderMan).
  • Familiarity with system monitoring platforms (e.g. LogicMonitor, Grafana)
  • Familiarity with AWS services (e.g. S3, EC2, VPC)
  • Familiarity with network configuration management tools (e.g. Cisco Prime, Arista CloudVision, Aruba Central, Ruckus SmartZone)

Preferred Experience:

  • Working knowledge of Windows and Apple device management platforms (e.g. Intune, Apple Business, JAMF Pro)

The hourly pay range for this position in California is $60.00โ€“$70.00. The hourly rate offered will depend on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and other relevant factors.