Environment Surfacing Supervisor - Netflix Animation Studios

Netflix; Vancouver; Hybrid; CAD 163,000 - 223,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/dental/vision plans

Mental health support

Retirement programs

Family-forming benefits

Paid leave and vacation

Job summary

Netflix Animation Studios in Vancouver, BC, is seeking an Environment Surfacing Supervisor to lead the environment surfacing team for a feature film. This role defines the look of digital environments and ensures textures, materials, and shaders meet the production’s vision and pipeline needs.

The role is hybrid (3 days in office) and requires supervising artists, collaborating with design and production leads, and mentoring staff to deliver high-quality visuals across assets and environments.

Qualifications

• Lead or supervise environment surfacing teams on feature animation or VFX projects.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating textures, materials, and shading expertise.
• Experience coordinating with art direction, production, and pipeline teams.

Responsibilities

• Supervise environment surfacing for environments, sets, and props to achieve high-quality visuals.
• Interpret design intent with Production Designer and Art Director to guide color and material direction.
• Lead environment surfacing reviews and provide constructive feedback on textures and shading.
• Ensure assets meet pipeline standards for integration with Lighting, FX, CFX, and Rendering.
• Collaborate with Modeling, Layout, Lighting, and Technical teams to troubleshoot and optimize workflows.
• Help define surfacing tools and material libraries in partnership with Production Technology and R&D.
• Provide input on asset complexity and project planning to support scheduling.
• Mentor environment surfacing artists and support craft development.
• Foster an inclusive, collaborative team culture for optimal creative output.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Mentorship

Time management

Tools

Mari

Substance Painter

Substance Designer

Maya

RenderMan

Arnold

Job description

Netflix Animation Studios is on a mission to entertain the world with bold, immersive animated films that are timeless and impactful. We are paving the way for the future of animation by building a community of amazing artists and talent across three vibrant locations globally. Come join us!

Job Summary

We are seeking an Environment Surfacing Supervisor to support our upcoming feature film. The Environment Surfacing Supervisor works inside of NAS to lead the environment surfacing team on a specific film, defining and supervising the look of all digital environments, sets, and props. This role ensures that textures, materials, and shaders align with the vision of the Director and Production Designer and are technically ready for Lighting, FX, CFX, and Rendering.

What You’ll Do

• Supervise the surfacing of environments, sets, and props to create high-quality, stylized or realistic looks that support the show’s visual storytelling
• Work closely with the Production Designer, Art Director (Environments), and Head of Environments to interpret design intent, color palettes, and material direction
• Lead environment surfacing reviews and provide clear, specific, and constructive feedback on textures, materials, and shading
• Ensure environment surfacing work meets technical requirements and pipeline standards so assets integrate smoothly with Lighting, FX, CFX, and Rendering
• Collaborate with Modeling, Layout, Lighting, and Technical teams to troubleshoot issues and align on efficient, production-friendly workflows
• Help define and refine surfacing tools, material libraries, and workflows in partnership with Production Technology, R&D, and surfacing/lookdev TDs
• Provide input to Production Management and department leadership on asset complexity and progress to support realistic planning and prioritization
• Mentor and support environment surfacing artists, helping to identify training needs and contributing to performance feedback and craft development
• Help foster a respectful, inclusive, and collaborative team culture where artists can do their best work

What You’ll Need

• Significant experience as a Surfacing/Lookdev Artist focused on environments in feature animation, VFX, or high-end games/series, including time in a Lead or Supervisory role
• A strong portfolio/reel demonstrating excellence in environment surfacing, with a deep understanding of textures, materials, and color in stylized and/or realistic worlds
• Proficiency with surfacing and lookdev tools such as Mari, Substance Painter/Designer, and Maya, and experience with a modern path-tracing renderer (e.g., RenderMan, Arnold, or similar)
• Strong understanding of how environment surfacing interacts with Modeling, Layout, FX, CFX, Lighting, and Rendering within a production pipeline
• Great communication and leadership skills, with the ability to give clear, constructive feedback and collaborate effectively across departments
• Strong organizational and time-management skills

This role is based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Hybrid Role (Minimum of 3 days a week in the office).

At NAS, we carefully consider a wide range of compensation factors to determine your compensation. We rely on market indicators and consider your specific job family, background, location, skills, and experience. The overall market range for this role is typically $163k - 223k CAD. This reflects total compensation; we do not have stock options.

NAS benefits can include medical/dental/vision plans, mental health support, retirement programs, and family-forming benefits, paid leave of absence programs, and paid time away programs to be used for vacation and sick paid time off.

Inclusion is a Netflix value and we strive to host a meaningful interview experience for all candidates. If you want an accommodation/adjustment for a disability or any other reason during the hiring process, please send a request to your recruiting partner.

We are an equal-opportunity employer and celebrate diversity, recognizing that diversity builds stronger teams. We approach diversity and inclusion seriously and thoughtfully. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, ancestry, national origin, caste, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, age, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic makeup, marital status, or military service.