Head of Department – Unreal

Rodeo FX; Montreal; On-site; CAD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Rodeo FX, an award-winning visual effects company, seeks a Head of Department for Unreal. The successful candidate will lead a talented team, oversee technical initiatives, and ensure high-quality execution in real-time production. This role demands deep expertise in Unreal Engine and a collaborative spirit within a creative work environment.

Benefits

Flexible work arrangements

Collaborative and creative environment

Professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• Minimum 7 years with Unreal Engine, including 2 years in leadership.
• Proven expertise in performance optimization and technical execution.
• Strong knowledge of VFX pipelines across various media.

Responsibilities

• Lead and motivate the Unreal team, ensuring high performance.
• Define strategic vision for the Unreal department.
• Implement effective optimization practices for Unreal projects.

Skills

Leadership

Unreal Engine expertise

Real-time production experience

Team-building

Technical problem-solving

Job description

Company Description

Repeatedly voted one of Montreal’s Top Employers and Employer of the Year for the 2022 Mercuriades Awards, Rodeo FX is a high-end creative company offering services in visual effects, advertising, animation, and experiential.

Nominated for multiple Emmy Awards for its work on the seriesStranger Thingsseason 4,Avatar: The Last AirbenderandThe Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power,the independent, Oscar-winning company boasts close to 800 artists crafting from studios in Montreal, Québec City, Toronto, Los Angeles and Paris.

Rodeo FX is a creative partner to the world’s best storytellers including Netflix, HBO, Disney, Marvel, Amazon Studios, Warner Bros. and Sony, and has collaborated on ads for YouTube, NBC and Apple. Current projects includeDune: Prophecy, SiloSeason 2andSonic 3. Recently released projects includeThe Rings of Power Season 2, Venom: The Last Dance,Taika Waitit'sTime Bandits,andHouse of the DragonSeason 2.

Work arrangements:
As a company founded and led by an artist, creativity above all guides us. Our mission is to provide our talents with the freedom and resources they need to deliver quality work and thrive in a stimulating, caring environment. While we require Heads of department to be present in the studio at least four days a week, we maintain flexible work arrangements for the remaining day. This balance ensures that we foster collaboration, maintain our vibrant culture, and encourage in-person interaction and teamwork.

Job Description

The Head of Department – Unreal ensures Rodeo FX remains at the forefront of real-time production, both creatively and technologically. They provide clear and consistent leadership while ensuring quality, process efficiency, and consistency in Unreal Engine workflows across all projects.

Responsible for the long-term strategy of the department, this person leads the integration of Unreal into film, television, advertising, and original content productions. They oversee technological initiatives, lead pipeline optimization efforts, and promote the adoption of innovative features and practices aligned with Rodeo FX’s creative and operational goals.

As the direct manager of the Unreal team, they supervise and support artists, developers, and TDs. They help resolve project and pipeline challenges, advise production teams, and implement concrete solutions to ensure a high level of performance and execution at every stage.

Key Responsibilities

Lead, Motivate, and Hold Accountable (LMA)

• Lead, supervise, and inspire the Unreal team, fostering a culture of accountability and performance.
• Recruit and grow a multidisciplinary team of artists, TDs, and specialized developers.
• Establish efficient production processes integrated with Lighting, Assets, Animation, Comp, and R&D departments.
• Oversee the technical and artistic quality of deliverables while ensuring smooth coordination with production teams.

Advise Productions with Your Expertise

• Serve as the Unreal point of contact for project teams from bidding to final delivery.
• Offer concrete technical solutions for scene structuring (sequencer, levels, shaders, blueprints, lighting, simulation).
• Support supervisors in optimizing real-time scenes and solving performance issues.
• Ensure Unreal usage aligns with Rodeo FX’s technical standards while supporting the project’s creative vision.

Long-Term Vision

• Define a clear and ambitious vision for the Unreal department aligned with Rodeo FX’s overall strategy.
• Build sustainable pipelines leveraging advanced Unreal features (PCG, Niagara, Chaos, Blueprints).
• Participate in the exploration of new territories (virtual production, interactive content, proprietary tools, in-house IP).
• Represent Rodeo FX externally at events, conferences, or industry strategic initiatives.

Performance

• Ensure strong technical execution and high visual quality across all Unreal projects.
• Implement effective optimization practices: level management, profilers, budgets, graphics performance.
• Track department KPIs and collaborate with production and tech teams to resolve bottlenecks.
• Anticipate technical challenges early and propose long-term solutions.

Culture & Values

• Embody Rodeo FX’s core values: excellence, courage, curiosity, collaboration, and respect.
• Foster a positive, innovative, and inclusive work environment that encourages creativity, learning, and initiative.
• Promote upskilling, knowledge sharing, and professional development within the team.
• Encourage a culture of openness, continuous improvement, and commitment to collective goals.

Qualifications

• Minimum 7 years of real-time production experience with Unreal Engine, including at least 2 years in a leadership or supervisory role.
• Deep expertise with Unreal Engine, including:
  • Material Editor and shader creation
  • Blueprint systems
  • Sequencer and data structuring (levels, sublevels, sequences)
  • Scene optimization and performance tools
  • Procedural tools (PCG), simulation, Chaos Destruction, Niagara
• Strong experience in real-time environments, lookdev, lighting, or 3D generalist work.
• Solid understanding of VFX pipelines and their integration in various contexts (film, advertising, video games, etc.).
• Proven leadership, initiative, and strong team spirit.
• Ability to explain, train, and guide team members with diverse profiles.
• This position requires excellent spoken and written proficiency in both French and English.

The person in this role will work closely with our teams in Toronto and Los Angeles. They will also be involved in communications with our clients around the world, in order to showcase Rodeo FX’s technical and creative capabilities.

Additional Information

At Rodeo FX, diversity is a core value. We’re committed to creating an inclusive, equitable workplace where different perspectives are embraced. Every team member brings unique insight that strengthens our creativity, challenges our thinking, and helps us deliver better work.