CFX Artist job at philm CGI, Pune

Festybay; Pune District; On-site; INR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Access to the latest simulation tools

Challenging projects with international scope

Collaborative culture

Job summary

A leading animation studio in Pune is seeking a skilled CFX Artist to enhance character realism through muscle and tissue simulation. The role involves creating realistic deformations and managing complex simulations for cloth and hair. Candidates should have expertise in Autodesk Maya and be knowledgeable about anatomical structures. Join a tech-forward environment with challenging projects, where artists collaborate closely to innovate and grow professionally. Competitive compensation is based on skill and portfolio.

Qualifications

• Strong expertise in muscle simulation workflows and skin-sliding techniques.
• Expert level in Autodesk Maya with experience in muscle systems.
• Well-versed in vertebrate anatomy and how muscles interact under the skin.
• Ability to build scalable setups for multiple shots/characters.
• Attention to subtle secondary motions to avoid stiff CG look.

Responsibilities

• Create and simulate advanced muscle systems and tissue deformation.
• Develop and manage high-quality simulations for cloth, hair, and fur.
• Work with rigging and animation to ensure optimized muscle rigs.
• Identify and resolve simulation artifacts, intersections, and stability issues.
• Optimize scenes for efficient rendering and playback while balancing fidelity.
• Ensure deformations meet real-world physics and realism standards.

Skills

Simulation Mastery

Software Proficiency in Autodesk Maya

Anatomical Knowledge

Procedural Mindset

Detail Oriented

Detail oriented

Simulation mastery

Tools

Autodesk Maya

Houdini

Houdini

Job description

Unlock the secrets of digital anatomy at philm CGI. As a premier animation and VFX studio with a footprint in Pune, Mumbai, and Thrissur, we are dedicated to pushing the boundaries of character realism. We are currently looking for a highly skilled CFX Artist to join our Pune studio—someone who understands that true character believability lives in the subtle slide of skin over muscle and the perfect sway of cloth in motion.

At philm CGI, the CFX Artist is not just running simulations; they are architects of organic movement, ensuring our characters possess the physical weight and anatomical accuracy required for world-class visual storytelling.

Job Overview & Strategic Details : CFX Artist

We are looking for a specialist who can bridge the gap between static rigging and final animation through high-fidelity secondary motion.

Core Specialization Muscle Simulation, Cloth, Hair, and Fur Dynamics

Salary Range Competitive Industry Standard (Based on technical skill & portfolio)

The Role: Specialist in Digital Anatomy

As a CFX Artist at philm CGI, your primary mission is to enhance the overall performance and believability of our digital characters. You will be responsible for creating realistic deformations and secondary motions that react dynamically to a character’s primary animation. Whether it’s the ripple of a muscle during a sprint or the intricate layering of heavy garments, your work as a CFX Artist provides the “physical truth” of the frame.

• Muscle & Tissue Simulation: As a CFX Artist, you will create and simulate advanced muscle systems, skin sliding, and tissue deformation. You will ensure that characters exhibit realistic anatomical behavior during complex movements.
• Dynamics Management: Develop and manage high-quality simulations for cloth, hair, and fur. You will be responsible for the “groom” behavior and how it interacts with the environment and character.
• Pipeline Integration: Work closely with the rigging and animation departments to ensure that muscle rigs are optimized for the animators while maintaining technical integrity for the simulation phase.
• Technical Troubleshooting: Identify and resolve simulation artifacts, intersections, and stability issues. You will refine outputs to ensure they meet the final shot requirements and artistic vision.
• Optimization: Manage and optimize scenes for efficient rendering and playback. You must balance visual fidelity with production-friendly simulation times.
• Anatomical Accuracy: Ensure all character deformations meet the required quality and realism standards, adhering to real-world physics and biological movement.

Required Skills & Technical Competencies

We are looking for a technical artist who possesses a deep understanding of how bodies move and how software can replicate that complexity.

• Simulation Mastery: Strong expertise in muscle simulation workflows and a deep understanding of tissue and skin-sliding techniques.
• Software Proficiency: Autodesk Maya: Expert level, including experience with built-in muscle systems or specialized plugins (e.g., Ziva VFX).
  • Houdini: Highly preferred for advanced, procedural simulation setups and Vellum workflows.
• Anatomical Knowledge: A strong grasp of vertebrate anatomy and how muscles, tendons, and fat layers interact under the skin.
• Procedural Mindset: The ability to build scalable setups that can be applied across multiple shots or characters within a sequence.
• Detail Oriented: An uncompromising eye for the subtle secondary motions that prevent a character from looking “CG” or “stiff.”

The 2026 CFX & Creature Tech Landscape

The field of Character Effects has undergone a massive transformation as we move through 2026. At philm CGI, we are leveraging these advancements to stay at the cutting edge:

• ML-Enhanced Deformations: In 2026, machine learning is increasingly used to “pre-bake” complex muscle deformations, allowing for faster iterations. A CFX Artist who understands how to train or utilize these data-driven rigs is in high demand.
• Real-Time Secondary Motion: With the rise of Unreal Engine and Unity in film pipelines, the ability to translate high-end CFX Artist setups into real-time environments is becoming a vital skill.
• Diversity in Technical Art: Research shows that diverse technical teams are 28% more efficient at finding creative solutions to complex pipeline bottlenecks. philm CGI is committed to fostering an inclusive environment where every CFX Artist can innovate.
• The “Invisible” Art: The success of a CFX Artist is often measured by how little the audience notices their work. In 2026, the focus has shifted toward “physical grounding”—ensuring digital creatures feel as if they occupy the same atmospheric space as live-action actors.

Why Join philm CGI in Pune?

Pune has evolved into a global center for high-end creature work and technical animation. By joining philm CGI, you get:

• Challenging Projects: Work on hero-level characters for international feature films and high-budget OTT series.
• A Tech-Forward Environment: Access to the latest simulation tools and a pipeline designed by artists, for artists.
• Collaborative Culture: Work in a studio where the rigging, animation, and CFX Artist departments operate as a single, cohesive unit.
• Professional Growth: We encourage our artists to experiment with new plugins and procedural workflows, ensuring you stay at the top of your game.