Lighting Artist - Senior

Rodeo FX; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 1,200,000 - 2,400,000; Full time

Job summary

Rodeo FX Bengaluru is seeking a senior Lighting Artist to design and implement lighting for high-end projects, collaborating with global teams. The role focuses on photoreal lighting, technical optimization, and cross-department coordination to deliver top-tier renders.

The ideal candidate brings 5+ years in lighting for VFX or animation, deep Houdini expertise, and proficiency with major renderers. The studio operates on-site in International Tech Park Bengaluru, fostering a collaborative,

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of lighting experience in a VFX or 3D animation studio.
• Advanced knowledge of Houdini, especially lighting workflows and scene optimization.
• Solid understanding of render engines (Arnold, Karma, RenderMan) and their integration.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating photoreal lighting work.
• Strong understanding of 3D/2D workflows including look development and compositing.
• Knowledge of USD and light/color composition.
• Excellent English communication across multiple studios/time zones.
• Ability to work independently within a multidisciplinary team and proactively solve problems.
• Experience with ShotGrid or similar production tracking tools is an asset.
• Python scripting or in-house tool development is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Create lighting setups tailored to each shot or sequence.
• Master Houdini lighting workflows and optimize scenes.
• Refine renders for seamless CG integration and compositing.
• Collaborate with Lighting, CG, and Compositing Supervisors to support artistic vision.
• Propose visual adjustments to enhance storytelling and scene depth.
• Estimate timelines, communicate issues promptly, and adjust priorities with production.
• Document setups and methods to facilitate handovers and knowledge sharing.

Skills

Houdini lighting

Render optimization

English communication

Team collaboration

Independent work

Lighting artistry

Tools

ShotGrid

Confluence

Job description

Rodeo FX is an award-winning creative company offering services in visual effects, animation, advertising and experiential. We partner with some of the world's leading storytellers and entertainment companies, including Netflix, HBO, Disney, Marvel, Amazon Studios, Warner Bros. and Sony.

In 2026, Rodeo FX opened its newest studio in Bengaluru, expanding our global network across Canada, the United States, Europe and India. Located in International Tech Park Bengaluru, the new 40,000-square-foot studio is designed to accommodate up to 400 artists and supports both Rodeo FX and Mikros Animation.

Our Bengaluru team is fully integrated into Rodeo FX's global pipeline, collaborating with artists, supervisors and production teams across our international studios on incredible projects.

We're now building the senior creative and technical leadership for this studio. Joining us at this stage means having the opportunity not only to contribute to world-class projects, but also to help shape the team, workflows and culture of a growing global hub.

Work arrangements:

As an artist-founded and artist-led company, creativity is at the heart of everything we do. Our mission is to give our talent the freedom, resources, and environment they need to produce high-quality work and thrive in a stimulating, collaborative, and supportive setting.

To support close collaboration, strong team connections, and the creative energy of our studio, all Bengaluru roles are expected to work from the studio five days per week. This on-site presence helps foster effective communication, faster decision-making, knowledge sharing, and a consistent studio culture across teams.

Job Description

The Lighting Artist designs and implements lighting and shading solutions that enhance 3D environments and CG elements, closely aligned with the project's artistic vision. They deliver the final renders to the Compositing department while maintaining a high level of visual quality, technical optimization, and cross-department collaboration. As a key player in the 3D pipeline, they contribute to the standard of excellence expected at Rodeo FX.

Key Responsibilities:

Master your craft

• Create solid lighting setups tailored to the needs of each shot and sequence.
• Master lighting tools and workflows in Houdini with rigor and autonomy at every stage.
• Refine renders to ensure seamless integration with CG elements and compositing.
• Develop efficient solutions to address technical and artistic challenges in production.

Creative Quality

• Translate the project’s visual direction into inspiring and coherent lighting.
• Collaborate closely with Lighting, CG, and Compositing Supervisors to support the artistic vision.
• Propose visual adjustments that enhance storytelling and reinforce scene depth.
• Maintain high standards of realism, clarity, and subtlety in the final render.

Technical Quality

• Optimize scenes to reduce machine load without compromising quality.
• Follow naming conventions, scene structure, and versioning protocols established by the department.
• Identify and fix rendering issues or artifacts prior to submission.
• Actively participate in QC passes and quickly address dailies notes.

Communication

• Provide realistic time estimates, communicate promptly in case of issues or potential delays, and collaborate with production to adjust priorities if needed.
• Ensure accurate progress tracking and flag technical issues to Production.
• Attend team meetings, turnovers, and briefings to align with project needs.
• Be a reliable point of contact for other departments regarding lighting render status.
• Document setups and methods to foster collaboration and facilitate task handovers.

Teach, learn and grow

• Stay up to date on CG lighting advancements and best practices.
• Share discoveries, tools, or scripts with the team via Confluence or technical dailies.
• Engage in internal training initiatives and embrace new studio approaches.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement with openness and adaptability.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience in lighting within a VFX or 3D animation studio environment, preferably on high-end feature film and/or episodic productions.
• Advanced knowledge of Houdini, including lighting workflows, shading, and scene optimization.
• Solid understanding of render engines such as Arnold, Karma, RenderMan, or equivalent, and their integration within a production pipeline.
• Strong portfolio or demo reel demonstrating high-quality photoreal lighting work.
• Strong understanding of 3D/2D workflows, including modeling, look development, and compositing.
• Knowledge of Universal Scene Description (USD).
• Keen sense of light, color, composition, and staging.
• Ability to work independently and rigorously within a multidisciplinary team.
• Proactive, solution-oriented, and constructive mindset.
• Strong professional English communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with teams across multiple studios and time zones.
• Knowledge of Flow Production Tracking (ShotGrid) or other production tracking tools is an asset.
• Python scripting or in-house tool development experience is an asset.

Additional Information

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

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.

Use of Artificial Intelligence in Recruitment

Rodeo FX may use AI-based tools to support certain steps of the recruitment process, such as interview transcription or preliminary application analysis. These tools may be operated by third-party providers, and data may be processed outside Quebec. These tools never replace human decision-making: all final hiring decisions are made by our recruitment team and hiring managers. To learn more about how we protect your personal information and your rights, please consult our Privacy Policy.