Houdini TD: Build Scalable VFX Pipelines & Tools

SWAYBOX STUDIOS®; New Orleans (LA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Swaybox Studios in New Orleans is seeking an experienced Houdini Technical Director to develop, implement, and maintain tools and workflows that optimize our Houdini pipeline across VFX, Animation, Unreal, and Technical Direction teams.

You’ll collaborate with artists and supervisors to build reliable, scalable workflows, automate tasks with Python/VEX, and contribute to a hybrid production environment that blends in-house and cloud rendering.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in Houdini TD, Pipeline TD, or similar role in high-end VFX/Animation.
• Expert Houdini knowledge: SOPs, DOPs, Solaris, HDAs, lighting and rendering with Arnold.
• Strong Python, VEX, HScript skills for tool development and pipeline integration.
• Deep understanding of film pipelines and how Houdini fits with FX, animation, lighting, and rendering.
• Experience building scalable, production-ready tools for complex workflows.
• Excellent organizational and project-management abilities with clear communication.

Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain, and optimize HDAs, tools, scripts, and workflows to improve artist efficiency.
• Design scalable procedural systems for simulation, environments, asset generation, and lighting pipelines.
• Create non-destructive scene-graph pipelines and custom operators for artists.
• Enforce naming conventions, asset organization, and version control across the studio.
• Troubleshoot Houdini tool issues, simulations, and pipeline integrations; provide technical support to artists.
• Automate tasks with Python, VEX, and Houdini frameworks to boost consistency and speed.
• Balance production support with long-term pipeline development and improvements.
• Collaborate with Supervisors, Pipeline TDs, Production, and artists to resolve workflow challenges.
• Produce technical docs, guides, and onboarding materials to encourage adoption of new tools.
• Evaluate workflows and tech to propose improvements for efficiency and flexibility.
• Coordinate with Pipeline TDs, Unreal, Maya, and Nuke TDs for interoperable pipelines.
• Integrate Houdini and Arnold with Deadline for in-house/cloud rendering; use ShotGrid API for network config.
• Stay updated on Houdini/tech trends and best practices.

Skills

Houdini TD

Python

VEX

HScript

Pipeline TD

Communication

Tools

Houdini

Arnold

ShotGrid

Unreal Engine

Maya

Nuke

Git

Rez

Deadline

Linux

Job description

Swaybox Studios in New Orleans is seeking an experienced Houdini Technical Director to develop, implement, and maintain tools and workflows that optimize our Houdini pipeline across VFX, Animation, Unreal, and Technical Direction teams.

You’ll collaborate with artists and supervisors to build reliable, scalable workflows, automate tasks with Python/VEX, and contribute to a hybrid production environment that blends in-house and cloud rendering.