Lead Effects Technical Director

Job Posting Title:

Lead Effects Technical Director

Req ID:

10126462

Job Description:

About ILM

Founded by George Lucas, ILM is the leading effects facility in the world, with studios located in San Francisco, Vancouver, London, Sydney and Mumbai. ILM has created visual effects for over 325 feature films and has played a key role in seven of the top 10 worldwide box-office hits of all time and has contributed to 25 of the top 50. ILM has set the standard for visual effects, creating some of the most stunning images in the history of film. At the forefront of the digital revolution, the company continues to break new ground in visual effects, VR, AR, and Immersive Cinema. You can see some of our current projects here.

  

Your role?

The Lead Effects Technical Director is primarily responsible for leading a team of Effects Artists. This role works as a hands-on collaborator with the FX, VFX and CG Supervisor to ensure that all delivered shots maintain ILM’s rigorous standards and support the creative vision of the show.

 

What will you be doing?

• Designs and creates complicated FX animation, procedural simulation, dynamic simulation, particle and fluid systems, and rigid body simulations.

• Light and render FX elements and produce composites to showcase ideas

• Develops and implements new techniques quickly and debugs complicated problems

• Sets the standard by continually improving the efficiency, speed, and the quality of the team's output

• Provide constructive and consistent creative and technical oversight and feedback on a shot and sequence level to the team

• Partners with other discipline leadership in determining various cross department solutions, improvements and collaboration.

• Coaches and guides the team of FX artists to execute quality performance for the project.

• Works with Production to bid, schedule, and cast shotwork.

• Responsible for guiding the overall effects and simulations are on a delivered schedule and budget.

• Partners with Talent Management to provide artists with performance feedback, guidance, mentoring, resolving performance issues and maintaining positive morale amongst the crew.

• Attends all relevant meetings to promote effective communication throughout the production team.

To be a contributing member of this team, you will have a mix of these skills:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or Computer Graphics or equivalent work experience.

• Expert in Houdini software, and knowledge and experience in Python or Vex

• 10+ year’s production experience, also with experience in a leadership role in film visual effects

• Proficiency with Linux, Unix,

• Produced effects smoke, fire, explosions, water, clouds, steam, particle

• Demonstrable experience of mentoring and developing artists

• Strong communication skills to present to supervisors and mentor the artist team

• Can develop small scale, show specific tools for non-FX TDs and other FX TDs

JoinILM

This position is with Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. LLC, which is part of a business segment we call Industrial Light & Magic.

Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. LLC is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, colour, religion or belief, sex, nationality, ethnic or national origin, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, disability or pregnancy or maternity. Disney fosters a business culture where ideas and decisions from all people help us grow, innovate, create the best stories and be relevant in a rapidly changing world.

Job Posting Segment:

ILM Sydney

Job Posting Primary Business:

ILM Sydney

Primary Job Posting Category:

Effects, Effects Design

Employment Type:

Full time

Primary City, State, Region, Postal Code:

Sydney, Australia

Alternate City, State, Region, Postal Code:

Date Posted:

2025-07-11