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Sony Pictures Imageworks

High-end visual effects and animation services

CFX Pipeline Tech

Full-Time
CA$75k - CA$115k/yr
Senior
Vancouver, BC, Canada
In PersonOn-site in Vancouver, BC. Must be eligible to work in Canada.

About the job

Requirements
  • Strong programming skills in Python are essential. Experience with other languages like C++ or VEX is a plus.
  • A minimum of 5 years of experience in a Character FX or similar technical role within a production environment is preferred.
  • High to Mid level proficiency with SideFX Houdini, including knowledge of its procedural workflows, Vellum, and various solvers.
  • Demonstrable experience developing production pipeline tools and workflows.
  • Deep understanding of simulation principles for cloth, hair, feathers, and muscles.
  • Excellent problem-solving and professional communication skills.
Responsibilities
  • Develop and execute Character FX (CFX) for a wide range of projects, including cloth, hair, feathers, muscle, and rigid body simulations.
  • Design, develop, and maintain tools and workflows using Python and other scripting languages to enhance pipeline efficiency and artist productivity.
  • Provide technical guidance and mentorship to the Character FX team, helping them troubleshoot complex issues and foster skill development.
  • Collaborate closely with other departments such as Rigging, Animation, and Surfacing to ensure seamless integration of Character FX assets.
  • Stay current with industry trends and new technologies, evaluating and implementing new tools and techniques to advance visual quality.
  • Optimize and troubleshoot character FX setups to consistently meet performance and quality standards.

About the company

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Sony Pictures Imageworks

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Sony Pictures Imageworks is a visual effects and animation studio that creates photorealistic visuals for live-action films and full CG features. The company delivers services for projects from early concept design to final visual effects integration, working on creature and character animation as well as large-scale CG sequences. It differentiates itself with a long track record and its own developed software and tools that help solve industry challenges, which it also licenses to other studios as an additional revenue stream. The business mainly earns money by providing VFX and animation work on a project basis and by licensing technology. The studio serves major film studios and production companies worldwide and aims to help productions achieve high-quality visuals while advancing film technology through its proprietary tools and creative output.

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Culver City, California

Founded

1992

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Imageworks posted 51 active openings in August 2026, signaling strong current production demand.
  • The studio expanded hiring in Montreal and Vancouver, increasing delivery capacity across Canada.
  • Job postings for security and pipeline engineers show investment in IP protection and efficiency.

What critics are saying

  • Sony Pictures plans several hundred layoffs on April 7, 2026, threatening Imageworks staffing.
  • High reliance on Sony franchise work concentrates revenue in Spider-Man and related tentpole schedules.
  • VFX labor remains volatile; a delayed show pipeline or strike gaps can idle artists quickly.

What makes Sony Pictures Imageworks unique

  • Michelle Grady leads Imageworks from Vancouver, with Montreal and Los Angeles capacity in 2026.
  • Imageworks combines feature animation, VFX, and pipeline engineering across Spider-Verse and blockbuster franchises.
  • The studio still recruits specialized technical artists, showing deep proprietary workflow differentiation in 2026.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

401(k) Retirement Plan

Paid Sick Leave

Paid Vacation

Company News

Animation World Network
May 29th, 2025
Sony Pictures Animation, Sony Pictures Imageworks Release 'This Is Animation' Course

Sony Pictures Animation and Sony Pictures Imageworks have teamed with the educational platform Yellowbrick for "This Is Animation," a free online course that introduces learners of all ages to the art and industry of animated filmmaking.

Business In Vancouver
Jan 8th, 2025
Sony Pictures Imageworks relocating Vancouver office to The Post

Sony Pictures Imageworks is relocating its Vancouver headquarters from CF Pacific Centre to The Post, a coveted downtown location known for its revitalized mid-century architecture and a long-term tenancy by Amazon.com Inc. (Nasdaq: AMZN).

IMDb
Aug 13th, 2024
Sony Pictures Entertainment Chief Tony Vinciquerra to Receive the Variety Vanguard Award at Mipcom

Sony Pictures Entertainment chief Tony Vinciquerra to receive the Variety Vanguard Award at Mipcom.

postPerspective
Oct 4th, 2023
Sony Imageworks Promotes Michelle Grady to President

Sony Imageworks promotes michelle Grady to president.

Deadline
Oct 3rd, 2023
Sony Pictures Imageworks Promotes Michelle Grady To President

Sony Pictures Imageworks promotes Michelle Grady to President.