FX Houdini Artist at CoSA VFX
Company: CoSA VFX
Location: Sherman Oaks, CA, United States (Remote)
Job Type: Full-Time (Short-Term Contract)
Salary: $95,000 – $170,000 annually
About CoSA VFX
CoSA VFX is an award-winning visual effects studio known for delivering high-quality, photo-real VFX for feature films, streaming platforms, and network television. The studio operates in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment, pushing creative and technical boundaries across projects.
Job Overview
CoSA VFX is seeking an experienced FX Houdini Artist to join its team on a short-term remote contract. Reporting to the Global Head of CG, this role requires strong expertise in procedural FX creation, collaboration across departments, and the ability to deliver high-quality results under tight production timelines.
Key Responsibilities
- Collaborate with VFX, CG, and department supervisors to deliver high-quality FX aligned with creative vision and technical requirements.
- Create advanced FX simulations in Houdini, including fire, smoke, fluids, explosions, electricity, and destruction effects.
- Develop efficient, scalable procedural FX setups for reuse across projects.
- Enhance or build FX systems from scratch while optimizing performance, caching, and rendering.
- Ensure visual consistency while adapting to varying project styles and requirements.
- Participate in reviews and provide creative and technical feedback to improve results.
- Research reference materials to support look development and realism.
- Troubleshoot technical and artistic challenges, collaborating across teams for seamless integration.
Required Qualifications
- 4+ years of professional experience in VFX for film, streaming, cinematics, or commercials.
- Strong portfolio demonstrating FX work such as smoke, fire, water, clouds, steam, magical effects, and destruction.
- Expertise in simulation techniques and procedural workflows using Houdini.
- Proficiency with industry-standard renderers such as Karma XPU, Redshift, V-Ray, or Mantra.
- Familiarity with production tracking tools like Ftrack or ShotGrid.
- Ability to adapt to different pipelines and art styles.
- Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and ability to meet tight deadlines.
Education
Bachelor’s degree in Animation, Visual Effects, Computer Graphics, or a related field is preferred, or equivalent professional experience.
Benefits
- Competitive salary based on experience.
- Opportunity to work remotely with a globally recognized VFX studio.
- Collaborative and creative work environment.
- Exposure to high-end film, streaming, and television projects.