Senior 3D Pipeline Developer – Houdini

Barnstorm VFX

Senior 3D Pipeline Developer creating automation tooling for Barnstorm VFX. Developing 3D workflows in Houdini and Maya while mentoring junior developers in a collaborative environment.

Posted 6/1/2026full-timeRemote • 🇨🇦 CanadaSenior💰 CA$100,000 - CA$140,000 per yearWebsite

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

Amazon RedshiftAssemblyCloudPython

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Develop and maintain 3D workflows in Maya and Houdini, with a strong emphasis on Houdini based automation, scene assembly systems, and template driven pipelines that let artists start from a working scene rather than building from scratch.
Design and build tooling that automates the construction of shots and sequences, including procedural scene assembly, asset wrangling, and reusable Houdini templates and HDAs that scale across projects.
Ensure seamless integration with other software tools and APIs, including USD as a backbone for asset interchange and scene composition.
Collaborate with stakeholders at all levels (owners, supervisors, and artists) to keep everyone aligned on ongoing projects, priorities, and issues.
Develop custom tools for Houdini in Python (C++ is a plus), with a focus on workflow automation and artist facing tooling that reduces repetitive setup work. Maya is a plus.
Optimize pipeline performance and stability, addressing performance, security, and scalability issues as they come up.
Maintain and troubleshoot pipeline tools and workflows, providing support and guidance to artists and technical directors.
Mentor junior pipeline developers, supporting their technical growth and professional development.
Stay current on industry trends and emerging technologies, proposing and implementing improvements to the pipeline.

Requirements

What you’ll need

Strong proficiency in Houdini, with a deep understanding of how they fit together in a production pipeline. Maya is a plus.
Demonstrated experience building automation tooling in Houdini, including HDAs, procedural scene assembly, template systems, and tools that programmatically build or update scenes from published assets.
Experience integrating with software APIs across the VFX stack, including Nuke, Arnold, Redshift, Deadline, and ShotGrid.
Solid grasp of software development best practices, including agile methodologies, code optimization, and refactoring.
Familiarity with cloud rendering pipelines for VFX.
Excellent problem solving skills and a strong understanding of VFX production workflows.
Experience with remote work and collaboration tools such as Slack, Bitbucket, and Jira.
Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks in a fast paced production environment.
Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or Four years of experience in VFX as a pipeline developer or technical director.

Benefits

Comp & perks

comprehensive health insurance plan
retirement savings
paid time off

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

HoudiniMayaPythonC++automation toolingprocedural scene assemblytemplate systemscode optimizationrefactoringcloud rendering

Soft Skills

problem solvingcommunicationcollaborationmentoringprioritizationtask management

Certifications

Bachelor's degree in Computer ScienceMaster's degree in Computer Science