Lead LookDev TD (DNEG VFX) - Expression of interest

Description

Position at DNEG

*This role is currently not open. Please apply knowing that it is to make us aware of your interest, should future roles open up - thank you!!!*

As a Lead Look Development Artist at DNEG, you’ll play a critical role in shaping high-quality, photorealistic character assets by contributing to the lookdev pipeline and collaborating closelywith texturing, lighting, and pipeline teams across our global studios.

Drawing on your technical and artistic expertise, you’ll help refine workflows, troubleshoot complexshading challenges, and champion best practices across our new pipeline.

This is a hands-on creative and technical role ideal for artists who enjoy solving visual problems,developing materials and shaders, and helping build the future of look development at scale.

Must Haves

• Minimum 5 years of professional experience in look development within high-end VFX.
• Expert knowledge of Houdini and Maya for look development tasks.
• Strong technical understanding of shading and material development in Solaris, with experience in lighting/lookdev workflows.
• Strong experience working with character assets.
• Familiarity with texturing and painting software such as Mari and Substance Painter/Designer.
• Experience working within a Linux-based production environment.
• Strong grasp of real-world lighting, material response, and physical properties (depth, scale, proportion).
• Strong artistic eye for surface detail, colour, roughness variation, and material breakup grounded in real-world reference.
• Proven experience balancing visual quality with render efficiency and production constraints.

Nice to Have

• Familiarity with USD workflows and real-time platforms like Unity or Unreal.
• Hands-on experience with Photoshop, Nuke, and other compositing or painting tools.
• Shader authoring experience using VEX, OSL, Lua, or other shading languages.
• Experience working in real-time or virtual production environments.
• A strong eye for detail and storytelling through materials and surface definition.

About You

• You have a passion for crafting visually stunning materials that support storytelling and realism.
• You’re comfortable owning assets end-to-end, from first material pass to final approval.
• You’re a strong communicator who can translate complex ideas into clear, actionable steps.
• You’re curious and proactive, always looking for ways to improve workflows, solve problems, or learn something new.
• You’re calm under pressure and able to manage your time effectively, even when juggling multiple tasks or shows.
• You’re self-motivated, detail-oriented, and proud of delivering work that not only looks great but functions well within a pipeline.
• You’re excited by emerging technologies, real-time workflows, and the evolving role of lookdev in modern production environments.

About Us

We are DNEG, one of the world’s leading visual effects and animation companies for the creation of award-winning feature film,

television, and multiplatform content. We employ more than 9,000 people

with worldwide offices and studios across North America (Los Angeles,

Montréal, Toronto, Vancouver), Europe (London), Asia (Bangalore, Mohali,

Chennai, Mumbai) and Australia (Sydney).

At DNEG, we fundamentally believe that embracing our differences is a vital component of our collective success. We are committed to creating an equitable, diverse and inclusive work environment for our global teams, where everyone feels they matter and belong. We welcome and encourage applications from all, regardless of background, experience or disability. Please let us know if you need any adjustments or support during the application process, we will do our best to accommodate your needs. We look forward to meeting you!