Groom Supervisor - Expression of Interest

This role is Hybrid, with 2-3 days onsite at a Company designated location and occasional work from home.

This posting is an opportunity to submit your resume for future consideration; this is not a role that is open at this time. If you would like to be considered for this potential role, please submit your resume. If the role becomes available, you may receive an email or call from a recruiter.

ILM’s Groom team sits alongside our Digital Model Shop and Creature teams, creating hair, fur, and feather grooms for characters and creatures as part of the Creature / Character pipeline for high-end VFX projects. The Groom Supervisor is responsible for the creation of outstanding character and creature grooms and provides supervision and direction for a team of artists to ensure that grooms are created and rendered according to the designs and visual style of the project.

They lead and mentor teams and manage all aspects of groom work in a production pipeline. This role serves as a role model to foster a collaborative team environment and to produce high-quality imagery. The Groom Supervisor will work with the Local HOD and global Groom team to drive the direction of groom technology and workflows at ILM.

• Creation of fur/feather/hair grooms for characters, creatures, and props using a mix of off-the-shelf and ILM proprietary tools
• Supervise, quality control, and deliver grooms for CG assets under the direction of the VFX Supervisor, ensuring alignment with production style and quality
• Consult with the VFX Supervisor, CG Supervisor, Model Supervisor, Look Development Supervisor, Texture Supervisor and Lighting Supervisor to assess feasibility and implement production-friendly workflows that maintain the vision of the film
• Own bidding the work and proactively drive the groom schedule, balancing artistic and production needs in collaboration with production management and other department Supervisors
• Attend relevant show production and team meetings to promote effective communication
• Guide artists’ professional development, provide performance feedback, and maintain positive morale
• Participate in recruiting and staffing by assessing candidates and collaborating with Recruiting, HOD and Talent Management on hiring decisions
• Support other artists to ensure show requirements are met
• Collaborate with Modeling, Look Development, Texture, Simulation, Rigging and Production for technical, aesthetic, and scheduling needs
• Train and mentor new artists and provide technical assistance to show Supervisors during production
• Maintain productivity while meeting deadlines and delivering high-quality work
• Contribute to departmental development by balancing time across multiple shows and driving quality and efficiency
• Work with the local Groom HOD and global Groom teams to develop department technology, workflows, and talent; bring new ideas to raise department quality

• 10+ years of experience within a high-end VFX facility
• 3+ years of proven leadership experience on multiple projects, leading groom work for full project life cycles and mentoring teams
• Strong knowledge of developing tool sets, templates, and defining workflows
• A leadership approach that drives continuous improvement and fosters a positive team environment
• Demo reel and portfolio demonstrating artistic excellence in high-end VFX
• Attention to detail
• Proven groom skills in a high-end VFX production environment
• Creative and critical eye for grooming look and feel; ability to interpret others’ visions and own the end result
• Strong decision-making, problem-solving, and communication skills
• Proven leadership abilities and collaboration across diverse skill sets
• Bidding and scheduling experience is required
• Expertise in Houdini (VEX and/or Python)
• Nice to have: strong organizational skills; proficiency in Maya, Mari, zBrush, Photoshop; ability to liaise with various parts of the CG pipeline

JoinILM

The hiring range for this position in Vancouver is C$ to C$ per year based on a 40-hour work week; hours may vary based on business needs. The base pay offered will consider internal equity and may vary by geographic region, knowledge, skills, and experience. A full range of medical, financial, and other variable pay or benefits may be offered depending on the role.