Crowd Technical Director - Expression of Interest

Crowd Technical Director - Expression of Interest
Job    –  Location  Vancouver, Canada –  Business  Industrial Light & Magic –  Date posted  Jan. 19, 2026

Job Summary
This role is considered Hybrid, which means the employee will work 2-3 days onsite at a Company designated location and occasionally 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. We anticipate this role will be open in Spring 2026, but we are not actively hiring for the position. 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.

The main focus of the position will be to create crowd simulations for our CG scenes, using either off the shelf or our own proprietary software to populate cities, large‑scale environments and choreograph battles.

At ILM, we strive to be an inclusive environment, and we are committed to considering promising individuals with a variety of backgrounds and experiences for this position.

What You’ll Do

Choreograph the motion and behaviour of crowds in shots, meeting the artistic direction of the show supervisor.

Manage the motions and cycles used on your show, including creating blending cycles.

Assist in developing efficient workflows within Houdini, including creating and modifying internal HDAs.

Creatively use existing motion and character variations to create visual diversity within a crowd.

Troubleshoot technical issues within Houdini and the wider pipeline.

Work with Production and your lead to meet the show deadlines.

Communicate with artists across disciplines to work effectively as part of the wider show team.

Attend dailies to present your work and receive feedback from the show supervisor.

Collaborate within the crowd team, sharing knowledge and contributing to the development of the department.

What We’re Looking For

Strong knowledge of Houdini Software

Exceptional problem‑solving skills with the ability to address technical and artistic challenges

In‑depth understanding of cinematic principles and composition

Background working on high‑end VFX or animated feature‑film productions

Experience working with motion capture and/or clip‑based animation

Proficiency with Linux

Excellent communication skills

Ability to work under pressure and to strict deadlines whilst maintaining a high quality output

Nice to have:

Proficiency scripting in Vex and/or Python

Strong understanding of Houdini input/output pipeline

Experience with cloth/hair simulation

Working knowledge of Maya and rigging

Keen eye for how crowds flock and move

As part of your application please submit a demo reel, shot breakdown, or equivalent showcasing your work. A current resume is required.

JoinILM

AI Recruitment Statement
At Disney, we incorporate certain artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support aspects of our recruitment process. Specifically, AI may be used to:

Recommend potential job opportunities

Prioritize applications based on job qualifications and role requirements

Assist in automating scheduling of interviews

Supplement recruiter notes during interviews

Personalize communication to improve the recruitment experience

We are committed to ensuring that the use of AI does not introduce bias into our hiring practices. Our AI tools are designed and monitored to promote fairness, consistency, and compliance with applicable equal employment opportunity laws. Human review is incorporated into every aspect of the recruitment process, from review to hire. AI tools are intended solely to assist and enhance the recruitment process.

All final candidate advancement and hiring decisions are made by human recruiters and hiring managers.

The hiring range for this position in Vancouver is C $100,300 to C $128,300 per year based on a 40‑hour work week. The amount of hours scheduled per week may vary based on business needs. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job‑related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors.

A full range of medical, financial, and/or other…