Job Description

At Magnopus, we believe that complex problems are best solved by a community of diverse, talented humans. We work hard, we play at the edge of what's possible, and we're proud of the team that makes it all happen.

We are currently seeking an adept and collaborative Virtual Art Department (VAD) Supervisor to lead an exciting upcoming VAD project. In this role, you will serve as the definitive voice and ambassador for the Magnopus VAD team to our top-tier clients. Partnering directly with Production Designers, VFX Supervisors, Directors of Photography, and Directors, you will internalize their creative vision and meticulously guide our artists and engineers to bring those worlds to life on a world-class LED volume.

If you are a proven artistic leader with deep experience in photorealistic real-time environment creation, on-set ICVFX virtual production, and a keen eye for visual quality, we want you!

Responsibilities

• Represent the Magnopus VAD team to our clients, serving as the primary point of contact and creative translator.
• Communicate closely with the Production Designer, VFX Supervisor, DP, and other key personnel to internalize their vision and lead execution.
• Act as the definitive internal gatekeeper for visual quality, reviewing the team's output with a highly trained eye to set and maintain an uncompromising aesthetic bar before any material is presented to the client.
• Work with the VAD Lead to facilitate day-to-day production of artistic VAD teams while also being able to see things from a ten-thousand-foot view.
• Act as a meaningful, proactive communicator between on-set physical crews, traditional VFX teams, and the LED volume operations team during live shoots.
• Oversee the building, optimization, and delivery of stunning real-time environments tailored for in-camera visual effects.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years experience leading artistic VAD teams with a proven track record of breathtaking released projects.
• Expert knowledge and extensive experience in building, lighting, and optimizing photoreal real-time environments in Unreal Engine.
• Extensive on-set VAD experience, navigating the unique dynamics of virtual production stages and volume operations.
• Exceptional client-facing communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical realities to creative stakeholders gracefully.
• Expertise (or at least strong familiarity) with the latest AI workflows, understanding how to appropriately leverage generative tools to accelerate asset creation and environment building without losing the human touch.
• Not afraid to get "in the trenches," with the ability to jump directly into Unreal Engine and contribute to environment building when the project demands it.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to direct a team while promoting positive morale in a fast-paced, delivery-driven environment.
• Strong understanding of color workflows, camera systems, and real-time lighting considerations for LED volume production.
• Ability to manage fast-moving creative feedback and make decisive visual calls under production pressure.

Nice to Haves

• Deep knowledge of traditional VFX pipelines and DCC workflows (Maya, Nuke, Houdini, etc.).
• Desire to become a production-minded domain expert on the cutting edge of virtual production technology.
• Experience with guiding and mentoring other environment artists and technical artists.

Magnopus is an experience focused technology company founded by a team of Oscar-winning artists, designers, and engineers from games, films, and other unusual places. We’re passionate about creating rich experiences that unite the physical and digital worlds.
Because we’re building the future, we endeavor to create a diverse, creative workplace where people from many perspectives collaborate across disciplines to create amazing things together. We invest in our employee's progression with ongoing education and mentorship opportunities through their guilds, and support their happiness and productivity through generous health care, time off, and other benefits.
We try to foster a safe environment where we can take risks, and learn from our failures. While we value individual talents, we favor collaboration more. We believe that the leadership of the company works for the employees, not the other way around. We feel strongly that our employees guide who we are as a company and the work we create, so we look for characteristics of curiosity, empathy, respect, honesty, and courage in every candidate.
Though we’ve delivered a lot of crazy stuff, here are a few you can check out at home:
Mission: ISS Disney Pixar Coco VR Blade Runner 2049: Memory Lab The Lion King - Virtual Production Elixir