Wētā FX is seeking a Simulation Intern to join our Simulation team as a Visiting Researcher.
The Simulation department develops novel, physically based solvers that enable artists to create a wide range of phenomena, including water, combustion, hair, cloth, plants, and more. The team works closely with production to turn research into robust, artist‑friendly tools used across feature film projects.
You would be joining a friendly and collaborative team of around 15 researchers and engineers with backgrounds spanning computer science, physics, mathematics, and artistic production. This is a hands‑on opportunity to contribute to real production challenges while learning from experienced simulation specialists in a world‑class VFX environment.
We are seeking highly motivated candidates who can fulfill the following requirements:
* Work within a team of leading experts to develop state‑of‑the‑art simulation software for visual effects like water, fire, fluids, muscle, cloth, hair, and plants
* Adapt the latest research results into practical, production‑quality code
* Build and prototype computational algorithms with a focus on high performance, multi‑threading, distributed computing, large scalability and robustness
* Engage with VFX artists to understand their workflows and production needs
* Design and implement practical simulation tools that offer both physical fidelity and artistic control
Required Qualifications:
* Pursuing a Masters or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Computer Graphics, Physics, Applied Mathematics or related field
* Solid understanding of, and experience with, numerical techniques for solving PDEs and linear systems
* Experience in C++ software engineering
* Experience in performance analysis and optimization of highly parallel, scalable systems
* Ability to work well on a self‑directed team in a rapidly changing, deadline‑oriented environment
* A basic understanding of computer graphics and physics‑based animation/simulation.
Desirable Qualifications:
* Experience in software development for visual effects or video games
* Experience with using and/or writing plugins for Maya, Houdini, or similar software products for 3D applications
* Experience in designing algorithms for MPI‑based applications
* Experience applying machine learning techniques for simulation problems
* Familiarity with developer tools and libraries such as Valgrind, tbb, boost, OpenVDB, Vtune, git, JIRA, etc
* GPU compute programming expertise and experience with interactive simulation algorithms
At Wētā FX we celebrate our diversity and believe in creating an environment where all our crew feel welcomed, respected, supported and appreciated. We define ourselves by the quality of our work, and we’re striving to build a workplace experience that’s second to none. Here at Wētā FX we value open minds and encourage our crew to be themselves.
We aim to provide a discrimination‑free experience, beginning from the moment you apply for a role with us. If there is anything we can do to make the recruitment process easier, please let us know at .
If this sounds like you, please get in touch, we would love to hear from you!
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