Company Profile

For over thirty years, SideFX has been providing artists with procedural 3D animation and visual effects tools designed to create the highest-quality cinematic results. We are passionate about what our customers do because our roots are in production, both as artists and as pioneering technical innovators.

SideFX has been recognized by the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Science multiple times - including with an Oscar® - for the development of our Houdini software, and its breakthrough procedural-based technology. Houdini is used by the world’s top film, TV, and game studios to create blockbuster movies like Spider-Man, The Lion King and Godzilla vs. Kong, TV shows like The Crown, Game of Thrones and S.W.A.T., and video games like Ghost Recon, Far Cry and Age of Empires. Our customers include Disney Feature Animation, Pixar, Sony Pictures Imageworks, Weta Digital, Electronic Arts, Microsoft Game Studios, and many more.

What We Value Most:

• Decency: We treat everyone with honesty, kindness and empathy. We give generously of our time and knowledge
• Relationships: We build collaborative bonds—with our co-workers and clients—based on trust and respect. Our diverse team gives us broader perspectives
• Dedication: We take pride and ownership in our work, always trying to do our best. We are devoted to the well-being and success of each other and our clients
• Excellence: We continually improve ourselves, our work and our company, striving towards excellence in all that we do

Our employees receive:

• Hybrid Work option - A great office in Downtown Toronto (right across from Union Station) with the flexibility for most roles to work from home. You can help us test out our Hybrid Pilot Project
• Generous paid time off, including vacation and floater days to relax and re-energize (starting at 4 weeks)
• Year-End Company Shutdown and Long Weekend Early departures to add to the excitement
• Health insurance coverage (including a Health Service Spending Account for Canadian employees), for you and your dependents
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP); because sometimes we need a bit of extra support
• Retirement Plan with company matched contributions
• Comprehensive Long Service Award program, providing both a monetary reward and additional days off
• A highly competitive bonus structure
• A generous sick time entitlement to care for yourself and your loved ones

Why join SideFX?

• Because you want to be part of a unique experience and winning team that has won an Oscar and an Emmy (Cool, right?)
• Because you want to be part of an industry-leading company that is constantly mindfully growing
• Because you want to work with some of the most talented people in the industry on a ground-breaking product
• Because you want to work with people from all around the world
• Because you want to be part of an exciting and fun industry
• Because you want to join and add to a positive, supportive and respected company culture
• Because you want your job to be GREAT!

Position Overview

SideFX is seeking an exceptional Senior Technical Writer with a keen attention to detail to join our Technical Documentation team.

As a member of the Research and Development team you will have the opportunity to work alongside some of the brightest minds in the industry and interact with an outstanding artist community. We see this full-time staff position as a career-defining opportunity in which to grow professionally and contribute to Houdini and its user community.

What you will be working on

• Creating awesome technical documentation and learning materials for artists and technical artists, such as user guides, tutorials, reference pages, and videos.
• Delivering clear and concise content in simple English and Houdini Help style.
• Collaborating with developers, technical directors, UX designers, and other writers to communicate complex ideas to an artistic audience.
• Reviewing and copy-editing content created by developers and other non-writer subject matter experts.
• Owning your subject areas and planning the documentation deliverables for those areas.
• Being a user advocate and helping to improve the user experience.

What you need to be successful

• Degree/certificate in a related field (English, Technical Communication, 3D Art, Programming) or equivalent experience.
• 3+ years of technical writing experience.
• Experience writing user guides and tutorials.
• Experience creating annotated screen captures, diagrams, and videos.
• Some experience with 3D DCC software packages (Houdini, Maya, Blender).
• Great organizational skills with the ability to multitask and work on multiple subject areas at once.
• Strong written and face-to-face communication skills.
• Be proactive and self-directed.
• Independent learner.

Not required but great to have

• Production experience in film, TV, or games.
• Experience with Houdini software.
• Experience with game engines (Unity, Unreal).
• Experience writing without a WYSIWYG (Markdown).
• Experience with source control tools (Subversion and GitHub).
• Understanding of API documentation.
• Experience with VEX or Python scripting languages.

Please provide a technical writing sample along with your resume and cover letter when applying for this role.

Not the right role for you at this time? Take a look at all of our job postings on our Careers page or join our SideFX Talent Community for future career opportunities!

Location

Toronto or Los Angeles office; Other locations will be considered within our company’s possibilities.