Graduate Production Engineer Research Intern 🎓

This role is considered Hybrid, which means the employee will work 2-3 days onsite at a Company designated location and occasionally from home. Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) invites you to apply to our Graduate Production Engineer Research internship in Vancouver and contribute to the exciting world of visual effects (VFX). ILM strives to be an inclusive environment, embracing promising individuals from a variety of backgrounds and experiences.

Our interns embody the innovative spirit, creative talent, collaborative mindset, and passion for great filmmaking that defines ILM. If you love art, technology, and sharing knowledge while learning from others, this is the environment for you.

Position Summary

We are seeking a Production Engineer Research Intern to dive into applied research and development across images, video, 3D representations, and machine-learning-based tools for the visual effects pipeline. In this role, you will bridge the gap between foundational ML models and professional VFX production. We are specifically interested in how to introduce detailed artists controls, non-destructive workflows, iterability, and layering to generative models.

Applications will close on January 12, 2026.

What You Need to Know

• You must be a Canadian Citizen or hold Canadian Permanent Resident status

• Preference will be given to candidates who are currently enrolled in a Graduate program at a public Canadian post-secondary institution and returning to studies following the internship

• This is a paid 4 month internship, beginning May 4, 2026

• This role is considered Hybrid, which means you will work onsite at our Vancouver studio and occasionally from home

• You will be required to work full-time, 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm

• We do not provide assistance for relocation, housing, transportation, or work authorization for internships

What You Will Do

This internship is designed to match a student’s interests with our research needs. While the scope is flexible, your work will likely involve:

• Experiment with new machine-learning techniques and prototype how they might be applied to solve real-world challenges in VFX production

• Partner with multidisciplinary teams to solve real-world challenges in trans-media storytelling

• Work alongside global R&D teams developing and supporting ILM’s technology and VFX pipeline

What We’re Looking For

• Currently enrolled in an accredited PhD program

• Major or previous coursework in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Graphics, or a related field

• Excellent verbal and written communication, with strong interpersonal skills to work across multidisciplinary teams

• Ability to articulate complex research concepts to diverse teams

• Effective time management, including the ability to prioritize and multitask

• Self-motivated, adaptable, and able to work both independently and collaboratively with a positive, proactive attitude

• Programming proficiency in relevant languages (Python and/or C++), in a Linux environment

• Nice to Have:

• Experience with version control systems (e.g., Git/GitHub/GitLab, perforce)

• Demonstrated interest or familiarity with standard VFX tools and workflows is a big plus

• Interest in "Applied Research"—taking theoretical concepts and finding ways to make them usable in a production environment