DreamWorks Feature - Department TD

What You'll Do

• Support production critical software, infrastructure and workflows (e.g., services-based infrastructure, production management software, pipeline software, DCCs; fur, cloth, particle effects, animation, and rendering workflows)
• Gain and demonstrate a working knowledge of studio coding standards, policies, and best practices; use these skills to engineer robust and strategic software solutions
• Build validation tests to ensure software quality
• Stay abreast of existing and new third party technology to inform technical decision-making
• Triage artist and production issues
• Extend and improve the existing pipeline through support and development of existing software and procedures
• Contribute to novel software integrations
• Gain a working knowledge of proprietary and/or industry-standard DCCs (e.g. Premo, Moonray, Maya, Houdini, Unreal, Nuke)
• Gain a working knowledge of the artist's workflow, toolsets and processes
• Propose, develop, communicate and implement change management plans
• Maintain a constructive attitude when faced with unexpected challenges
• Develop and support custom solutions for feature animation
• Complete assigned tasks on time or proactively communicate obstacles and timeline changes
• Continually evaluate the pipeline and find new ways to streamline production processes
• Communicate with artists to identify production facing problems
• Clearly and concisely document software and approaches to solving recurring problems
• Deconstruct production issues/requests and direct component tasks to appropriate departments
• Constructively give and take in feedback and work towards addressing it
• Collaborate with TDs and department leadership when resolving production issues
• Act as a production/department representative when collaborating with cross disciplinary teams
• Assist in training and mentoring of new Technical Directors
• Be a model representative of the TD department

Requirements

• Software development experience using common or domain-specific programming/scripting languages, e.g., Python, C++, Javascript, HScript, MEL, TCL
• Strong programming skills including Object Oriented Programming
• Working knowledge of computer graphics fundamentals
• Production experience in computer animation, visual effects, or game industry
• Working knowledge of proprietary and/or industry-standard DCCs, such as Premo, Moonray, Maya, Houdini, Unreal, Nuke
• Ability to work independently or within a group
• Ability to establish and shift priorities in collaboration with Supervising TDs
• Ability to recognize blocking obstacles and seek help

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field
• Proficiency in Python
• Experience with writing tools or plugins for computer graphics applications
• Experience with tool integration into existing or new pipelines

Schedule

This position is hybrid, generally contributing from the office a minimum of four days per week.

Pay & Benefits

Salary range: $89,752–$130,000/yr