Responsibilities
- Develops, tests, and documents features in the proprietary software used across concurrent film productions, under the direction of senior engineers and leads.
- Assists in analyzing existing workflows and procedures related to the company pipeline.
- Collaborates with IT infrastructure, Client Services, Wrangling, Production, and Show TD teams to help investigate and resolve issues with hardware, software products, or internal systems.
- Supports end users in operating new or updated programs, including writing basic user documentation.
- Stays informed on current trends in animation technology and tools relevant to the production pipeline.
- Applies engineering best practices in code quality, version control, and testing.
- Learns and works within established technical frameworks and architectural patterns set by the team.
- Participates actively in team brainstorming and planning sessions, sharing ideas and asking thoughtful questions.
- Communicates proactively with teammates and leads about task progress and any blockers encountered.
- Follows the guidance of supervisors, senior engineers, and leads, and actively seeks feedback to improve.
- Demonstrates a growth mindset and shows curiosity about both the technical and creative aspects of animation production.
- Contributes to a positive and collaborative team environment.
Requirements
- 3+ years of experience in software engineering, ideally in VFX, animation, or a related media/tech industry.
- Exposure to animation or VFX production workflows is a plus but not required.
- BS degree in Computer Science, or equivalent practical experience (3+ years) in a software engineering role.
- Solid foundational engineering skills, with an understanding of code quality, readability, and maintainability.
- Ability to contribute effectively within a team in a fast-paced, deadline-oriented environment.
- Working knowledge of Python 3+ — ability to write clean, functional scripts and tools independently.
- Familiarity with Agile workflows and task tracking tools such as Jira, daily standups, and sprint planning.
- Basic familiarity with USD and its role in production pipelines; experience with integrations in DCC apps (Maya, Houdini/Solaris, Nuke) is a plus.
- Some experience with PyQt or PySide for tool development.
- Awareness of ASWF libraries such as OpenColorIO, OpenVDB, or OpenTimelineIO.
- Familiarity with Rez (package management) and/or Autodesk ShotGrid/Flow is beneficial.
- Comfortable working in a Linux development environment — bash scripting, common command-line tools (grep, find, sed, etc.).
- Experience with Git or another version control system.
- Basic understanding of relational or non-relational databases (e.g. PostgreSQL, MongoDB).
- Awareness of containerization and deployment concepts (Docker, Kubernetes, or similar).
- Some exposure to web service patterns (REST APIs preferred; GraphQL or RPC a bonus).
- Familiarity with a Python web framework (FastAPI, Flask, or Django) is a plus.
- Understanding of CI/CD concepts; hands-on experience is a plus (GitLab or GitHub Actions preferred).
- Experience with pytest or another Python testing framework.
- Build system knowledge (such as CMake) is a bonus.
Skills Required
- 3+ years of experience in software engineering.
- BS degree in Computer Science or equivalent experience.
- Working knowledge of Python 3+
- Basic familiarity with USD or DCC applications is a plus.
- Linux development environment experience with common command-line tools.
What We Do
About Skydance Media Skydance is a diversified media company founded by David Ellison in 2010 to create high quality, event-level entertainment for global audiences. The Company brings to life stories of immersive worlds across its feature film, television, and interactive platforms. Its feature films include Mission: Impossible - Fallout, Annihilation, LIFE, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, Star Trek Beyond, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, Terminator Genisys, World War Z, Star Trek Into Darkness, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Jack Reacher, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, and True Grit. Skydance’s upcoming film releases include Top Gun: Maverick, Gemini Man, The Old Guard, 6 Underground and the nwe untitled Terminator film. In 2017, Skydance formed an animation division to develop and produce a slate of high-end feature films and television series in partnership with Spain’s Ilion Animation Studios. Skydance Television launched in 2013. Its current slate includes Emmy-nominated Grace and Frankie on Netflix, Altered Carbon on Netflix, Jack Ryan on Amazon, and Condor on AT&T Audience Network. Skydance Interactive launched in 2016 to create and publish original and IP-based virtual reality experiences and video games. Skydance Interactive recently debuted its first original title – Archangel, a story-driven VR shooter. About Skydance Interactive Skydance Interactive creates and publishes original and IP-based virtual reality games. The division of Skydance Media was launched in 2016 through the acquisition of The Workshop Entertainment. Skydance Interactive’s first VR offering is Archangel, launched on July 18th 2017. Skydance Interactive in 2017 partnered with Skybound Entertainment to develop a number of original virtual reality video games based on the expansive world of The Walking Dead universe. The Walking Dead VR game will be the inaugural co-developed title from both companies. The studio is located in Marina del Rey, CA. About Animation In 2017, Skydance formed an animation division to develop and produce a slate of high-end feature films and television series in partnership with Spain’s Ilion Animation Studios. Skydance’s first three animated features are Luck, Split (working title), and Powerless (working title). Luck, directed by Alessandro Carloni (Kung Fu Panda 3) and written by Jonathan Aibel & Glenn Berger, is a comedy that pulls back the curtain on the millennia-old battle between the organizations of good luck and bad luck that secretly
