Software Engineer, Tools Sets & Layout (Applications)

Job Summary:

Pixar’s Software R&D department (Tools) develops and maintains our in-house movie production software. With several movies and short projects in production at any given time, Pixar is an exciting and dynamic environment where adaptable and motivated individuals thrive. Our storytellers and artists are constantly seeking to extend our creative and technological reach, and everyone has a chance to contribute! We are seeking a skilled engineer to join the team that provides the software that production artists use to build the meticulously detailed sets and the rich, expansive, living environments featured in our films, as well as the software that production artists use to scout locations, block out shots, and direct the camera in these virtual sets. In this role, you will be responsible for balancing short-term production requests with the long-term health and development of our technology and pipeline. This team is creating the next generation of Pixar’s bespoke applications and tools, requiring strong collaboration with artists on a spectrum of technical experience, as well as software designers, project managers, and engineers from other Pixar Software R&D teams.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Maintain and improve the software individually and collaboratively within a team of engineers
• Work directly with technical and non-technical artists to support their use of Pixar’s proprietary filmmaking software
• Identify, triage, debug, and resolve high-priority issues affecting production artists
• Work comfortably within a sophisticated, multi-layered technology pipeline

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Demonstrated experience with and strong understanding of modern C++ and the STL with at least three years of professional experience
• Experience and proficiency writing applications and scripts in Python
• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or equivalent formal training
• Strong software engineering skills including familiarity with software design principles, performance optimization, and testing
• Familiarity with the fundamental mathematics of computer graphics
• Appreciation for the importance of long-term code health, peer review, automated testing, and documentation
• Additional experience that is valuable but not required for this role include 3D DCC applications (e.g., Maya, Houdini), USD, Qt, and Linux
• Experience working within VFX or animation production environments is a plus

The hiring range for this position in Emeryville is $145,265.00 to $187,990.00 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors.