Studio: Skydance
Job Opening: Lead Software Engineer
Location: London, England, UK
Type: Full-Time
Responsibilities:
- Provide leadership through expert knowledge to a production studio adopting RenderMan
- Interface with Pixar RenderMan Engineering team to stay abreast on upcoming changes and devise an on-ramp for adopting and integrating new features
- Stay current with the latest advancements in rendering technology and implement new techniques to improve visual quality and efficiency
- Advise and participate in developing and maintaining the rendering pipeline using RenderMan
- Advise and participate in the Integration of RenderMan into the studio’s existing workflows and tools, which are primarily in Houdini/Solaris, with some in Maya
- Implement techniques to manage geometry complexity, optimize lighting and shading computations, and improve overall rendering efficiency
- Lead the design and architecture of rendering solutions using RenderMan, ensuring scalability, performance, and maintainability
- In partnership with the productions provide timelines, milestones, and on-time delivery of rendering projects
- Communicate with stakeholders, including artists, producers, and other technical teams, to understand requirements and provide updates on progress
- Assist with debugging issues that require deep RenderMan knowledge
- Collaborate with the Skydance cloud rendering provider and IT group to maximize resource usage while minimizing cost per render unit
- Provide guidance and mentorship to junior and mid-level engineers, fostering technical growth and best practices
Qualifications & Skills:
- Bachelor or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Graphics, or a related field
- 6+ years of experience in rendering engineering or a similar role in the visual effects, animation, or gaming industry
- Proven experience with Pixar’s RenderMan in a production environment utilizing Houdini with Solaris
- Strong proficiency in C++ and Python
- Deep understanding of rendering techniques, including ray tracing, global illumination, subsurface scattering, motion blur, depth of field, and physically based rendering
- Experience with shader development using MaterialX Lama, RSL, OSL, or similar shading languages
- Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to work in a fast-paced, collaborative, international environment
- Effective communication and teamwork skills
