Tools Developer/ Blender TD

Tools Developer/ Blender TD

POSITION PURPOSE

Responsible for the overall Blender pipeline development. Support the different departments using Blender and help with Blender pipeline development and implementation.

The Blender TD will build tools for departments using Blender, and make Blender a central hub to assemble and visualize our production data. He provides a line of support for a variety of different artists, from Storyboard to Precomp, through Layout, Anim, Lighting etc. . It is about the continued integration of Blender and Grease Pencil with the rest of our pipeline and the facilitation of data exchange cross-departmentally. As such the Blender TD is an integral member of the core Pipeline Team.

It is a position that allows one individual to touch on and be exposed to the whole gamut of an Animation Pipeline. As part of a cohesive software team (IT, Pipeline, TDs), the Blender TD will use their curiosity and investigative skills and listen to our artists and department supervisors to identify their challenges and provide implementations and capabilities that integrate smoothly in the overall software platform.

The Blender TD contributes to the overall operation and improvement of the SPA Pipeline. This will include but will not be limited to engaging in cross-department communication, flagging/providing solutions to critical path issues, and creating documentation.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide support for artists in learning and using the pipeline

• Provide support to the Departments and to the Productions in the smooth running of tasks through our Blender pipeline.

• Determine the broad technical and creative approaches, in conjunction with the Head of Pipeline, the Pipeline Team and the CTO

• Create facility-based or show-based scripts, add-ons and tools

• Be an additional point of support for shot based issues, alongside leads and supervisors

• Communicate successes and challenges faced by the team to the Head of Pipeline and CTO

• Act as a liaison for communicating technical issues to IT or Pipeline

• Use time management skills to schedule tasks effectively

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• A degree or equivalent in Computer Graphics, Computer Science or other related course

• A solid interest and understanding in multiple areas within animation software development or animation studios production management (e.g. storyboarding, animation, layout, lighting, rendering, compositing, asset management, color science, user support, etc)

• Prior experience as a Pipeline TD a plus

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Technical skills

• Experience of Python and shell scripting is required

• Good knowledge of Blender GUI and API is required. Experience with the Blender code base a plus

• Experience with other software commonly used in 2D or 3D animation is a plus (Photoshop, Maya, Nuke, ShotGrid)

• Solid and clean coding practices to understand and expand on our existing code base

• Experience with modern data formats and APIs like Alembic, USD, or VDB a plus

• Experience building software (SConstruct, CMake, Git) is a plus

• Not intimidated by peer reviews while code-developing

• A knack for UI/UX (design methodology and frameworks as Qt) is a plus and we might ask you to use that skill

Core skills

• Big picture problem solver

• Interest in monitoring and identifying potential inefficiencies in a production pipeline

  • Ability to troubleshoot and deal with competing priorities and projects

  • Good at anticipating the downstream impacts (on other departments, on future projects)

• Team oriented with good communication skills

  • Have a knack for helping others and taking pleasure in making artists’ life easier

  • Ability to take direction and feedback from a supervisor or a peer

  • Ability to give constructive feedback and guidance to peers

• Good handling pressure

  • Ability to work in a sometimes tight-deadline environment.

  • Ability to derive the path to take for implementation given a particular time constraint is always a plus