Animation Developer/TD

Description

Purpose of the job:
The Animation Technical Directors are responsible for improving the overall efficiency of the facility-wide Animation pipeline. They design, implement, and manage tools that assist the Animators with their daily use of both third party and in-house software and systems. These tools are intended to make Animation/Character production as efficient and productive as possible. Animation TDs work with peers and supervisors to craft novel tools, techniques, and procedures to aid the execution of current projects and advance the capabilities of the facility. They also support Animators in tracking down technical problems with rigs, models, tools or data flow. The role requires strong technical and excellent communication/”customer service” skills, as well as a firm understanding of software design, graphics, and production work flow.

Essential Functions/Responsibilities:

• High emphasis on translation of Animator feature requests and workflow discussions into practical designs and tool implementation that integrate with the production pipeline 
• Continually looking for ways to optimize the efficiency/workflow for Animation 
• Work with department representatives to augment their work flows and tool sets to achieve specific goals of the project 
• Interface with departments both up and downstream, to facilitate the smooth flow of assets through the pipeline 
• Work with artists to troubleshoot and fix problems ? Ensure animation tools and workflows follows studio policies and guidelines
• Work closely with other Technical Directors to maintain and further the entire production pipeline
• Craft and update documentation for tools, techniques and work flows generated by the Technical Director

Qualifications:

• 3+ years experience as a Technical Director with a focus on Animation or Rigging pipelines
• Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics a plus ? Expert knowledge of Maya required
• Proficiency in Python APIs and Mel scripting language
• Must have written and supported animation and/or rigging tools used significantly in production
• Experience with tool integration into existing or new pipelines
• Working experience with one or more additional professional graphics packages, including Houdini, and Nuke
• Ability to establish priorities, work independently or within a group, and work with minimal supervision
• Excellent communication skills in dealing with both technical and artistic groups

Working Conditions and Environment/Physical Demands:

• Office working environment
• Hours for this position are based on normal working hours but will require extra hours pending production needs
• Walking/bending/sitting

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by people assigned to this work. This is not an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities associated with it. Digital Domain 3.0, Inc management reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet business and organizational needs.