Lead Software Engineer, RenderMan at Skydance

Have you ever wondered what it was like to be part of the early days of a studio that is fundamentally changing how stories are told? At Skydance Animation, we are building a space for pioneers who want to push the boundaries of collaborative art. We are a company dedicated to immersive, high-quality storytelling across film, television, and interactive media, and we invite you to help us shape our future as we grow our animation division.

What you bring

We are looking for a Lead Software Engineer to join our team in a full-time, hybrid capacity within the United States. In this role, you will be a technical leader focused on our rendering pipeline, ensuring that our creative vision is matched by cutting-edge technology. Your work will involve deep expertise in C++, Python, and Houdini to support our animation and technology goals. Your primary responsibilities will include:

• Providing technical leadership and mentorship to our engineering team while serving as the primary expert for our RenderMan adoption.
• Collaborating directly with the Pixar RenderMan engineering team to integrate new features and advancements into our production workflows.
• Designing and architecting scalable rendering solutions that optimize lighting, shading, and geometry complexity to maintain high visual quality.

Requirements

To be successful in this role, you should hold a Bachelor or Master's degree in Computer Science or a related field, paired with at least six years of professional experience in the visual effects, animation, or gaming industries. We are looking for someone with a deep understanding of physically based rendering, ray tracing, and global illumination. You must have proven experience working with RenderMan in a production environment, particularly with Houdini and Solaris. Beyond your technical proficiency in shading languages like MaterialX Lama or OSL, we value candidates who are excellent communicators and thrive in fast-paced, international team environments.

What we offer

We provide a competitive base salary range of $170,000 to $185,000 for this position. Beyond financial compensation, we are committed to supporting our employees through a flexible work environment that includes:

• Hybrid work arrangements to balance studio collaboration with personal flexibility.
• A dynamic, inclusive culture that fosters growth and welcomes innovative ideas.
• The opportunity to work at the forefront of animation technology with a team dedicated to groundbreaking storytelling.

How to Apply

We believe that expertise comes from many different paths, and we encourage you to apply even if you do not meet every single requirement listed. We are excited to learn more about your background and how your unique skills can help us build something special. Please submit your application to join our team and help us define the next chapter of animation.