Software Engineer - Universal Scene Description

Pixar’s Universal Scene Description (USD) is a rich and extensible software toolkit designed for collaborative asset and scene construction workflows. Digital Domain is currently working on rebuilding much of its pipeline, systems and processes through the integration of this technology.

USD software engineers work with peers and supervisors to gather requirements, design software models, implement prototypes, and iterate on production versions of tools and workflows using USD at every level of the pipeline. Because the integration extends to multiple departments, USD software engineers are called on to work on and build out infrastructure spanning across multiple domains including asset dev, lookdev, lighting, fx, enviro, layout, etc. The role requires strong technical and communication skills, including a firm understanding of graphics and production workflows, with a strong emphasis on software development principles and design patterns.

Essential Functions/Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with stakeholders, under the direction of the Lead Software Engineer and the Director of Pipeline, to help design and create USD-based tools and libraries to be integrated into and replace certain parts of Digital Domain's existing pipeline. These tools will be created using a combination of custom and commercial Python and C++ APIs.
• Create implementations for the designs of various core and auxiliary systems using a variety of in-house and third party libraries and technologies.
• Create functional prototypes, from libraries and APIs, to pipeline/asset management logic, to artist interfaces for the purposes of evaluating design concepts as well as scalability and stress testing.
• Create and perform various types of benchmarks to gather insight on the performance of mission-critical systems, identifying any potential bottlenecks as early as possible.
• Communicate any potential development bottlenecks with the Lead Software Engineer, coordinating plans for potential solutions with peers and stakeholders.
• Craft and update documentation for tools, techniques, and workflows generated.
• Maintain and improve unit and integration test suites to validate the correctness of relevant tools.

Education and/or Experience Required:

• 5+ years experience as a Software Engineer or Pipeline Technical Director.
• Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics or a related field and/or a combination of education and experience that would be equivalent to that level of professionalism, problem solving, and analytical skills.
• Working knowledge and understanding of USD, including composition arcs, opinion strengths, overrides, layers, prims, etc.
• Strong understanding of asset management concerns and practices.
• Experience with software design patterns (creational, structural, behavioral).
• Proficiency in software development using the OOP paradigm.
• Proficiency in SOLID software design principles.
• Experience with statically typed languages.
• Proficiency in Python.
• Proficiency in Qt/PySide/PyQt is a plus.
• Proficiency in Modern C++ is a plus.
• Experience with multithreaded, parallel and/or asynchronous application development is a plus.
• Familiarity with Houdini, especially Solaris, including the Houdini HDK is a plus.
• Experience with agile/scrum development and best practices is a plus.

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.

Compensation Range: $60,000 annually to $130,000 annually. The posted range describes the minimum to maximum range for this job description in the state of California and the provinces of British Columbia and Quebec. The range is posted in accordance with applicable law. The range for this same position may be lower or higher in markets outside of California or the provinces of British Columbia and Quebec. Offered base pay is contingent on internal equity, as well as the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and other factors.

As an equal employment opportunity employer, Digital Domain commits to a work environment free from unlawful discrimination where all employees are treated equally with dignity, respect and on the basis of individual experience and potential, without regard to any personal classifications protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances.

Diversity and inclusion are at the forefront of DD's values as a company. Our goal is to increase the attraction, retention, and advancement of women, persons of color, indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, individuals who identify as LGBTQ2S and all under-represented groups in skilled occupations within the entertainment and technology sectors. Building a diverse and inclusive workplace is critical to the success of our business and the well-being of our people. It drives innovation, new ideas, and most importantly, a safe and collaborative environment for you. We invite you to join us on this journey to help us better represent the world we live in, at the places we work, and to create a space where each individual feels comfortable bringing their whole self to work.