Principal Software Engineer (Platform)

Eyeline; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 187,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Eyeline in Vancouver is seeking a Principal Software Engineer (Platform) to lead the design and delivery of production pipelines using USD and Houdini. You will translate complex requirements into robust, reusable systems and APIs, mentor engineers, and guide architecture, prototyping, and integration of Generative AI techniques into the pipeline.

Collaborating with stakeholders and vendors, you will ensure scalable, artist-friendly workflows, align with best practices, and drive technical

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in software engineering.
• 5+ years experience in engineering leadership.
• Passion for staying knowledgeable about the latest trends in VFX and computer graphics.
• Firm grasp of all departments and components that comprise a VFX pipeline.
• Depth and breadth of understanding of engineering principles, practices, and language. Acronyms such as DRY, OOP, UML, and TDD should be familiar.
• Demonstrated talent for designing intuitive, artist-friendly workflows without sacrificing functionality.
• Experience with agentic systems a plus
• Familiarity with virtual production and volume capture a plus
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Architect, design, and build reusable systems and components in USD and Houdini pipelines for production-facing workflows.
• Gather requirements from stakeholders and prioritize them.
• Interpret high-level architectural goals into technical documents and operational components.
• Ensure projects align with stakeholder goals, industry best practices, and scalability requirements.
• Collaborate with vendors and open source communities to resolve issues upstream.
• Partner with leadership to identify and schedule tasks in the pipeline.
• Lead implementation of solutions enhancing efficiency of processes.
• Mentor and upskill engineers through feedback, code reviews, and training sessions.
• Identify opportunities for innovation by exploring ML and Generative AI approaches and integrate into roadmaps.

Skills

Software engineering

Engineering leadership

VFX pipelines

Communication skills

Job description

Principal Software Engineer (Platform)

Provides the team with deep technical insight into the details of building modern production pipelines using USD and Houdini as a backbone. Leverages extensive production experience and leadership skills to design and help build systems, APIs, and components for other developers. Designs and/or utilizes abstract and interoperable pipeline frameworks, participates in design, architecture, prototyping, and technical leadership for creation and integration of innovative techniques (particularly in the area of Generative AI) into the pipeline design.

Key Responsibilities

• Architect, design, and build reusable systems and components in the domain of USD and Houdini pipelines, enabling developers to build production-facing workflows
• Gather requirements from stakeholders and help to prioritize them
• Interpret high-level architectural goals into technical documents and effective operational components
• Ensure that projects align with stakeholder goals, industry best practices, and scalability requirements
• Collaborate with vendors and open source communities to ensure that critical issues are solved upstream where possible
• Partner with software development leadership and pipeline team to identify and schedule tasks
• Lead the implementation of solutions that enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of our processes
• Mentor and upskill engineers through feedback, code review, and training sessions
• Identify opportunities for innovation by investigating new approaches in ML and Generative AI, and collaborate with Pipeline leadership to integrate these into our short- and long-term roadmap

Qualifications

• Passion for staying knowledgeable about the latest trends in VFX and computer graphics
• Firm grasp of all departments and components that comprise a VFX pipeline
• 10+ years experience in software engineering
• 5+ years experience in engineering leadership
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrated talent for designing intuitive, artist-friendly workflows without sacrificing functionality
• Depth and breadth of understanding of engineering principles, practices, and language. Acronyms such as DRY, OOP, UML, and TDD should be familiar.
• Experience with agentic systems a plus
• Familiarity with virtual production and volume capture a plus

$187,000 - $250,000 CAD a year. This salary range is specific to applicants applying to our position in Vancouver, Canada. To determine your base salary, we consider your qualifications, skills, and experience. These considerations can cause your compensation to vary outside of this range and will also be dependent on your location.