Head of Pipeline

BOT VFX; Tamil Nadu; On-site; INR 4,000,000 - 6,000,000; Full time

Job summary

BOT VFX in Chennai seeks a Head of Pipeline to oversee architecture, development, deployment, and maintenance of the studio's VFX pipeline. The role ensures scalable, artist-friendly tools across delivery workflows and aligns with global creative and business goals.

The incumbent will report to the CEO, collaborate with the CIO, mentor a team of Pipeline TDs and developers, and drive open-source and DCC integrations to keep the studio modern and competitive.

Qualifications

• 10–12 years in the VFX arena with 5–7 years in leadership or supervisory roles.
• Strong technical grounding in pipeline development (Python, C++, Qt/PySide, Git).
• Experience with standard VFX DCCs, asset mgmt systems, and core APIs.
• Proven ability to manage time-critical delivery under pressure and lead change management.
• Commitment to artist-friendly UX design and frontend tooling.

Responsibilities

• Lead architecture, implementation, and long-term roadmap of the studio's VFX pipeline.
• Design and drive change management across all delivery workflows.
• Own department budget and capacity management, balancing long-term projects and show support.
• Directly manage Pipeline TDs, Developers, and a Product Manager/Lead Pipeline TD.
• Collaborate with VFX Supervisors and creative leadership to resolve bottlenecks.

Skills

Python

C++

Qt/PySide

Git

Leadership

Communication

Tools

Nuke

Maya

Houdini

AYON/OpenPype

Job description

BOT VFX, a visual effects services company with global clients, is looking for a Head of Pipeline as a full-time permanent role. The position is preferably based out of Chennai, India, but candidates in other geographies in India will also be considered.

The Head of Pipeline oversees the architecture, development, deployment, and maintenance of the studio's VFX pipeline. The role ensures that the facility is designed and configured in a manner that efficiently and predictably enables every part of the delivery workflow. The role also must ensure effective deployment of that pipeline design from an organizational adherence perspective - to ensure pipeline practices must be consistently followed. The ideal candidate possesses a deep technical background of pipelines coupled with hands-on experience handling large scale change management. They should have the leadership skills to understand and address the numerous challenges encountered by the large base of constituents throughout the pipeline. They must be able to discern which issues are technical in nature, and which ones are organizational behavior and change management in nature. The Head of Pipeline’s main goal is to enable an effective pipeline that meets the needs of high-pressure show deliveries.

Given the criticality of this role, it reports directly to the CEO and will work closely with the CIO to ensure that the pipeline strategy perfectly aligns with the studio’s global creative, technical, and business objectives. The position directly manages a diverse team, including a Product Manager / Lead Pipeline TD, as well as a core group of Pipeline TDs and Pipeline Developers.

Position Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture, implementation, and long-term roadmap of the studio's VFX pipeline, ensuring tools are artist-friendly, scalable, and stable.
• Design and lead change management efforts to ensure that the entire constituency of users across all delivery workflows are enabled and onboard.
• Own the department budget and capacity management, carefully balancing resources between core long-term projects and short-term show support demands.
• Directly manage, mentor, and task a team of Pipeline TDs, Pipeline Developers, and a Product Manager / Lead Pipeline TD to ensure timely software releases.
• Act as a key technical liaison on active shows, collaborating with VFX Supervisors and creative leadership to resolve bottlenecks and make swift, definitive decisions on pipeline adjustments.
• Champion a strong UX culture within the pipeline team, ensuring that artist-facing tools are intuitive, reduce friction, and minimize manual overhead.
• Evaluate and implement open-source technologies (such as AYON, OpenRV, OpenColorIO, USD) alongside commercial DCCs (Nuke, Maya, Houdini, etc.) to keep the studio's infrastructure modern and competitive.
• Establish studio-wide software engineering standards, continuous delivery practices (CI/CD), code review loops, and robust data management lifecycle protocols (from show setup and configuration to cleanup and archival).

Required Skills

• The individual should have at least 10-12 years of experience in the VFX arena, with at least 5-7 years in a leadership or supervisory capacity within the pipeline department.
• Strong technical grounding in pipeline development (Python, C++, Qt/PySide, Git) and a deep understanding of standard VFX DCCs, asset management systems, and core APIs.
• Proven supervision exposure, allowing for a practical understanding of time-critical delivery constraints and the ability to negotiate technical solutions decisively under pressure.
• Demonstrated commitment to artist-friendly UX design; ability to simplify complex technical backend systems into elegant frontend tools for artists.
• Experience with modern, open-source pipeline frameworks (experience with AYON/OpenPype is highly preferred but not mandatory).
• Exceptional communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to build immediate trust with creative directors, show producers, and engineering teams alike.