Senior Lighting Technical Director

Placements24; Queenstown; Hybrid; NZD 97,000 - 161,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Training opportunities

Hybrid work model

State-of-the-art technology

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Lighting Technical Director for a hybrid role in Queenstown. The candidate will lead lighting and rendering pipelines, mentor junior artists, and collaborate with directors to achieve cinematic lighting.

A strong portfolio and advanced skills in Maya, Arnold, Renderman, V-Ray, and compositing tools are essential. The role emphasizes innovative lighting pipelines, tool development with Python/Mel/Lua, and staying at the forefront of rendering techniques to deliver

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Graphics, Animation, Film, or related field.
• 7+ years of lighting and rendering experience in animation or VFX, with TD background.
• Portfolio showcasing lighting work and technical problem-solving.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement lighting strategies aligned with art direction and narrative goals.
• Create and manage complex lighting scenes ensuring artistic intent and feasibility.
• Develop and maintain lighting pipelines, tools, and scripts to optimize quality and efficiency.
• Collaborate with directors, art directors, and supervisors to achieve desired aesthetics.
• Troubleshoot rendering issues and optimize scenes for render farms.
• Mentor junior artists and TDs with technical guidance.
• Stay updated with rendering tech, lighting software, and workflows.

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a cutting-edge animation studio recognized for its visually stunning animated features, is seeking an accomplished Senior Lighting Technical Director to join their team in **Queenstown, Eastern Cape**. This pivotal role is responsible for developing and implementing sophisticated lighting solutions that define the mood, atmosphere, and visual storytelling of animated projects. You will work closely with the art department, animators, and render wranglers to ensure that lighting is artistically compelling, technically sound, and efficiently rendered. The ideal candidate possesses a deep understanding of lighting principles, advanced rendering techniques, and the ability to develop custom tools and workflows to support the art direction. Based in **Queenstown**, this position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to high-quality animated content and mentor junior artists. We are looking for a technically adept and artistically sensitive individual who can elevate the visual quality of our productions and drive innovation in lighting pipelines. Your expertise will be crucial in translating creative vision into breathtaking animated sequences.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement lighting strategies that align with the art direction and narrative goals of animated projects.
• Create and manage complex lighting scenes, ensuring artistic intent and technical feasibility.
• Develop and maintain lighting pipelines, tools, and scripts to optimize efficiency and quality.
• Collaborate with directors, art directors, and supervisors to achieve desired visual aesthetics.
• Troubleshoot and resolve lighting and rendering issues, optimizing scenes for render farms.
• Mentor and provide technical guidance to junior lighting artists and TDs.
• Stay current with advancements in rendering technology, lighting software, and workflows.
• Ensure consistency in lighting and mood across all shots and sequences.
• Perform quality control checks on lighting and rendering outputs.
• Work closely with the compositing team to ensure seamless integration of lighting elements.

Requirements

• A Bachelor's degree in Computer Graphics, Animation, Film, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in lighting and rendering for animation or visual effects, with a significant portion in a Technical Director role.
• A strong portfolio showcasing exceptional lighting work and technical problem-solving skills in animated projects.
• Expert proficiency in industry-standard 3D animation software and renderers (e.g., Maya, Arnold, Renderman, V-Ray).
• Strong understanding of cinematography, color theory, and light physics.
• Experience with scripting languages such as Python, Mel, or Lua for tool development.
• Familiarity with compositing software (e.g., Nuke, After Effects) is a plus.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with diverse teams.

Benefits

• Our client offers a competitive salary, comprehensive health benefits, and a generous vacation policy.
• Employees have access to ongoing training and professional development opportunities.
• The studio provides a creative and collaborative work environment with access to state-of-the-art technology.
• This hybrid role offers a balance of in-studio collaboration and remote work flexibility.
• Join our innovative team in **Queenstown, Eastern Cape**, and help bring our stories to life.