Manager, Production Engineering (ILM-San Francisco)

1421 Lucasfilm Ent Co Ltd, LLC Payroll Svc; Lucas, Tracy (TX, CA); Hybrid; USD 127,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus and long-term incentives

Medical benefits

Hybrid work arrangement

Job summary

Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) in San Francisco seeks a Manager of Production Engineering to lead R&D and Core Pipeline engineers. Hybrid role with 3 onsite days and occasional remote work.

Oversees hiring, performance, and career development under global tech leadership, aligning with production and graphics goals. Applicants should bring 8+ years in graphics software or VFX, 4+ years in leadership, and a relevant engineering degree.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in computer graphics software engineering or VFX production.
• 4+ years in a leadership role managing large teams.
• Bachelor’s degree; engineering or computer science preferred; advanced degree a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead a group of R&D and Core Pipeline engineers across ILM groups.
• Guide technical hiring, performance evaluations, and promotions.
• Collaborate with global leadership to define engineering practices and onboarding.
• Manage budget, staffing, and operation health of the local function.

Skills

Computer graphics software engineering

VFX production

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or CS

Job description

Manager, Production Engineering (ILM-San Francisco) Req ID: 10159541

Job Description: We are looking for an ambitious and kind leader who reflects the innovative spirit, collaborative mindset, and passion for great filmmaking that define ILM. This position manages a group of software developers across our Production Engineering Departments - R&D and Core Pipeline. In this role, your primary mission is the growth, well-being, and professional development of our R&D and Core Pipeline Engineers in close coordination with global technology leadership. This position will be based in San Francisco as a hybrid role. Technical direction and roadmap for Production Engineering are set by global technology leadership and senior technical staff. This role is accountable for the people, staffing, budget, and operational health of the local function, and partners closely with those technical leaders to deliver in that direction. Because this role hires, evaluates, and develops software engineers working on complex graphics and pipeline systems, strong technical fluency is essential. This role is considered Hybrid, which means the employee will work 3 days onsite at a Company designated location and occasionally from home.

What You’ll Do

• Manage a team of R&D/Core Pipeline Engineers at ILM, leading technical hiring, performance evaluations, and promotion calibration to drive engineering quality and impact.
• In collaboration with global technology leadership and project management, support engineering projects by facilitating communication and enforcing department standards and practices, and ensuring a proper level of production technical support.
• Contribute to the definition and evolution of global engineering practices, including structured technical interviews, career growth and leveling frameworks, and onboarding programs for new engineers.
• Partner with managers across global ILM and Lucasfilm Technology departments to break down silos, enhance cross-departmental communication, and establish joint initiatives to foster collaboration, share technical frameworks and promote best practices.
• In collaboration with the local studio leadership, advocate for site-specific technology and pipeline issues within the global organization.
• In collaboration with the local studio and global technology leadership, manage the local studio R&D/PE department budget.
• Perform special projects as needed.

What We’re Looking For

• 8+ years of experience in computer graphics software engineering or VFX production.
• 4+ years in a leadership role managing large teams; an ideal candidate would have experience leading technical or production based teams.
• Bachelor’s degree; preference to be in an Engineering or computer science discipline; advanced degree considered an asset, or a combination of equivalent education and work experience.
• Leadership skills: ability to drive consensus among technical leaders and key artists and end users; ability to manage and guide engineers.
• Comprehensive knowledge of computer graphics and visual effects production.
• Technical fluency sufficient to follow architecture and code-review discussions and evaluate engineering trade-offs.
• Extensive experience in software engineering and software release processes.

Compensation and Benefits

The hiring range for this position in San Francisco is $126,500.00 - $169,600.00. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors.

• A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.

Location and Employment

Primary City, State, Region, Postal Code: San Francisco, CA, USA. Employment Type: Full time.