Software Engineer, Tools USD (Core)

The Walt Disney Company (Germany) GmbH; Emeryville (CA); On-site; USD 160,000 - 208,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative company is seeking a skilled engineer to advance filmmaking software through the Universal Scene Description (USD) project. This role involves collaborating with artists and engineers to enhance 3D content creation tools and solve complex problems in production software. If you have a passion for scalable software architecture and enjoy the full development cycle, this opportunity offers a rewarding environment to make impactful contributions in the film industry.

Qualifications

• Ongoing expertise in C++ and solid knowledge of data structures and algorithms.
• Ability to navigate and contribute to a large, active codebase.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to Universal Scene Description (USD) for asset interchange.
• Integrate USD into custom 3D content creation tools to enhance performance.

Skills

C++

Data Structures

Algorithms

Problem Solving

Software Architecture Design

Effective Communication

Job description

Are you interested in advancing Pixar’s in-house and open-source filmmaking software?

Our Software R&D department is seeking a motivated and skilled engineer to contribute to the Universal Scene Description (USD) project. Our engineering team collaborates with both artists and engineers to develop innovative filmmaking tools that support our film production and artistic ambitions.

What you’ll do:

• Contribute to USD, an open-source framework for asset interchange and collaborative editing, integral to Pixar’s filmmaking pipeline and widely used across industries.
• Integrate USD into Pixar’s custom 3D content creation tools, enhancing its features, performance, and scalability.
• Own and resolve challenging problems related to the evolving architecture of our active production software.
• Collaborate with artists and engineers to develop technical solutions that expand artistic and engineering capabilities.
• Work with external partners to extend USD’s impact across various industries, fostering new collaborations.

What you offer:

• Strong, ongoing expertise in C++.
• Solid knowledge of data structures and algorithms.
• Ability to navigate and contribute to a large, active codebase.
• Creative problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and a focus on root cause analysis.
• Passion for designing software architectures that are scalable, maintainable, and adaptable to evolving pipelines.
• Commitment to good engineering practices: maintainable code, documentation, automated testing.
• Enjoyment of the full development cycle—from planning to deployment.
• Effective communication skills, with the ability to listen and articulate clearly.

The salary range for this position in Emeryville is $160,565 to $207,790 annually. Actual offers will consider internal equity, geographic location, experience, and other factors.