Senior Technical Director (Film & Animation)

Placements24; Polokwane; On-site; ZAR 1,000,000 - 1,600,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

High-profile projects in Polokwane

Advanced tools and tech access

Professional development

Collaborative work environment

Job summary

WhatJobs Direct in Polokwane is seeking a Senior Technical Director to bridge creative vision and technical execution in our Arts & Entertainment division. You will develop and implement production pipelines, tools, and workflows to support artists and directors.

The ideal candidate has extensive TD experience in animation or visual effects, strong scripting (Python, MEL, or C++), and a deep understanding of rendering and asset management.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience as a Technical Director or in a similar technical role in animation or VFX.
• Strong scripting and programming skills (Python, MEL, C++).
• Proficiency with major 3D packages (Maya, Houdini, Blender).
• Solid understanding of rendering engines and asset management.
• Excellent problem-solving and collaboration abilities.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and maintain robust production pipelines for animation and/or VFX.
• Write custom tools, scripts, and plugins to automate tasks and improve artist efficiency.
• Collaborate with artists and supervisors to understand technical needs and provide solutions.
• Troubleshoot technical issues across software and hardware platforms.
• Optimize rendering and simulation processes to reduce render times.
• Research and evaluate new technologies and workflows to enhance production capabilities.
• Provide technical support and training to the production team.
• Ensure data integrity and asset management best practices.
• Work with IT and engineering on infrastructure and software deployment.
• Contribute to the technical direction and long-term studio strategy.

Skills

Technical leadership

Problem-solving

Communication

Collaboration

Pipeline development

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science/ Graphics/ Engineering or related field

Tools

Maya

Houdini

Blender

Python

MEL

C++

Job description

About the Role

WhatJobs Direct is seeking an experienced Senior Technical Director to join their cutting-edge Arts & Entertainment division in Polokwane . This role is essential for bridging the gap between creative vision and technical execution, ensuring that complex animated or visual effects projects are brought to life efficiently and effectively. You will be responsible for developing and implementing technical solutions, pipelines, and workflows that support artistic goals. This position requires a strong foundation in computer graphics, programming, and a deep understanding of the production pipeline. You will work closely with directors, supervisors, and artists to solve technical challenges and optimize the creative process. If you are a problem-solver with a passion for technology in the creative industries, this is a fantastic opportunity.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and maintain robust production pipelines for animation and/or visual effects.
• Write custom tools, scripts, and plugins to automate tasks and improve artist efficiency.
• Collaborate with artists and supervisors to understand their technical needs and provide solutions.
• Troubleshoot technical issues across various software and hardware platforms.
• Optimize rendering and simulation processes to improve performance and reduce render times.
• Research and evaluate new technologies and workflows to enhance production capabilities.
• Provide technical support and training to the production team.
• Ensure data integrity and asset management best practices are followed.
• Work closely with IT and engineering teams on infrastructure and software deployment.
• Contribute to the technical direction and long-term strategy of the studio.

Requirements

• Extensive experience as a Technical Director or in a similar technical role within the animation or visual effects industry.
• Strong proficiency in one or more scripting languages such as Python, MEL, or C++.
• Experience with 3D software packages like Maya, Houdini, Blender, or similar.
• Solid understanding of rendering engines (e.g., Arnold, V-Ray, Redshift) and simulation techniques.
• Knowledge of asset management systems and version control (e.g., ShotGrid, Perforce).
• Excellent problem-solving and debugging skills.
• Strong communication and collaboration abilities, with the capacity to explain complex technical concepts clearly.
• Experience in pipeline development and optimization.
• Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple technical challenges simultaneously.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Graphics, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

Benefits

• Competitive annual salary of R .
• Opportunity to work on high-profile projects within the Arts & Entertainment industry in Polokwane .
• Be part of a forward-thinking technical team driving innovation.
• Access to advanced technology and development tools.
• Professional development opportunities and continuous learning.
• Collaborative and challenging work environment.