Technical Director, Animation

Placements24; Polokwane; Hybrid; ZAR 2,501,000 - 3,668,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Remote work with global team

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a seasoned Technical Director for Animation to lead the technical vision and pipeline development for a fully remote global team. You will shape workflows, tools, and standards to ensure efficient, high-quality production across diverse projects.

The ideal candidate will have 8+ years in technical direction, strong scripting abilities, and deep expertise in 3D animation, rigging, and rendering. Join a globally distributed team and drive cutting-edge animation initiatives.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in technical direction or pipeline development within the 3D animation or VFX industry.
• Proficiency in scripting languages such as Python, MEL, or similar.
• Strong understanding of 3D animation, rigging, character setup, and rendering processes.
• Experience with industry-standard animation software (Maya, Houdini, Blender) and rendering engines (Arnold, V-Ray, Redshift).
• Familiarity with asset management systems and version control (Perforce, Git).
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and debugging skills.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with experience working in remote teams.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Digital Art, or related field, or equivalent professional experience.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and manage the technical aspects of 3D animation pipelines, from asset creation to final rendering.
• Develop, implement, and maintain custom tools and scripts to streamline animation workflows.
• Collaborate with artists to troubleshoot technical issues and provide solutions for rigging, animation, and rendering.
• Research and evaluate new technologies and software to improve animation production efficiency and quality.
• Integrate different software packages and ensure seamless data flow within the pipeline.
• Define technical standards and best practices for animation production.
• Work closely with software engineers to develop new pipeline tools and features.
• Provide technical guidance and support to the animation team.
• Manage asset version control and data management strategies.

Skills

Problem-solving

Communication

Remote collaboration

Debugging

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in Computer Science or Digital Art

Tools

Python scripting

MEL scripting

Perforce

Git

Maya

Houdini

Blender

Arnold

V-Ray

Redshift

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a trailblazer in digital arts and entertainment, is seeking an accomplished Technical Director for Animation to join their fully remote global team. This is a unique opportunity for a seasoned professional to lead the technical vision and implementation for our client's cutting-edge animation projects. You will be instrumental in developing and optimizing animation pipelines, tools, and workflows, ensuring efficiency, quality, and scalability. This role requires a deep understanding of 3D animation, rigging, rendering, and pipeline integration, combined with strong problem-solving skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with artists and engineers remotely.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee and manage the technical aspects of 3D animation pipelines, from asset creation to final rendering.
• Develop, implement, and maintain custom tools and scripts to streamline animation workflows.
• Collaborate with artists to troubleshoot technical issues and provide solutions for rigging, animation, and rendering.
• Research and evaluate new technologies and software to improve animation production efficiency and quality.
• Integrate different software packages and ensure seamless data flow within the pipeline.
• Define technical standards and best practices for animation production.
• Work closely with software engineers to develop new pipeline tools and features.
• Provide technical guidance and support to the animation team.
• Manage asset version control and data management strategies.

Requirements

• Minimum of 8 years of experience in technical direction or pipeline development within the 3D animation or VFX industry.
• Proven expertise in scripting languages such as Python, MEL, or similar.
• Strong understanding of 3D animation principles, rigging, character setup, and rendering processes.
• Experience with industry-standard animation software (e.g., Maya, Houdini, Blender) and rendering engines (e.g., Arnold, V-Ray, Redshift).
• Familiarity with asset management systems and version control (e.g., Perforce, Git).
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and debugging skills.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with experience working effectively in a remote team environment.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Digital Art, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

Benefits

• Our client offers a highly competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, as well as a retirement savings plan.
• As this is a fully remote position, you will enjoy unparalleled flexibility and the opportunity to work from your preferred location.
• We provide access to state-of-the-art software and resources, along with continuous professional development opportunities, including online courses and virtual conferences.
• You will be part of an innovative and collaborative global team, contributing to groundbreaking projects in the animation industry.