Production Engineer jobs

2 Dec 2025

Sydney-Based Animation Studio — Open to Remote Across Australia & Regionally

Overview
Our client, a leading animation studio in Sydney, is seeking a Pipeline Head of Department (HoD) to provide strategic, technical, and people leadership across their end-to-end production pipeline. This role will guide the evolution of studio workflows for animation, VFX, and real-time/games content, including the integration of emerging AI and machine learning tools where appropriate.
The Pipeline HoD will shape the technical direction of the studio, partner closely with Supervisors, Production, and Department Leads, and ensure that artists and teams have robust, efficient, scalable tools to deliver world-class work.
The studio welcomes applicants from VFX, animation, or games/real-time backgrounds and strongly values candidates who are curious, collaborative, and excited about the future of production technology.
Remote applicants across Australia—and potentially from key regional time zones—are encouraged to apply.

Key Responsibilities

Pipeline Leadership & Strategy

• Lead the overall vision, architecture, and long-term roadmap of the studio's production pipeline.
• Drive technical innovation, exploring and implementing new tools, workflows, and AI-driven solutions that enhance efficiency and creative capability.
• Ensure the pipeline is scalable, stable, and aligned with both artistic needs and production schedules.
• Collaborate with executive leadership on technology strategy, budgeting, and resource allocation.

Cross-Department Collaboration

• Work closely with Animation, Lighting, Previz/Layout, Assets, Editorial, Production, and R&D/Engineering teams to understand and address pipeline needs.
• Partner with Supervisors and Department Heads to triage issues, define priorities, and design workflows that support show-specific and studio-wide goals.
• Champion clear communication, documentation, and training across the studio.

Team Leadership & Management

• Lead a team of Pipeline TDs, Tools Developers, Technical Directors, and support engineers.
• Mentor and develop staff, promoting best practices in coding, debugging, testing, and version control.
• Oversee hiring, onboarding, performance management, and contractor/vendor relationships where relevant.

Technical Development & Support

• Guide the design, development, and maintenance of custom tools, plug-ins, scripts, and automation systems.
• Ensure compatibility and efficiency across key software packages (e.g., Maya, Houdini, Nuke, Blender, Unreal/Unity, ShotGrid, FTrack).
• Oversee daily pipeline operations—including debugging, code review, deployment, and documentation.
• Support shows during all phases of production, responding quickly to technical blockers.

AI Tools & Emerging Technology

• Evaluate and integrate appropriate AI/ML technologies into the production pipeline, with careful attention to security, ethics, and industry standards.
• Lead studio R&D efforts in areas such as procedural automation, generative tools, asset optimisation, real-time workflows, and metadata/asset tagging.
• Provide education and guidance on AI tools to both technical and creative teams.

Skills & Experience

Essential

• Significant experience in a technical leadership or senior pipeline role within animation, VFX, games, or real-time.
• Deep understanding of production workflows, asset management, and cross-department dependencies.
• Proven experience architecting or maintaining complex pipelines in a studio environment.
• Strong proficiency in Python and experience with modern software engineering practices.
• Expertise with industry-standard DCCs and pipeline integrations.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

Highly Valued

• Experience implementing or experimenting with AI/ML tools for production.
• Familiarity with cloud-based workflows, rendering, or hybrid remote/onsite studio configurations.
• Understanding of USD, real-time engines (Unreal/Unity), proceduralism, or automation frameworks.
• Ability to balance innovation with production pragmatism.

Personal Attributes

• Collaborative, approachable, and solutions-focused.
• Excited about mentoring and building a high-performing team.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with shifting priorities.
• Curious, future-focused, and passionate about the evolution of digital production technology.

Location & Flexibility
This role is based in Sydney, but our client is open to:

• Remote applicants across Australia, and
• Potential regional applicants where time zones reasonably overlap.

The studio provides flexible arrangements and supports hybrid or fully remote setups depending on candidate experience.