Software Engineer, Characters & Crowds (Applications)

Software Engineer, Characters & Crowds (Applications) Apply Now | Apply Later Job ID: R-04000 Location: Emeryville, California, United States Business: Pixar Animation Studios Date posted: August 6, 2025 Job Summary: Pixar is seeking skilled and enthusiastic engineers to join us in advancing the state of the art in computer animation. We develop and maintain our proprietary and powerful Presto Animation System as well as the industry-defining Universal Scene Description, OpenSubdiv, and Hydra projects for integrating with and extending premier applications such as Maya and Houdini. Pixar offers a dynamic environment for adaptable and motivated individuals, with several concurrent movies and streaming projects pushing the technical and artistic boundaries of storytelling. If you’re passionate about crafting world-class software and working with exceptional artists and engineers, we want to talk to you! This opportunity is to join the Characters and Crowds team in the Software Research & Development department, responsible for tools used to build, articulate, and pose digital actors. This includes algorithms for high-performance geometry deformation, graphical visualization, user experience for artists, and pipeline tools for collaboration across departments and applications. The role requires initiative and communication skills for troubleshooting and resolving issues within a large, complex code base, supporting existing features, and collaborating on new capabilities. Projects vary from individual efforts to large studio initiatives involving multiple technical teams. Requirements: A desire to work closely with users in a creative environment Familiarity with graphics concepts such as subdivision, tessellation, mesh topology, bounding hierarchies, and parametric deformation Familiarity with geometric operations such as basis evaluation, surface/curve parameterization, and projection Strong problem-solving and communication skills, with high attention to detail Proficiency in C++ with at least 3 years of relevant professional experience Understanding of long-term code health, peer review, automated testing, and documentation Ability to balance rapid delivery with long-term quality Ability to work in a hybrid model Advantageous Skills: Experience programming high-performance software Experience with multithreaded and GPU programming Experience with USD, OpenSubdiv, or Hydra Development experience with 3D content creation applications (e.g., Maya, Houdini) Familiarity with Python scripting Experience in UNIX/Linux environments The hiring range in Emeryville is $160,565 to $207,790 per year, with actual offers considering internal equity, geographic region, skills, and experience. About Pixar: Pixar Animation Studios, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is an Academy Award-winning film studio known for innovative computer animation. Its films include “Toy Story,” “Monsters, Inc.,” and others, with 35 Oscars and over $13 billion grossed worldwide. About The Walt Disney Company: The Disney Company is a global entertainment leader with segments including Disney Entertainment, ESPN, and Disney Experiences, operating in over 40 countries, creating stories and experiences cherished worldwide. Equal Opportunity & Disability Accommodation: Pixar and Disney are equal opportunity employers. Applicants with disabilities can request accommodations by emailing . This email is solely for accessibility requests related to the online application system. Set your job alerts by selecting categories, locations, and preferences on our platform. #J-18808-Ljbffr

Created: 2025-09-17