Our Studio

At Spire Studios we empower world-class and diverse creative and technical talent from all mediums to entertain global audiences through animated feature films with heartfelt storytelling, captivating worlds, and inspiring characters.

Key to our vision is developing a real-time enabled pipeline that brings intimacy back to the animation process while pushing the creative envelope. Our team has worked on many of the earliest and most successful 3D animated films, and have experienced firsthand the exponential increase in visual complexity and crew sizes as narrative appetite and audience expectations have grown. GPU accelerated rendering and game engines unlock new workflows that can upend long held assumptions underpinning the assembly line approach of legacy studios.

The Job

The Rendering/Lighting Software Engineer will design and develop tools, shaders, and workflows in collaboration with other technologists and artists. Working with C++, HLSL,Unreal Blueprints, and Python, you will also help extend the renderer and optimize shots and environments to enable collaborative and interactive workflows for lighting and rendering.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with developers and senior production supervisors to develop specific new tools and workflows in C++, HLSL, Blueprints, or Python.

• Build custom shaders in Unreal targeting specific artistic looks.

• Design and engineer an efficient lighting workflow and pipeline for both interactive and

  offline rendering.

• Debug and help optimize problematic scenes/shots.

• Provide training and maintain documentation of best practices for creating

  performant assets, animation and rendering in Unreal.

• Keeping track of the latest developments related to the Unreal Engine rendering

  features and tools. Contributing back to Unreal Engine when appropriate

• Contribute to the development and constant improvement of the pipeline.

Requirements

• Expertise in real-time GPU-accelerated rendering and Path Tracing techniques.

• Knowledge of Materials, Shaders, Texturing and Lighting as used in VFX/Animation

  production and related math.

• Excellent C++, Python, and technical knowledge on Windows.

• A degree in computer science, computer graphics or other related field or equivalent

  experience.

• Familiarity with source control systems and team development.

• Excellent communication skills and ability to accurately and succinctly communicate

  between technical developers and non-technical artists.

• Experience in games, themed entertainment, visual effects, or a related industry.

Bonus

• Passion for real-time rendering and animation

• Experience working with a globally-distributed team

• Familiarity with Unreal Engine, Unreal Blueprints, and working in distributed Unreal

  based systems.

• Familiarity with content production workflows for integration in Unreal projects.

• Experience working in a studio/production environment as a TD, Software Engineer or

  artist.

Compensation

• Competitive salary.

• “Go home” (finish work) at a decent time to hang out with your family and friends.