Software Engineer - 2D

Image Engine is a world-class VFX studio in Vancouver, BC, specializing in visual effects for films and TV. This Software Engineer - 2D role involves designing, implementing, and supporting proprietary, open-source, and third-party software for 2D workflows like Comp, BG Prep, and DMP. The engineer will collaborate with artists and TDs, optimize bottlenecks, contribute to open-source initiatives, and ensure solutions meet production requirements while providing technical support and documentation.

Must Have

• Design, implement, and support proprietary, open-source, and third-party software for Comp, BG Prep, DMP and other 2D workflows.
• Collaborate with artists, technical directors, and supervisors to determine studio’s needs.
• Design UIs and APIs for authoring, publishing, and tracking data.
• Identify and optimize bottlenecks in algorithms and workflows.
• Contribute to Image Engine's open source initiatives: Cortex and Gaffer.
• Design and implement solutions targeting current production workflows.
• Document, test, and debug tools to ensure production requirements are met.
• Strong Python programming skills.
• Experience developing for Nuke.
• Experience with modern VFX data formats and APIs like EXR or USD.
• Experience developing in a Linux environment.

Good to Have

• Experience with writing software in C++.
• Developing for other VFX DCCs (Mari, Silhouette, Houdini and Maya).
• Experience designing and developing Asset Management systems.
• Familiarity with Image Engine's open source efforts (Cortex or Gaffer).
• Team oriented with good communication skills, able to work closely with artists.
• Preference for a structured work environment, with clearly outlined priorities.
• Expectation of upfront planning before proceeding with final implementation.
• Proactive with proven ability to work both independently and in a team.
• Ability to take direction and feedback from a supervisor or a peer.
• Excellent time management and communication skills.
• Ability to monitor and identify potential inefficiencies with production workflows.
• Excellent troubleshooting and debugging skills.
• Ability to adapt quickly to new technologies and applications.
• Willingness to extend beyond your current specializations to help a larger engineering effort when required.

Perks & Benefits

• Extended healthcare from day 1
• Premiums 100% covered by Image Engine
• Up to 8 paid Health and Wellness days per year

Software Engineer - 2D

Development - Vancouver, British Columbia (Hybrid)

Position: Software Engineer - 2D

Hiring Range: $71,000 to $125,000/year for a 40 hour work week

Project Contract: To Be Confirmed

Company Benefits: Extended healthcare from day 1, premiums 100% covered by Image Engine, up to 8 paid Health and Wellness days per year.

Candidates are required to be based in British Columbia and eligible to work in Canada.

ABOUT IMAGE ENGINE

Image Engine is a world-class VFX studio based in Vancouver, BC, that has built a reputation for excellence in the visual effects industry since 1995. We specialize in crafting stunning visual effects for feature films and television with an award-winning portfolio that includes The Book of Boba Fett, The Mandalorian, Game Of Thrones, Lost in Space, Jurassic World, and District 9.

We offer a full range of visual effects services, from concept designs and pre-visualization to CG animation, compositing, and explosive volumetric digital effects. Our crew is passionate about storytelling and pushing the artistic and technical boundaries to deliver the highest quality work on every project. R&D is central to our philosophy of driving creativity through innovation and we're committed to continually evolving our robust production pipelines.

At Image Engine, we value diversity and teamwork, and we're proud to foster a workplace culture that is supportive, respectful, and empowering. We believe that our success is a reflection of our exceptionally talented team, and we're always looking for passionate and dedicated individuals to join us on our mission to create unforgettable visual experiences. Join our team and be part of something extraordinary.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design, implement, and support a mixture of proprietary, open-source, and third-party software for Comp, BG Prep, DMP and other 2D workflows.
• Collaborate with artists, technical directors, and supervisors to determine the studio’s needs for current and future productions.
• Design UIs and APIs for authoring, publishing, and tracking data throughout our content generation pipelines.
• Identify and optimize bottlenecks in algorithms and workflows throughout the pipeline.
• Contribute to Image Engine's open source initiatives: Cortex and Gaffer.
• Design and implement solutions targeting current production workflows, while ensuring they can be generalized for all productions when possible.
• Document, test, and debug tools to ensure they meet production requirements.
• Write clear documentation for tools, scripts, and plug-ins.
• Provide secondary technical support, training, and tutorials to Artists, TDs, and Production Staff.
• Stay up-to-date with industry trends for content generation, asset management, and workflow automation.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• A university degree in Computer Science, Math, Physics, Engineering, or a related field.
• 3 or more years experience developing software in a VFX, Animation, or Games production environment, or a postgraduate degree (MSc, PhD) with a strong focus on Computer Graphics.
• A Master's or PhD in Computer Science or a related field is an asset.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Essential Technical skills

• Solid understanding of production workflows and the artist mindset when interacting with proprietary tools and interfaces.
• Strong Python programming skills.
• Solid comprehension of 2D image manipulation and colour processing algorithms.
• Experience developing for Nuke is a requirement.
• Experience with modern VFX data formats and APIs like EXR or USD.
• Experience developing in a Linux environment.

Desirable Technical skills

• Experience with writing software in C++.
• Developing for other VFX DCCs (including 2D and 3D), like Mari, Silhouette, Houdini and Maya.
• Experience designing and developing Asset Management systems.
• Familiarity with Image Engine's open source efforts (Cortex or Gaffer).

Core skills

• Team oriented with good communication skills, able to work closely with artists.
• Preference for a structured work environment, with clearly outlined priorities.
• Expectation of upfront planning before proceeding with final implementation.
• Proactive with proven ability to work both independently and in a team.
• Ability to take direction and feedback from a supervisor or a peer.
• Excellent time management and communication skills.
• Ability to monitor and identify potential inefficiencies with production workflows.
• Excellent troubleshooting and debugging skills.
• Ability to adapt quickly to new technologies and applications.
• Willingness to extend beyond your current specializations to help a larger engineering effort when required.