DreamWorks Technology - Lighting and Look Dev Tools Engineer

DreamWorks Animation is looking for more adventurous dreamers who shoot for the moon. We tell stories about the journeys our unconventional heroes take to make dreams come true. As a growth-minded studio, we pride ourselves on being one of the world's leading producers of high-quality, award-winning, animated films and series, reaching consumers around the globe. We push to feel more, laugh more, and build immersive new worlds.

DreamWorks creates a diverse array of original content in a variety of formats, delivering compelling stories with unique characters. We place tremendous value on the experiences our talent brings to the table from their own non-traditional paths to success. We believe in frequent communication and that transparency and trust yield the best work. We are a community of artists, technologists, innovators, and creators, who are passionate about animation and also happen to love eating lunch together. 

DreamWorks Animation is seeking a software engineer for our Lighting and Look Dev Tools team.  Our team creates tools in SideFX’s Houdini to be used by artists in Lighting, Look Dev, FX, CFX, and Digimatte.  This position will work closely with artists in animated film production to develop new systems and efficient workflow tools.

If you are part of the fandom and believe teamwork makes the dream work, join us in #livingthedream and #doingyourdreamwork!

“What would you say you do here?”

• Build new tools to facilitate studio specific workflows and improve pipeline efficiency
• Respond to feedback from artists to improve internal toolsets
• Work with artists to determine problem areas in the pipeline and build solutions
• Improve and maintain existing internal toolsets

“What do I need to have in order to do this job?”

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related field
• 3+ years’ experience in software development
• Python and/or C++ software development experience
• Experience with Houdini and other industry standard DCC (digital content creation) tools
• Knowledge of computer graphics concepts and algorithms
• Experience with object-oriented software design
• Experience with UI development using Qt or equivalent UI toolset
• Ability to work closely with end users and engineers
• Attention to detail and strong communication skills

 

“What can I offer?”

• Master’s degree or higher in Computer Science or related field
• Professional experience in a VFX or animation studio
• Experience with USD, Hydra delegates, and its usage in feature production pipelines
• Experience with GPU accelerated graphics and compute methods
• Experience with collaborative software development and source control (such as Git)
• Experience with UNIX/Linux programming environments

This position has been designated as hybrid, which currently requires contributing from the office a minimum of three days per week. Beginning January 5, 2026, hybrid employees will be required to work from the office a minimum of four days per week. The Company reserves the right to change in-office requirements at any time.

This position is eligible for company sponsored benefits, including medical, dental and vision insurance, 401(k), paid leave, tuition reimbursement, and a variety of other discounts and perks. Learn more about the benefits offered by NBCUniversal by visiting the Benefits page of the Careers website.

Salary range: $125,000 - $155,000

As part of our selection process, external candidates may be required to attend an in-person interview with an NBCUniversal employee at one of our locations prior to a hiring decision. NBCUniversal's policy is to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status, membership in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable law.

NBCUniversal will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories, or arrest or conviction records, in a manner consistent with relevant legal requirements, including the City of Los Angeles' Fair Chance Initiative For Hiring Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act, where applicable.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran and require support throughout the application and/or recruitment process as a result of your disability, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation. You can submit your request to [email protected].