Lead Pipeline Technical Director

Flying Bark Productions is a dynamic and innovative animation studio dedicated to pushing the boundaries of character animation and storytelling. We are working on exciting projects such as Avatar: The Last Airbender feature film, Netflix's Ghostbusters animated series and Stranger Things animated series, as well as our production Tales From Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan. 

Candidate must be willing to join us onsite in Sydney, no remote opportunities available. 

We’re looking for an experienced Lead Pipeline Technical Director to guide, mentor and empower our project-level Pipeline TD teams while driving innovative, scalable solutions across our studio. You’ll join a group of developers who genuinely enjoy making artists’ lives easier, and as a Lead, you’ll help set the tone for collaboration, curiosity and technical craftsmanship within the pipeline crew.

This role is suited to someone who thrives equally in technical problem solving and people-focused leadership. You will see the big picture of project needs, provide clear direction and still enjoy rolling up your sleeves when hands-on solutions are required. You will work closely with CG Supervisors, Producers and your team to ensure tools and workflows are delivered efficiently while meeting both project-specific and studio-wide goals. 

About the role:

Management

Responsible for the management of development & support tasks for their projects by bidding, briefing Pipeline TDs, code reviews & timely delivery, as well as maintenance;

Mentor and support Pipeline TDs within project tasks, reviewing their code in a positive and encouraging manner, imparting any knowledge if needed;

Attend regular management meetings with other Leads & the Pipeline Management team to discuss their project, challenges and any opportunities for multi-project development;

Delegate where necessary to team members, while owning the overall outcomes of specific tasks and supporting as needed.

Development

Responsible for keeping show on track with development goals;

Maintain thorough knowledge of show processes and understanding of all technical aspects of the project; 

Look at all the requirements of the project holistically, liaising with the project’s CG Supervisor/s and Producer/s on the best way to deliver development effectively throughout its lifecycle while working within the existing pipeline; 

Escalate new areas of development to the Pipeline Supervisor and Head of Pipeline, and ensure they fit within overall Core Development goals;

Gather information and pain points from various departments in the projects and escalate for discussions around existing workflow solutions with project proposals;

Work with other Leads or Supervisors to review/advise and maintain good coding conventions using established practices across all tools/automations pertaining to assigned projects;

Proactively research and explore new techniques to ensure the best tools necessary are being created; 

Ensure that the development of tools, procedures and interfaces enhance and optimise the internal Flying Bark pipeline and department toolsets; 

Assist in the design, implementation and maintenance of a studio wide pipeline; 

Ensure company and pipeline conventions and processes are followed throughout assigned projects; 

Provide support and aid to partner and external studios as they interface with Flying Bark’s studio pipeline/toolsets.

Administration

Manage communication with the Producers or Production Team of those projects, keeping in mind their need for simpler, actionable language whilst also clearly communicating progress or roadblocks; 

Understand the need for urgency in certain support situations, keeping a calm and collaborative approach when producers are under stress; 

Provide a Monthly summary of their projects’ progress and challenges; 

Provide cover for other projects when other Leads are on leave; 

Manage Documentation creation, by reviewing and approving after a Development release;

Adapt and perform any further duties as expected of a Lead Pipeline TD.

About you:

Significant production pipeline experience with Animation preferred but strong VFX experience also considered;

Confidence navigating complex, multi-department workflows;

Experience with the studio software stack including Maya, Katana, Houdini, Nuke, AVID, Tractor, Toon Boom Harmony, Toon Boom Storyboard Pro and Substance Painter;

Strong Python skills along with ShotGrid API and ShotGrid Toolkit experience - familiarity with REZ, Windows OS, Jenkins and C++ is beneficial;

Proven track record leading pipeline initiatives or supporting pipeline teams on previous projects, comfortable setting technical standards for others;

Bonus points for contributions to open source projects or experience supporting external or partner studios.

As a member of the Pipeline team:

You naturally mentor and support others, offering constructive feedback and guidance to help TDs grow in skill and confidence;

You communicate clearly with Producers, artists, and supervisors, translating technical concepts into actionable and understandable information;

You remain calm under pressure and can quickly identify, prioritise and act on tasks that will have the most impact;

You are proactive in gathering feedback from departments, identifying pain points and shaping project and studio wide workflow improvements;

You are committed to maintaining clean, scalable solutions, consistent coding practices and long-term pipeline development;

You are a fast learner, open to new workflows and tools and willing to refactor or improve existing code when needed;

You lead by example, fostering a supportive, approachable and collaborative environment where both artists and developers can do their best work.

What do we do?

Flying Bark Productions is a renowned independent producer of family-focused animation entertainment. For over 50 years, our 2D and 3D production facility has created award-winning feature films and TV series.

Why work with us?

We work on some pretty cool projects - check out our website: https://www.flyingbark.com.au/

We have an industry leading studio space in Alexandria, complete with a cinema, quiet room, Zen Garden, games room, and state of the art animation facilities.

Breakfast is served daily - on us!

We have cake days, movie nights, wrap parties & a culture club dedicated to coordinating our busy social calendar!

The Barkers have big hearts too, with our Paws for a Cause fundraising arm raising much needed funds for charities such as Beyond Blue, RSPCA and the Cancer Council.

We love dogs and you will often see some of our regular fluffy companions in the studio.

We have a hybrid approach to work with flexible work from home days on offer.

Career development is important to us so we offer training and support opportunities whenever possible.

Our employees say our culture is the best they've ever experienced - everyone is welcome and celebrated!

You'll have access to mental health resources and free counselling via our Employee Assistance Provider, Support Act.

Enjoy holistic wellbeing support through discounted health insurance with Bupa, financial wellbeing initiatives from our superannuation partner Media Super, and access to staff qualified in Mental Health First Aid.

Flying Bark Productions is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.