Unreal TD (Generalist/Animation Pipeline)

Mighty Yeti Studios is a creator-owned indie animation studio specializing in kids and family entertainment. We're seeking a highly skilled Unreal Engine Technical Director (Generalist/Animation Pipeline) to join our team for animated series projects. All positions are remote freelance/part-time independent contractor roles.

This role will require a versatile individual capable of developing and maintaining the technical pipeline for real-time animation production using Unreal Engine, as well as troubleshooting and optimizing workflows for a variety of creative teams.

Responsibilities:

• Optimize the real-time production pipeline using Unreal Engine for animated series projects.
• Collaborate with animators, modelers, riggers, and other artists to integrate assets into the Unreal Engine pipeline smoothly and efficiently.
• Oversee and troubleshoot technical issues related to assets, animations, and rendering within the Unreal Engine environment.
• Work closely with the production team to ensure that assets are optimized for performance while maintaining the creative vision.
• Ensure seamless integration of assets created in software such as Maya, Blender, or other content creation tools.
• Stay up-to-date with the latest Unreal Engine features, updates, and techniques to continually improve production processes.
• Provide technical direction to artists and animators, offering solutions and guidance on Unreal Engine best practices.
• (Optional) Build custom tools and workflows to enhance animation, lighting, rendering, and compositing within Unreal Engine.

Requirements:

• 3+ years of experience working in Unreal Engine in animation, VFX, or game development.
• Strong understanding of real-time rendering pipelines, lighting, animation, and technical workflows in Unreal Engine.
• Experience with programming and scripting (Blueprints, Python, or C++) to build tools and automate processes within Unreal Engine.
• Proficiency in integrating assets from third-party software (e.g., Maya, Blender) into Unreal Engine.
• Familiarity with Unreal Engine’s animation, sequencing, and rendering capabilities, particularly in an animated series production environment.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to troubleshoot issues related to performance, rendering, and pipeline efficiency.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills to work effectively with creative and technical teams.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in animation production, specifically working on animated series or real-time animation projects.
• Familiarity with virtual production workflows, real-time lighting, and rendering for animated content.
• Knowledge of shading, texturing, and procedural tools in Unreal Engine.
• Experience optimizing assets and environments for performance across different platforms.
• Passion for working on family-friendly and all-ages animated content.