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Team Lead Software Engineer/ Technical Director

The opportunity

Wētā FX is one of the world’s premier visual effects companies. We are known for uncompromising creativity and a commitment to developing innovative technology. Groundbreaking performance-driven digital characters like Gollum, Kong, Neytiri, and Caesar are widely acknowledged as some of the best digital characters ever put on screen. Recently finished projects include Avatar: The Way of Water, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and The Batman.

The Motion R&D department at Unity/Wētā Digital is responsible for building, maintaining and supporting the tools/pipeline used by the Motion departments at Wētā FX: Animation, Motion Editing, Facial Motion, Crowds, and Previs. Our role is to empower artists to focus on their craft (which consists of asset management, animation, presentation rendering, publishing) on the front-line of production. We have a vast codebase which has become highly specialised but also constantly evolving, so opportunities for technical innovation are high!

We need people who are self-motivated with strong problem-solving, communication, and leadership skills. Work with us to build production-ready technology. This is an opportunity to grow your own skills and knowledge base (and to help your peers do the same!)

The Team Lead position is a hybrid position that functions partially as a people manager and partially as a senior engineer on the team. The expectation is that these two functions are split based on the fluctuating size and needs of the team. This role collaborates closely with the Head of Department or Department Manager, Team Leads, Crew managers, and Project Managers to build and grow their team.

The ideal team lead candidate will be enthusiastic, a great collaborator, and an outstanding communicator. As well as having strong technical knowledge, we are looking for someone who has strong leadership skills and is able to work with a variety of individuals to achieve success within the team and amongst the team members.

What you’ll be doing

• Build and maintain a happy, healthy, and effective team, cultivating a culture of accountability within the team and championing company values (Users First, Best Ideas Win, Be Bold, In It Together)
• Ensure software is architected and implemented appropriately
• Collaborate with HODs, Managers, other Department Leads, and Seniors throughout Wētā Tools and Wētā FX, driving for alignment
• Communicate complex ideas in easy to understand ways and effectively manage and delegate tasks to team members as necessary
• Clearly report on current status of team’s tasks and projects

What we’re looking for

• Help set team direction based on departmental direction and the prioritisation of Wētā FX and Wētā Digital Goals coordinating with the Project Manager
• Regularly conduct one-on-one meetings, regular performance and development cycle reviews with their team members, including career development
• Contribute to recommendations for compensation and career progression for members of the team
• Lead and act as an outstanding role model. Actively identify technical and people-related issues in the team or department and work with the appropriate people to resolve them, aligning department project priorities and how the team contributes
• Coordinate, welcome, and prepare training for new hires

You might also have

• Proven experience leading a team of technical directors or software developers
• Experience with UX/Product Design/Computer Graphics Principles
• AAA Games industry background / Familiarity with C++

Ready to help us push the boundaries of Visual Effects? Apply now!

Life at Unity

Unity (NYSE: U) is the world’s leading platform for creating and operating real-time 3D (RT3D) content. Creators, ranging from game developers to artists, architects, automotive designers, filmmakers, and others, use Unity to make their imaginations come to life. Unity is the foundation upon which the world’s most powerful digital content is created. Specifically, Unity’s platform provides a comprehensive set of software solutions to create, run and monetize interactive, real-time 2D and 3D content for mobile phones, tablets, PCs, consoles, and augmented and virtual reality devices.

In the fourth quarter of 2022, more than 70% of the top 1000 mobile games were made with Unity as derived from a blended number of the top 1000 games in the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. In 2022, Made with Unity Applications had more than 4 billion downloads per month. For more information, please visit www.unity.com .

Unity is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive, innovative environment with the best employees. Therefore, we provide employment opportunities without regard to age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, disability, gender, or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law. If there are preparations or accommodations we can make to help ensure you have a comfortable and positive interview experience, please fill out this form to let us know.

Headhunters and recruitment agencies may not submit resumes/CVs through this website or directly to managers. Unity does not accept unsolicited headhunter and agency resumes. Unity will not pay fees to any third-party agency or company that does not have a signed agreement with Unity.

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Only domestic relocation support is available for this position.

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