Sr Pipeline Engineer

Laika•Hillsboro, OR

14d•Hybrid

About The Position

At LAIKA, we craft breathtaking stop motion films by blending timeless artistic techniques with innovative technology. As a Sr Pipeline Engineer on the Studio Pipeline team, you’ll play a key role in designing, building, and maintaining the pipeline and workflow tools that empower artists and production managers throughout the creative process. In this role, you’ll provide hands-on pipeline support and troubleshoot a wide range of editorial and production management challenges across every stage of our filmmaking process You’ll report to the Studio Pipeline Sr Manager and collaborate closely with other engineers and development teams, as well as artists and production managers in the fabrication , stage, VFX , and editorial departments. To thrive in this role, you bring strong problem-solving skills, clear communication, and a collaborative mindset. You’re organized, adaptable, and comfortable managing multiple priorities. You approach challenges with curiosity and initiative, exercise sound judgment, and help foster a positive and inclusive team culture. If you love blending art and technology, enjoy working closely with creative collaborators, and want to contribute to one of the industry’s most visionary studios, we’d love to hear from you.

Requirements

5 + years of experience developing workflow tools and services for p roduction t racking , asset management , or pipeline automation i n animation, VFX, or game development .
Advanced proficiency in Python including experience with PyQt /PySide2 for UI and tool development, and solid JavaScript fundamentals.
Hands-on experience with FlowP T ( ShotGrid ) including its Python and REST APIs, UI framework, and automation capabilities.
Proven ability to design scalable, service-oriented tools and applications that integrate seamlessly with other production systems.
Strong understanding of source control practices including Git, GitHub, and modern branching strategies.
Experience with modern web technologies , such as Django, Flask, React, or Node.js , and familiarity with relational databases ( e.g . , Postgre SQL ).
Familiarity with common software design patterns and principles including OOP, SOLID, and MVC.
Solid grasp of agile development methodologies (Scrum, Kanban) with a track record of deliver ing effective , maintainable software on time and within scope.
Experience mentoring and supporting early-career engineers , fostering skill development and knowledge sharing.
Proficiency with common developer tools including Visual Studio Code , Postman, and similar toolsets.
Strong communication and collaboration skills with the ability to work effectively across technical and creative teams.

Nice To Haves

Expert-level proficiency with FlowPT (ShotGrid) administration, workflow customization, and solutions design.
Experience designing and maintaining CI/CD pipelines (Docker, Kubernetes, GitLab Runners, Jenkins) to streamline software delivery and stability .
Background in developing or integrating server-side components with AWS, Azure, or other cloud-native services.
Experience developing in Rust and React, particularly for building performant , maintainable, and scalable production tools or services.
Familiarity with distributed or service-oriented pipeline architecture s and orchestration frameworks supporting scalable production workflows .
Understanding of observability and DevOps practices including monitoring, logging, and alerting to maintain pipeline reliability.
Passion for creative collaboration, continuous learning, and improving the artist and production experience through thoughtful technical design.

Responsibilities

Design, develop, and maintain production management and asset-tracking tools and services that support ongoing production needs including CLI, Qt, and web-based applications.
Architect scalable, extensible, and performant systems that align with modern development principles and support the long-term evolution of the studio pipeline.
Collaborate closely with artists, leads, production managers, and fellow developers to gather requirements and translate creative and operational needs into reliable, user-centered technical solutions.
Communicate complex technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical partners.
Provide user support for FlowPT (ShotGrid), production management tools, and other pipeline-related workflows, diagnosing and resolving issues efficiently.
Support multi-OS production environments, including macOS, Windows, and Rocky Linux.
Promote code quality and maintainability through thoughtful design, comprehensive unit testing, peer reviews, and thorough documentation.
Champion automation and reliability, contributing to CI/CD workflows, deployment pipelines, and observability (logging, metrics, and monitoring).
Contribute to technical strategy by sharing insights, evaluating new technologies, and helping integrate emerging industry tools and standards into the pipeline.
Develop and share knowledge by authoring technical guides, training materials, and documentation that help artists, developers, and production teams grow their understanding of the pipeline.
Mentor and support junior engineers, offering guidance, feedback, and opportunities for learning and professional growth.
Collaborate with empathy, inclusion, and open-mindedness, fostering a positive and respectful team culture.