Tools & Pipeline Engineer

ZeroSpace is a digital agency and production studio specializing in emerging technologies and real-time 3D for virtual production, CG animation, and immersive experiences. Our unique facility houses the largest fixed-install LED volume on the East Coast, industry-standard Vicon motion capture systems, and a state-of-the-art volumetric capture studio. We're an interdisciplinary team of technologists and artists where technical innovation meets creative vision. Our clients include major film studios, Oscar-winning directors, and the biggest brands in the world.

The Role

We're seeking a versatile Tools & Pipeline Developer to build and maintain the technical infrastructure that powers our client projects. You'll be the bridge between creative vision and technical execution, developing custom tools, automating workflows, and solving complex production challenges across our diverse project portfolio. From real-time game experiences in Unreal Engine to motion capture data processing and volumetric capture pipelines, you'll work directly with artists, directors, and technical teams to deliver cutting-edge content for high-profile clients.

In this role, you will:

• Develop custom tools and scripts for Unreal Engine projects using C++ and Blueprints

• Build and maintain motion capture data processing pipelines, including cleanup, retargeting, and integration workflows

• Create volumetric capture processing tools and optimization scripts for real-time playback

• Design and implement data wrangling solutions for large-scale media asset management

• Develop pipeline automation tools to streamline asset ingestion, processing, and delivery

• Collaborate with artists and technical directors to identify workflow bottlenecks and create solutions

• Build custom integrations between different software packages and production tools

• Create utilities for batch processing, file conversion, and quality assurance

• Optimize performance for real-time applications and large dataset processing

• Document tools and provide training to production teams

About you:

• 3-5+ years of experience solving technical problems in games, 3D animation, immersive experiential, or other visual media

• Strong programming skills in C++ and scripting languages (Python, JavaScript, TypeScript) in production environments / pipelines

• Experience with Unreal Engine development using both C++ and Blueprints

• Experience with REST APIs and real-time data streaming protocols (OSC, WebSockets)

• Knowledge of SQL and relational databases

• Experience with 3D animation workflows and data formats (FBX, USD, etc.)

• Familiarity with TouchDesigner programming and media processing tools (ffmpeg, ImageMagick)

• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work independently on diverse technical challenges

• Well-organized and experienced in documentation, asset management, and version control (Git, Perforce, Unity VCS)

• Excellent written/verbal communication skills and ability to collaborate with technical and creative teams

Nice to Have:

• Experience with volumetric capture technologies

• Knowledge of DCC applications (Maya, Houdini, Blender, Omniverse) and their APIs

• Familiarity with virtual production workflows, LED volume technology, and Disguise

• Background in digital cinematography and color science

• Experience with cloud computing and distributed processing systems

• Knowledge of generative AI pipelines for image/video processing (superresolution, background removal)