Based in the beautiful Canary Island of Tenerife, Atlantis Animation is seeking a highly skilled Senior Pipeline Developer for a full-time, fixed-term employee contract of up to 10 months. In this critical technical role, you will interact with the Head of Pipeline and CG Supervisor to support the development of advanced CG workflows and improve production tools for the upcoming animated series ‘Messi and the Giants’, an epic saga co-produced by Sony and broadcasted globally by Disney.
Your day-to-day responsibilities will include providing essential tools and hands-on technical support to artists, documenting workflows, and developing pipeline features across a software stack that includes Maya, Nuke, and Houdini. The ideal candidate brings a minimum of five years of senior-level professional experience, advanced Python scripting skills, and strong production experience with Houdini, Nuke integration, and USD-based workflows. This role offers a unique flexible location framework, allowing you to work either 100% on-site in our Tenerife studio or remotely, provided you are officially registered as a resident in Tenerife for the duration of the contract.
Job Overview : Senior Pipeline Developer
| Key Specification | Details |
| Position | Senior Pipeline Developer |
| Location | On-Site or Remote (Tenerife / Canary Islands, Spain) |
| Employment Type | Full-Time, Fixed-Term Employee Contract |
| Duration | Up to 10 Months (To start as soon as possible) |
| Industry | Animation, Visual Effects, Systems Engineering, Technology |
| Core Software Stack | Autodesk Maya, Substance Painter, Arnold, Nuke, Houdini, and Toon Boom Harmony |
| Key Technical Requirements | Advanced Python scripting, Maya’s API, and USD-based workflows |
| Project Background | ‘Messi and the Giants’ (Co-produced by Sony Music Vision, Sony Pictures Television Kids, and Leo Messi Management for Disney) |
About Atlantis Animation
Based in the breathtaking, sun-drenched capital of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Atlantis Animation is an animation hub where cutting-edge software engineering meets world-class creative artistry. Our mission is to push the boundaries of high-quality animated series and feature films. By pairing an exceptional global team of technical developers and creative artists with the unique strategic advantages of the Canary Islands, we have established ourselves as a premier destination for major international broadcasters and global streaming giants.
Our portfolio speaks to our dedication to technical stability, pipeline innovation, and storytelling. Atlantis Animation proudly produced the sensational series Tara Duncan and the globally acclaimed Miraculous Ladybug (Season 5), both of which have captivated millions of viewers on Disney Channel and Disney+.
We are currently deeply involved in our next monumental production: the highly anticipated animated series ‘Messi and the Giants’. Co-produced alongside industry titans Sony Music Vision, Sony Pictures Television Kids, and Leo Messi Management, this epic saga is broadcasted by Disney. The series follows a young boy named Leo who is suddenly transported from his home in Argentina into a fantastical, dangerous, and awe-inspiring alternate universe.
If you love technical animation challenges, thrive on optimizing complex data flows, and feel you have that special inner magic spark to support an international studio infrastructure, we want to hear from you!
Position Overview as Senior Pipeline Developer
Atlantis Animation is seeking a skilled, collaborative, and highly organized Senior Pipeline Developer to join our technology team. In this role, you will play a vital part in supporting the development of advanced CG workflows across all production departments and contribute directly to improving our pipeline tools. Day-to-day, you will act as a key technical resource, providing essential support to artists, resolving studio bottlenecks, and helping ensure technical consistency across the entire production.
Strong communication skills are absolutely essential for this position, as the Senior Pipeline Developer will interact regularly with both technical engineers and non-technical creative team members. We are specifically looking for a professional with deep, hands-on production experience in Houdini, Nuke, Python scripting, and Universal Scene Description (USD) workflows.
Flexible Location Framework
While we prefer to welcome you on-site at our beautiful studio in Tenerife, remote work may be considered under specific conditions. Remote candidates must either:
- Already be officially registered as a resident (“empadronado”) in Tenerife, or
- Be fully willing to complete this official registration process for the duration of the 10-month contract.
Key Responsibilities
As our Senior Pipeline Developer, your day-to-day operations will span across three core areas: Artist Support & Department Interaction, Core & Project-Level Development, and Documentation & Pipeline Standardization.
1. Department Interaction & Technical Guidance
- Cross-Functional Communication: Interact regularly with the Head of Pipeline, CG Supervisor, Production Managers, and Artists who require day-to-day technical guidance and workflow troubleshooting.
- Technical Assemblies: Attend scheduled technical meetings to communicate clearly about your active development tasks, timelines, and deployment strategies.
- Production Syncing: Maintain consistent, clear communication loops with your immediate development team, the broader pipeline department, and your assigned production coordinators.
2. Core & Project-Level Development
- Artist-Facing Support: When working at the project level, provide custom scripts, targeted tools, and immediate day-to-day technical support to creative artists to minimize downtime.
- Core Pipeline Engineering: When working at the core level, assist in developing foundational pipeline features under supervision, contributing meaningfully to company-wide studio workflows.
- Tool Optimization: Maintain, debug, and optimize tools across our primary studio software stack, which involves Autodesk Maya, Substance Painter, Arnold, Nuke, Houdini, and Toon Boom Harmony.
3. Documentation & Standardization
- Workflow Documentation: Author clear, accessible technical and user documentation for all new and existing workflows, ensuring both technical engineers and creative artists can leverage studio tools efficiently.
- Requirement Gathering: Proactively gather tool requirements from creative supervisors, working under structured guidance to implement clean, scalable code solutions.
- Scope Realization: Focus on executing production-facing solutions efficiently; please note that no autonomous architectural decision-making is expected for this specific role.
Candidate Profile & Requirements as Pipeline Developer
The ideal candidate is a blend of a highly capable software tools developer and a empathetic problem solver. You understand the unique pressures of an active animation pipeline and can communicate technical solutions to artists without using confusing jargon.
Educational & Professional Experience
- Experience: A minimum of five (5) years of professional pipeline development experience within a fully 3D animated series, feature film, or high-end visual effects environment.
- Seniority: Demonstrated senior-level independence in troubleshooting complex multi-software pipeline assets.
Technical Skills
- Python Mastery: Advanced Python scripting for pipeline development, automation, and custom tool interfaces.
- Houdini Expertise: Strong, direct production experience integration with Houdini workflows and data management.
- Nuke Integration: Solid, practical knowledge of Nuke pipeline integration, including write/read nodes, custom gizmo management, and script automation.
- USD Pipelines: Proven experience working inside a Universal Scene Description (USD) based production pipeline is strictly required.
- DCC APIs: Hands-on experience with Maya’s API is required. Broad knowledge of other Digital Content Creation APIs (such as Houdini or Nuke) is considered a distinct advantage but is not mandatory.
- Asset Management (Bonus): Prior experience navigating Autodesk ShotGrid (Flow Production Tracking) or similar production tracking and asset management ecosystems is a plus.
Soft Skills & Logistics
- Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills. You must be highly capable of understanding artistic feature requests and breaking them down into actionable development tasks.
- Environment Agility: Ability to thrive and remain highly organized in fast-paced, time-critical, and deadline-driven production environments.
- Attributes: Self-motivated, proactive, highly adaptable, and structured in your approach to software engineering.
- Language: Understanding and speaking English fluently is essential for daily operations.
- Legal Status: A valid EU or Spanish work permit is strictly required at the time of application.
What We Offer at Atlantis Animation
- A Flagship Portfolio Piece: The opportunity to deploy custom tools and support an international production infrastructure for a major global IP (Messi and the Giants) backed by Sony and Disney.
- Flexible Lifestyle: Work on-site in a vibrant capital city with a year-round subtropical climate, rich cultural heritage, and stunning coastlines—or work remotely from your established residency in Tenerife.
- Studio Culture: Partner with a highly diverse, international team of technical developers and creative artists who value mutual respect, innovation, and clean code.
- Professional Stability: A fixed-term, full-time employee contract with standard Spanish social security benefits, paid vacation days, and comprehensive legal protections (this is a secure staff position, not an independent freelance contract).
How to Apply
If you are ready to take on complex animation workflow challenges and join our engineering team in paradise, we want to hear from you.
Please submit your application, including:
1. Your updated CV/Resume highlighting your senior pipeline development background and specific software stack experience.
2. A link to your current GitHub profile, code repository samples, or technical breakdown sheet illustrating tools you have deployed in a production environment.
3. A brief cover letter outlining your current residential status in Tenerife or your timeline availability to start.
Atlantis Animation is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
