
If you are looking at Dublin jobs in the creative tech sector, Brown Bag Films has a premier opening. We are an award-winning and creatively driven global animation studio recognized for its premium, engaging content for children and families. Guided by our studio philosophy, “We Love Animation™,” we anchor our production models around the empowerment of our creative and technical talent.
This critical, highly technical role bridges the gap between complex software engineering and high-end visual effects execution. Operating out of our state-of-the-art studio, the FX TD will be responsible for engineering bespoke tools, designing automation frameworks, and streamlining workflows to support the FX department.
By integrating real-time FX systems into a robust linear narrative Unreal Engine pipeline, the successful candidate will empower artists to seamlessly bring the director’s creative vision to the screen while eliminating technical friction.
Dublin Jobs Overview : FX Technical Director
| Parameter | Specification Details |
| Vacancy Name | FX Technical Director (FX TD) – Unreal Engine |
| Hiring Company | Brown Bag Films |
| Core Function | Computer Graphics (CG) / Pipeline & Technical Direction |
| Primary Software Environment | Unreal Engine (Houdini experience highly valued) |
| Office Location | Dublin, Ireland |
| Work Arrangement | Hybrid (Minimum of 2 days per week required on-site) |
| Employment Nature | Full-Time, Fixed-Term Contract |
| Contract Duration | 12 Months |
| Remuneration Range | €60,000.00 – €70,000.00 (Gross Per Annum) |
| Eligibility Requirements | Open to EU Candidates Only (Must possess immediate right to work in Ireland) |
Position Overview & Strategic Purpose
As real-time rendering environments become the backbone of modern linear episodic animation, tech-driven Dublin jobs like the FX Technical Director have never been more vital.
The FX TD at Brown Bag Films is not merely an asset creator, but an infrastructure architect. The core purpose of this role is to identify operational inefficiencies, automate repetitive manual tasks, and build stable, scalable pipelines that allow creative FX artists to focus on aesthetic execution rather than technical troubleshooting.
The ideal candidate will possess deep technical insight into Unreal Engine’s core architecture, a passion for tool development, and a collaborative mindset. You will serve as the primary defensive line against pipeline bottlenecks, diagnosing system-level failures, and optimizing data flow between asset creation software and the real-time engine.
Additionally, your expertise will help establish studio-wide best practices, ensuring our facility remains at the cutting edge of real-time animated content creation.
Comprehensive Roles and Responsibilities
The duties of the FX Technical Director encompass three core operational domains: Tool & Prototype Engineering, Pipeline Optimization & Troubleshooting, and Training & Knowledge Transfer.
Tool Development & Prototype Engineering
- Bespoke Tool Authoring: Architect, program, and deploy robust tools and utilities tailored for the FX department to eliminate repetitive administrative or technical tasks.
- Rapid Prototyping: Build and configure proof-of-concept FX assets, system Blueprints, and dynamic setups within Unreal Engine to establish technical feasibility for upcoming production cycles.
- Asset Integration: Design elegant methodologies to integrate complex real-time FX systems seamlessly into a linear, cinematic sequencer-based narrative pipeline.
Pipeline Optimization & Technical Troubleshooting
- Proactive Problem Solving: Monitor, diagnose, and resolve systemic technical issues within the FX department, mitigating software instability, performance regressions, or asset-cooking failures.
- Workflow Refinement: Actively contribute to the ongoing evolution of the studio’s overarching pipeline infrastructure, advocating for modern, lean workflows that minimize computational overhead.
- Interdepartmental Alignment: Collaborate with Core Pipeline, IT, and Lighting departments to guarantee that FX pipelines are structurally compatible with downstream and upstream departments.
Mentorship, Training & Documentation
- Technical Coaching: Provide continuous technical support, training, and coaching to FX artists, upgrading the team’s collective fluency within Unreal Engine’s advanced toolsets.
- Best Practices & Standards: Author clear technical documentation, code comments, and pipeline wikis to establish studio standards for FX creation, optimization, and data management.
Candidate Requirements & Qualifications
To maintain our studio’s high technical benchmarks among top-tier Dublin jobs, candidates must demonstrate a profound mastery of real-time engine workflows, architectural problem-solving, and cross-discipline collaboration.
Advanced System Knowledge
- Comprehensive, expert-level knowledge of Unreal Engine’s internal FX ecosystem, with a specific focus on the Niagara simulation framework, material graphs, and utility widgets.
- A thorough understanding of how real-time engine architectures manage memory, draw calls, and geometric data when rendering high-fidelity visual effects for linear media.
Proven Industry Experience
- Demonstrated history of designing, implementing, and supporting production tools within an established CG animation or game development studio pipeline.
- Experience handling data translation, asset parsing, and automation tasks to simplify complex artist workflows.
- Strong familiarity with linear storytelling mechanics within real-time engines, specifically utilizing Unreal Engine’s Sequencer and Movie Render Queue infrastructure.
Desirable Technical Sub-sets
- Houdini Expertise (Highly Valued): Experience leveraging SideFX Houdini for procedural generation, simulation baking (VAT, RBD, fluid simulation data), and utilizing Houdini Engine within an Unreal Engine context is considered a significant competitive advantage.
- Familiarity with script-based automation (such as Python or C++) within digital content creation tools and game engines.
Workspace Architecture: The Hybrid Model
Brown Bag Films believes that creative synergy and technical breakthroughs thrive on a blend of collaborative in-person interaction and flexible, focused remote work. Compared to standard on-site Dublin jobs, this position offers a flexible and structured hybrid model:
- In-Studio Presence: A minimum of two days per week must be spent on-site at our vibrant studio. This ensures direct access to core technical infrastructure, real-time war rooms, and face-to-face troubleshooting sessions with the artists you support.
- Remote Flexibility: The remaining working days can be executed remotely, provided the candidate maintains a secure, high-speed internet connection capable of interfacing with our secure studio pipelines and remote desktop configurations.
Compliance, Eligibility, and Application Mandate
Legal Right to Work
This position is explicitly open to EU citizens or candidates who currently possess an uncompromised, valid right to work in Ireland for the entire duration of the 12-month contract. Brown Bag Films cannot provide immigration visa sponsorship or work permit assistance for this contractual vacancy.
Commitment to Diversity
Brown Bag Films is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications.
How to Apply
If you are sorting through available Dublin jobs eager to apply your technical ingenuity to build cutting-edge systems, eliminate creative roadblocks, and empower artists to produce world-class family entertainment, we invite you to submit your application. Please ensure your submission includes:
1. An up-to-date, professional CV/Resume highlighting your tool development and technical direction history.
2. A link to your technical showreel or code repository/portfolio (with breakdown notes) demonstrating tools you have built, problems solved, or pipeline systems engineered.
