Associate Technical Supervisor - Front End

Netflix Animation Studios is on a mission to entertain the world with bold, immersive animated films that are timeless and impactful. We are paving the way for the future of animation by building a community of amazing artists and talent across three vibrant locations globally. Come join us!

The Opportunity

As an Associate Technical Supervisor at Netflix Animation Studios, you’ll help support the technical vision on an animated feature film by working in close partnership with the Technical Supervisor, Solutions Engineering and creative leadership. You’ll contribute to shaping and evolving the pipeline tools, and workflows to meet the show’s unique creative and technical challenges, ensuring solutions that serve both the artists and align with studio standards. Focused on the technical success of Modelling, Rigging, Surfacing of Characters and Environments on the show, your primary focus will be supporting the creative and visual objectives by providing day‑to‑day technical oversight for pipeline troubleshooting, user support, direction and tool development.

The Front‑End Associate Technical Supervisor oversees the technical direction and support for the earlier stages of the production pipeline. This includes departments and workflows such as: Story Edit, Art Concept Design, Visual Development, Previs, Modelling, Rigging, Surfacing of Characters and Environments, Procedural Assets (if not covered by another Associate Tech Sup), and Pipeline integration and troubleshooting for these stages. The role ensures that all technical processes, tools, and workflows in these areas are running smoothly, meet the show’s creative and technical requirements, and integrate well with the rest of the pipeline. They also provide hands‑on technical leadership to TDs in these departments, support artists with technical challenges, and collaborate with the Technical Supervisor and other Associate Technical Supervisors to maintain consistency and quality across the entire production.

What You’ll Do

• Technical Responsibilities:
  • Understand the film’s visual goals and design tools, workflows, and procedures that enable artists to achieve them.
  • Troubleshoot and optimize production workflows, providing practical solutions to visual and technical problems through existing tools or new tool development.
  • Safeguard artist productivity by testing and validating new tools and pipeline changes, tracking and resolving issues in partnership with Technical Supervisors, Solutions Engineering, and R&D.
  • Contribute to building and improving the show and studio‑wide pipeline, ensuring efficient collaboration across departments and supporting broader technical objectives.
• Bidding & Scheduling:
  • Track and manage development initiatives for the show, monitoring estimates, scope, and deadlines, and adjusting plans as needed to keep work on track.
  • Partner with the Technical Supervisor to prioritize and resolve top support issues, coordinating cross‑departmental testing to move high‑priority fixes through the pipeline quickly.
  • Organize technical work by breaking down projects into manageable parts, aligning fortnightly support allocation, and clearly communicating production and technical information to TDs and Program Managers.
  • Collaborate with the Technical Supervisor and Solutions Engineering Manager to prepare estimates, pitches, and plans for show‑specific technical work.
• Talent & Performance Management:
  • Provide day‑to‑day technical guidance to TDs, collaborating with the Solutions Engineering Manager to escalate issues through the right channels when needed.
  • Mentor and develop TDs, supporting onboarding for new team members and partnering with Technology Talent Management and Solutions Engineering Managers to grow skills across the department.
  • Identify team management issues early and work with Tech Talent Management to put constructive solutions in place.
  • Foster collaboration and create synergies between different work groups to drive efficiency, optimization, and innovative ways of working.
• Communication, Collaboration & Relationship Development:
  • Communicate clearly and concisely on technical topics, including project status, requirements, problems, and rollout plans, both verbally and in writing.
  • Collaborate with Program Managers on scheduling and planning show‑based initiatives, providing accurate status and expectations.
  • Tailor communication to your audience: explain issues in accessible, non‑technical language to artists and production, and discuss complex topics in depth with developers and supervisors.
  • Confidently present to small teams (e.g., tool demos, pipeline processes, support dashboards) and produce clear written documentation such as specs, tickets, and status updates.

What You’ll Need

• 5+ years of proven pipeline TD experience in animated features, animated TV series, and/or VFX feature films, with demonstrated leadership in feature animation or VFX.
• Strong technical foundation, including solid Python skills (plus PyQt or another GUI toolkit), familiarity with data flow/metadata/publishing concepts, and the ability to review code and troubleshoot issues.
• Basic C++ and USD knowledge are a plus.
• Deep understanding of traditional production workflows, tools, and techniques, with experience using and troubleshooting relevant DCCs and production tracking software such as Flow Production Tracking (ShotGrid) or similar.
• Experience with modern software development and collaboration practices, including git/GitHub, code review processes, and Agile methodologies using tools such as Jira.
• Demonstrated strength in problem‑solving, conflict resolution, and risk awareness, with the ability to adapt to evolving project requirements and dynamic team interactions.
• Degree in Animation, Film, Computer Science, Design, Engineering, Math, or Physics, or equivalent professional experience in animation/VFX.

Location & Work Arrangement

This role is based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Hybrid Role (Minimum of 3 days a week in the office).

Compensation

The overall market range for this role is typically $160,000 to $200,000 CAD. This reflects total compensation; we do not have stock options.

Benefits

• Mental, dental, and vision plans
• Mental health support
• Retirement programs
• Family‑forming benefits
• Paid leave of absence programs
• Paid time away programs for vacation and sick paid time off

Equal‑Opportunity Employer

We are an equal‑opportunity employer and celebrate diversity, recognizing that diversity builds stronger teams. We approach diversity and inclusion seriously and thoughtfully. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, ancestry, national origin, caste, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, age, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic makeup, marital status, or military service.

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