Asset TD

At Stellar, we aim to build a studio where people actually want to work. We face productions inevitable ups and downs as a supportive, truly connected team, prioritizing open communication over anyone working in isolation. We value honesty, creativity, and looking out for one another.

The Opportunity: We are staffing up for a new Marvel Studios streaming series, and we have an immediate need for an incredibly talented Asset TD!

An Asset Technical Director in animation and visual effects is a technical specialist who supports modeling, rigging, grooming, texturing, and look development departments by building tools, solving pipeline bugs, and optimizing asset creation workflows.

This is a 27 to 34 week contract role. We need a true asset expert who can act as a technical authority for our front end pipeline built in Maya. If you have great communication skills, know the technical ins and outs of assets, and are not afraid to confidently share your expertise in a room full of experienced creatives, you are exactly who we need.

Technical Workflows

• Act as the main technical point of contact for the asset department, working closely with the Asset Supervisor, CG Supervisor, Pipeline Supervisor, and the show’s Pipeline Lead.
• Review current asset workflows and help identify where things can be simplified, or made faster.
• Give practical inputs on proposed technical solutions, including when a different approach might work better for the artists.

Problem Solving and Support

• Troubleshoot asset issues such as failed publishes, naming or versioning problems, heavy or messy scenes, and tool errors.
• Debug and make updates to existing Python scripts and tools, and work with the Pipeline team on larger fixes or new features.
• Clean up and optimize asset scenes so they perform well and meet the needs of downstream departments.
• Keep documentation up to date for fixes and workflows.

Collaboration and Communication

• Communicate clearly with artists, the Pipeline team, and supervisors.
• Contribute to technical discussions with a practical, solution focused mindset, and know when to ask questions or bring in others.
• Explain technical problems and limitations in plain terms so artists and supervisors understand the options and tradeoffs.

The Requirements

Must Haves:

• Experience: Production experience in an asset department in episodic television, visual effects, or feature animation, either as an Asset TD or Pipeline TD, or as an asset artist with a strong technical side. Maya and Nuke experience is highly recommended.
• Technical Skills: Solid understanding of asset workflows, from modeling and surfacing through publishing, and how assets are used by downstream departments.
• Scripting: Working knowledge of Python, enough to read, debug, and modify existing scripts and tools. You don’t need to be a software developer, but you should be comfortable dealing with code.
• Soft Skills: Clear communicator, patient with artists, and proactive about spotting and solving problems.
• Eligibility: You must be legally eligible to work in British Columbia.

Nice to Haves:

• Working knowledge of Flow Production Tracking (formerly ShotGrid).
• Experience with USD-based workflows.
• Experience with renderers like Arnold or Renderman.
• Experience building simple tool UIs (for example with PySide/Qt) or working with a DCC’s Python API.
• An interest in learning new tools and techniques and sharing them with the team.

Why Join Stellar?

• The Work: Be the technical backbone of the asset department for a highly anticipated Marvel Studios streaming series.
• Culture: A collaborative environment where your deep technical expertise and strong voice are actively sought out and valued.
• Comprehensive Benefits: Extended health, dental, and vision coverage.
• Compensation: The rate for this 27 to 34 week contract position is between $1,700 and $1,900 CAD per week, based on your level of experience.