The Lead Technical Specialist, Animation

SUMMARY

The Lead Technical Specialist, Animation is a full-time unionized staff position providing leadership in an animation production environment in the School of Film/Video. The school encourages highly motivated students with an independent and experimental approach towards their discipline. The programs in Character and Experimental Animation are renowned for fostering technically and artistically superior animation artists and are generally acknowledged as the leading animation programs in the world. 

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Leadership and training of the School of Film/Video staff animation production team.
• Manage the day-to-day operations of the School of Film/Video animation labs and facilities.
• Consult with the Director, Technology & Operations and technical staff to exchange information, present new approaches and to discuss equipment/system changes.
• Member of the Animation Production Pod (Academic Resource Committee).
• Provide advanced and specialized facility and workflow technical expertise to support faculty, students and staff of the School of Film/Video.
• Analyze, diagnose and resolve  hardware, software, and network issues within labs, classrooms and other facilities.
• Consult with Animation Program Directors, faculty, staff, and students to ensure that digital workflows, facility management plans, schedules and policies are meeting the curricular, technical, and administrative needs of the program.
• Coordinate and support lab exercises, lectures, and demonstrations with faculty.
• Instruct students, faculty, and staff in use of special equipment and facilities in a lab or classroom setting.
• Configure, test, and maintain Mac and Windows workstations.
• Configure, test, and maintain the render farm.
• Assist students in using digital animation systems, workflows and software, including input and output to film projection and video display devices.
• Supervise, train and schedule student workers who assist in maintaining the labs and animation equipment.
• Train classroom and teaching assistants in the setup and use of classroom equipment.
• Collaborate in the creation, testing and deployment of animation lab client computer images, including preparation of application–specific deployment packages.
• Provide end-user technical documentation.
• Coordinate operations with other Institute and School IT admin support staff.
• Analyze and implement security related procedures including regular software patches and physically securing equipment.
• Respond to technical support tickets from the School of Film/Video’s ticketing/online resource website.
• Develop, analyze and update digital workflows to assist the preparation of year-end screenings, including preparation and dissemination of technical guidelines and procedures for students’ digital submissions. 
• Compile end-of-year student screenings, authoring digital media as necessary for each screening. Coordinate with vendors, staff and student assistants in setting up the necessary screening facilities for on-campus screenings, and coordinate with offcampus facilities as needed for outside screenings.
• Prepare compilations of student and faculty work for festival and promotional purposes as requested by the School of Film/Video office of the Dean as well as archive student and faculty work for these purposes.  Provide authoring of related digital distribution media.
• Develop, maintain, and update relevant web information on the School of Film/Video technical resource website.
• Create signage, programs, forms, packaging materials, and other graphic design tasks as needed for communicating technical information to students and faculty, and in support of the operations staff for events including guest lectures, Portfolio Day, and end-of-year Screenings.
• Advise School of Film/Video leadership on future growth of the digital animation labs and facilities and provide consultation on the design, development and maintenance of digital animation areas used by the School. Conduct research accordingly, and draft proposals including budget estimates.
• Research, install, maintain and repair (or coordinate the repair of) classroom-related and technical equipment used throughout the animation programs, except that which is maintained by CalArts IT and outside contractors.
• Maintain inventory of equipment in labs and classrooms.
• Coordinate with Facilities Management, CalArts IT, and outside contractors in the implementation of facility repairs and improvements. 
• Maintain compliance with CalArts IT and the School of Film/Video’s lab and safety policies and promote standards for security conscious awareness and behavior.
• Represent the Animation Programs to groups both inside and outside of the CalArts community.
• Attend sponsored classes and maintain relationships with company representatives in order to keep abreast of technological practices and advances in the industry.
• Attend technical and regular staff meetings within the School and Institute.
• Perform other duties as directed. 

SKILLS/ABILITIES:

• Expertise with the current Mac operating system and ability to master new versions as needed.
• Extensive knowledge of animation workflows including 2D, 3D, and stop motion animation systems.
• Some knowledge of stereoscopic 3D motion capture systems.
• Some knowledge of 3D printing for animation.
• Some knowledge of VR/AR/XR production.
• Excellent technical and communication skills with supervisory experience.
• Ability to manage time efficiently with the ability to work under pressure handling multiple duties at the same time.
• Ability to work collaboratively with faculty, staff, and administration.
• Ability to coordinate tasks, designate responsibilities, and supervise others. 
• Ability to work independently using your own initiative.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Google and Adobe applications.
• Critical thinking skills required. 

EDUCATION:

Undergraduate degree or equivalent professional experience in related field. 

EXPERIENCE: 

• Some experience with analog and digital video input/output hardware.
• Extensive experience with 3D software such as Maya and/or Cinema 4D.
• Extensive experience using editing, compositing, and image processing software such as Adobe After Effects, Premiere and Photoshop. 
• Extensive experience with editing and image processing software such as the Adobe Creative Cloud, TV Paint, and Maya.
• Experience with 2K/4K digital workflows and 16mm and 35mm filmmaking is desirable.   
• Three years relevant experience in digital production technical support,development and animation workflows, preferably in an academic environment. 

FURTHER INFORMATION

The terms and working conditions of this position are subject to the collective bargaining agreement between CalArts and CWA, Local 9003. In the event of a conflict between this posting and the collective bargaining agreement, the collective bargaining agreement shall prevail.

This position is available immediately. If you are interested, please follow the link to Interfolio below:

The Lead Technical Specialist, Animation - ID:129895

Salary

$36.65 an hour

California Institute of the Arts shall abide by the requirements of 41 CFR §§ 60-1.4(a), 60-300.5(a) and 60-741.5(a). These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities, and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Moreover, these regulations require that covered prime contractors and subcontractors take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.

CalArts has a multidisciplinary approach to its studies of the arts through six schools: Art, Critical Studies, Dance, Film/Video, Music and Theater. CalArts encourages students to explore and recognize the complexity of the many aspects of the arts. It is supported by a distinguished faculty of practicing artists and provides its Bachelor and Master of Fine Arts students with the hands-on training and exposure necessary for an artist's growth. CalArts was founded in 1961 and opened in 1969 as the first institution of higher learning in the United States specifically for students interested in the pursuit of degrees in all areas of visual and performing arts.