Principal Engineer

We are seeking a Principal Engineer with deep expertise in real-time graphics pipelines and a passion for building advanced tools that enable artists, engineers, and developers to work seamlessly together. You will play a technical leadership role — guiding the development of pipeline infrastructure, mentoring team members, and driving forward-looking architectural decisions that impact the entire company. 

This role requires strong hands-on coding skills in C++ and Python, a deep understanding of production pipelines, and the ability to influence cross-functional initiatives that support both art and engineering goals. 

United States citizenship or Permanent Residency required due to restrictions on access to certain data.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Architect and maintain robust and scalable pipeline tools using C++ and Python
• Lead efforts to design, implement, and optimize production automation across departments. 
• Mentor and guide engineers and technical artists across multiple teams. 
• Collaborate with stakeholders, including artists, producers, and QA teams, to ensure toolchains meet high-performance and usability standards
• Define and enforce best practices in software design, versioning, testing, and deployment. 
• Drive integration of 3rd-party applications (e.g., Maya, Photoshop, GIS tools) into Aechelon’s production workflow. 
• Analyze and optimize performance bottlenecks in both tools and runtime pipelines. 
• Contribute to long-term pipeline and architecture strategy in alignment with product and engineering roadmaps.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

• 8+ years of experience in software engineering with a focus on content creation pipelines, real-time graphics, or simulation systems. 
• Advanced proficiency in C++ and Python, including best practices in memory management, performance optimization, and modular design. 
• Demonstrated success in developing and integrating tools for 2D/3D content creation in game or film production environments. 
• Strong track record of cross-functional collaboration with both technical and creative stakeholders. 
• Excellent problem-solving, debugging, and systems design skills. 
• Deep understanding of real-time graphics, simulation, and rendering pipelines. 
• U.S. work authorization and eligibility to work with export-controlled technology. 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Experience leading or mentoring engineering teams. 
• Familiarity with Qt / PySide / PyQt for tool and UI development. 
• Experience with GPU programming and CUDA for parallel processing and high-performance computing. 
• Proven track record of optimizing real-time simulations or game engines. 
• Hands-on experience developing plug-ins and automation for Maya, Photoshop, or similar tools. 
• Knowledge of GIS systems such as QGIS, ArcMap, or Google Earth Enterprise. 
• Experience with large-scale software architecture in simulation, visualization, or VFX pipelines. 

SUPERVISORY REQUIREMENTS:

• None

REQUIRED EDUCATION:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field. 

Salary Range: $160,000 - $240,000 USD Per Year

The above range is specific to CALIFORNIA and may not be applicable to other locations. The pay scale for this role is between $160,000 - $240,000. Final compensation is based on factors such as the candidate's skills, qualifications, and experience.

This position description is not intended to be a complete listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee holding this position. Duties, responsibilities and activities may be changed or others may be assigned at any time by the Company with notice to the employee. 

Aechelon Technology is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing access and opportunities to individuals with disabilities. If you are an applicant who is unable to fully utilize/access our application process because of a disability, Aechelon Technology will provide a reasonable accommodation. Please send an email to hr_team@aechelon.com to request that accommodation, and please be sure to include a detailed description of your requested accommodation, your name and preferred method of contact.