Senior Manager, Data Pipeline

Job Requisition ID #

25WD86056

Position Overview

Autodesk is hiring a Senior Manager who'll work on our Data Pipeline for our Entertainment & Media Solutions (EMS). This role is pivotal in driving the architecture of data flow, data management, and user experience for the internal-use data pipeline. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in both managing and supervising content creators and data engineers, ensuring the seamless integration of motion capture, rigging, and animation data into our data lake and database to drive new AI/ML capabilities.

You will leverage your extensive Film, VFX or Games production industry knowledge to translate client needs into development intents. You will work closely with developers to define and prioritize deliverables through the creation of themes, epics, and user stories. As part of an Agile team, you'll collaborate with Scrum Masters, Developers, Product Managers, UX Designers, and other key stakeholders to align deliverables with broader product and company strategic goals.

• Architect and manage the data flow and data management processes for the data pipeline
• Oversee product specialists and data engineers, ensuring effective integration of motion capture data, rigging, and animation data
• Summarize customer needs and goals in clear and concise themes, epics, and user stories
• Effectively divide overall project goals into prioritized deliverables
• Work closely with research and solution leaders to ensure product development's continued alignment with data acquisition objectives
• Collect and respond to customer and stakeholder feedback, adjusting future scope, timing, and priority of deliverables as needed
• Ensure transparency, alignment, and understanding of team focus and direction among all stakeholders
• Provide explanation and clarification of project goals, priorities, and constraints to team members
• Ensure new work conforms to standards as defined in collaboration with the senior managers of Autodesk data acquisition.
• Ensure new work meets performance goals/metrics
• Own the product backlog, write stories and acceptance criteria as needed, delegate where necessary, and ensure story quality and readiness throughout
• Foster creativity and innovation within the team
• Optimize data creation processes to enable efficient machine learning workflows
• Drive innovation in new workflows and processes in the age of AI, leveraging the latest advancements in machine learning and artificial intelligence
• Collaborate with AI and ML specialists to ensure data quality and readiness for training and deployment of machine learning models
• Managers of consultative/advisory Professional roles
• Manages work primarily through managerial staff and are typically responsible for a mix of multiple related teams and senior-level (advanced/expert) individual professionals
• Operate with far more independence than a Manager
• Typically receive high-level guidance (but not close oversight) from Director+ leaders
• Develop and implement long-term operational plans with financial and organizational components
• Contribute to broader strategies relevant to their own discipline
• More frequently address areas for which procedures are not established and for which approaches must be defined and/or adapted significantly

• 12+ years of overall experience in film/tv/vfx/game production working as or closely with Animators, Riggers, and Technical Directors
• At least 5+ years of experience managing team members, with responsibilities around hiring and developing people
• Extensive experience architecting data flows and managing data pipelines
• Intimate understanding of customer problems related to Character Rigging and Animation, contributing effectively to solutions
• Highly interested in developing elegant solutions and tools to streamline the Character production process and make a significant impact on the entertainment industry
• Proven ability to work within cross-functional teams on sizable productions and/or projects
• Inclusive with superior collaboration skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication abilities

• Work experience in VFX, Animation, and/or Games production as a Rigger, Animator, Technical Animator, and/or Character FX artist
• Work experience as a Technical Program Manager/Product Owner in innovation/technology
• Up-to-date expertise in modern character animation and rigging best practices, production pipelines, and human-centered design.
• Passion for innovation beyond the Status Quo
• Experience with shipping technology, software products, and solutions to businesses

• Has worked within the film/tv/game production industries as a character Rigger and/or Animator and has hands-on understanding of best practices for modern 3D character animation production
• Strong desire to advance the Character production process for the global entertainment industry
• Has worked with Agile teams of developers, product managers, and designers to deliver software for artists
• Demonstrates a strong understanding of machine learning workflows and the importance of data quality in AI applications
• Has a proven track record of driving innovation and adopting new technologies to enhance workflows in the age of AI