Software Engineer, Tools Internals (Core)

Our Software R&D department (Tools) is responsible for developing Pixar’s in-house and open-source software. We work very closely with both artists and engineers to build innovative filmmaking tools that enable our film production and continuously extend artistic reach. As a Software Engineer on the Internals team, you will work on extending the feature set as well as improving the performance of our in-memory scene representation and its computation engine. This software stack is at the heart of our in-house digital content creation application, Presto, and is making its way into open-source USD. You will collaborate with us in a multi-functional team of developers, and help craft and implement robust, easy-to-maintain code. Are you enthusiastic about software architecture and API design? Do you love writing high-performance and high-quality C++ code, and are you interested in putting your multithreading and parallel programming skills to use? If so, we would love to have you on the team! What you’ll do Contribute to world-class 3D graphics software applications and frameworks that enable and support Pixar’s film production Profile performance-critical code paths and creatively optimize algorithms to enhance interactive user experiences Take ownership of challenges that arise from evolving and modifying software that is heavily exercised in an active production environment Collaborate with a team of engineers, technical artists, QA, build support and project management Work closely with other teams to plan and develop user-facing features that help our artists push boundaries, as well as libraries and APIs that enhance the capabilities of our software Join forces with valued external partners, and help bring Pixar’s production-proven technologies to our open-source USD distribution Work in a collaborative environment, exchanging knowledge with accomplished technicians, and drawing inspiration from amazing artists What you offer A strong and continually-expanding understanding of C++, including knowledge of how things work under the hood Solid knowledge of data structures and algorithms Experience with STL and modern C++ Passion in crafting high-quality code with attention to detail, readability and performance in mind Ability to design and implement APIs and frameworks as well as user-facing features You hold yourself to a high bar when it comes to engineering methodologies, like writing maintainable code, providing good documentation and embracing automated testing Love of the whole development cycle: From proposal and planning, to implementation, testing, optimization and deployment You listen well and communicate clearly and succinctly Four or more years of professional experience Nice to haves Prior exposure to performance profiling tools and workflows, parallel programming and multithreading, and cache-aware programming Experience programming on GNU/Linux Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or equivalent professional experience or education The hiring range for this position in Emeryville is $145,265.00 to $187,990.00 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. Pixar is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We know our storytelling is at its best when we include, celebrate and embrace difference. We strive to be a diverse workforce that is representative of our audiences, and where all can thrive and belong. We are committed to building a team that includes and respects a variety of voices, identities, backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. Pixar participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. | Follow us on X @PixarRecruiting. Pixar Animation Studios, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is an Academy Award®-winning film studio with world-renowned technical, creative and production capabilities in the art of computer animation. The Northern California studio has created some of the most successful and beloved animated films of all time, including “Toy Story,” “Monsters, Inc.,” “Cars,” “The Incredibles,” “Ratatouille,” “WALL•E,” “Up,” “Brave,” “Inside Out,” “Coco” and “Turning Red.” Its movies and technology have won 40 Academy Awards® and the films have grossed more than $15 billion at the worldwide box office. "Elio," Pixar's 29th feature, releases in theaters June 13, 2025. Pixar's objective is to combine groundbreaking technology and world-class creative talent to develop computer-animated feature films with memorable characters and heartwarming stories that appeal to audiences of all ages. Pixar participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.

Back to blog

Common Interview Questions And Answers

1. HOW DO YOU PLAN YOUR DAY?

This is what this question poses: When do you focus and start working seriously? What are the hours you work optimally? Are you a night owl? A morning bird? Remote teams can be made up of people working on different shifts and around the world, so you won't necessarily be stuck in the 9-5 schedule if it's not for you...

2. HOW DO YOU USE THE DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION TOOLS IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS?

When you're working on a remote team, there's no way to chat in the hallway between meetings or catch up on the latest project during an office carpool. Therefore, virtual communication will be absolutely essential to get your work done...

3. WHAT IS "WORKING REMOTE" REALLY FOR YOU?

Many people want to work remotely because of the flexibility it allows. You can work anywhere and at any time of the day...

4. WHAT DO YOU NEED IN YOUR PHYSICAL WORKSPACE TO SUCCEED IN YOUR WORK?

With this question, companies are looking to see what equipment they may need to provide you with and to verify how aware you are of what remote working could mean for you physically and logistically...

5. HOW DO YOU PROCESS INFORMATION?

Several years ago, I was working in a team to plan a big event. My supervisor made us all work as a team before the big day. One of our activities has been to find out how each of us processes information...

6. HOW DO YOU MANAGE THE CALENDAR AND THE PROGRAM? WHICH APPLICATIONS / SYSTEM DO YOU USE?

Or you may receive even more specific questions, such as: What's on your calendar? Do you plan blocks of time to do certain types of work? Do you have an open calendar that everyone can see?...

7. HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE FILES, LINKS, AND TABS ON YOUR COMPUTER?

Just like your schedule, how you track files and other information is very important. After all, everything is digital!...

8. HOW TO PRIORITIZE WORK?

The day I watched Marie Forleo's film separating the important from the urgent, my life changed. Not all remote jobs start fast, but most of them are...

9. HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A MEETING AND PREPARE A MEETING? WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING DURING THE MEETING?

Just as communication is essential when working remotely, so is organization. Because you won't have those opportunities in the elevator or a casual conversation in the lunchroom, you should take advantage of the little time you have in a video or phone conference...

10. HOW DO YOU USE TECHNOLOGY ON A DAILY BASIS, IN YOUR WORK AND FOR YOUR PLEASURE?

This is a great question because it shows your comfort level with technology, which is very important for a remote worker because you will be working with technology over time...