Hybrid Generalist (PH)

Job ID 10146840 Location Burbank, California, United States Business The Walt Disney Studios Date posted Mar. 25, 2026

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Job Summary:

We are seeking a Hybrid Generalist with deep expertise in advanced 3D compositing and applied emerging and generative technologies. This role is recognized as a go-to expert within the organization, accountable for solving the most complex creative and technical challenges and for shaping how emerging technologies are operationalized within production.

This position operates with a high degree of autonomy, translating ambiguous creative and production objectives into scalable, production-ready solutions that influence project direction, resource allocation, and workflow strategy. The role balances creative intent, technical feasibility, and production realities, delivering consistently shot-ready results while driving the evolution of pipelines, tools, and methodologies across shows.

As a senior technical authority and creative thought partner, you will evaluate, adapt, and deploy new technologies in real production contexts, guiding decision-making at the project and functional level. While this role has no formal people management responsibilities, it exerts significant influence through technical leadership, mentorship, and cross-functional collaboration.

This is a 7 month Project Hire.

Key Responsibilities:

Technical & Creative Leadership

Serve as a recognized expert in advanced compositing and hybrid CG/ML workflows, delivering high-quality, shot-ready work that meets or exceeds studio standards.
Act as a technical authority and advisor to creative leadership, production, and engineering partners on complex, high-risk shots and workflows.
Lead the technical strategy for applying emerging and generative technologies to production needs, focusing on reliability, repeatability, and artistic control rather than exploratory output alone.

Emerging & Generative Technologies

Design, train, fine-tune, and adapt models using techniques such as LoRA, IP adapters, Gaussian Splatting, and custom PyTorch pipelines to solve production-scale challenges.
Evaluate new ML and generative approaches, identifying failure modes, constraints, and opportunities, and translating findings into actionable production guidance.
Combine machine learning techniques with traditional compositing and CG methods to improve iteration speed, consistency, and visual fidelity at scale.

Pipeline & Workflow Ownership

Architect and implement end-to-end workflows that integrate emerging technology outputs into established pipelines (modeling, texturing, layout, lighting, compositing).
Own workflow reliability, scalability, and performance, proactively identifying bottlenecks and driving continuous improvement based on production feedback.
Partner with Senior Technology Workflow TDs to transition successful prototypes into fully supported production-integrated tools and pipelines.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Influence

Collaborate closely with Machine Learning Engineers, translating research prototypes into artist-usable, production-ready systems.
Provide clear, structured, and prioritized feedback to development teams on usability, limitations, and readiness for deployment.
Influence technical and creative direction across multiple projects, often working directly with senior leaders on high-impact initiatives.

Advanced Shot & Asset Work

Create, modify, and render complex 3D elements as required to support compositing using Maya, Blender, and/or Unreal Engine.
Ensure outputs meet the highest standards for visual quality, continuity, and integration within live-action and CG environments.
Standards, Mentorship & Knowledge Sharing
Set and model best practices for organization, naming, versioning, documentation, and handoff.
Mentor senior and mid-level artists and technologists through technical guidance and knowledge sharing, without formal supervisory responsibility.
Contribute to internal standards, documentation, and technical reviews that raise overall capability across the function.

Required Qualifications:

10+ years of experience in compositing supervision or senior-level compositing roles on visually complex feature films or equivalent high-end productions.
Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts, Computer Science, or related field.
Expert-level knowledge of advanced compositing workflows and strong artistic judgment in high-pressure production environments.
Deep practical understanding of neural networks and generative systems, including how prompting, conditioning, and model architecture impact consistency, fidelity, and failure modes.
Advanced Python proficiency for scripting, automation, workflow orchestration, and tool development.
Demonstrated success applying emerging and generative technologies directly within production pipelines, not solely in R&D contexts.
Proven ability to create and integrate 3D elements for shot work using Maya, Blender, and/or Unreal Engine.
Significant experience with ComfyUI, including complex graph design, extensions, and custom node development.
Ability to work independently with minimal guidance, while influencing broader technical and creative strategy across projects.

The hiring range for this position in Burbank, CA is $158,800.00 to $205,400.00 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. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.

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About The Walt Disney Studios:

For over 95 years, The Walt Disney Studios has been the foundation on which The Walt Disney Company was built. Today it brings quality movies, episodic storytelling, music, and stage plays to consumers throughout the world. The Walt Disney Studios encompasses a collection of respected film studios, including Disney, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios, and Searchlight Pictures. It is also home to Disney Theatrical Productions, producer of world-class stage shows.

About The Walt Disney Company:

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise that includes three core business segments: Disney Entertainment, ESPN, and Disney Experiences. From humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to its preeminent name in the entertainment industry today, Disney proudly continues its legacy of creating world-class stories and experiences for every member of the family. Disney’s stories, characters and experiences reach consumers and guests from every corner of the globe. With operations in more than 40 countries, our employees and cast members work together to create entertainment experiences that are both universally and locally cherished.

This position is with Walt Disney Pictures, which is part of a business we call The Walt Disney Studios.

Walt Disney Pictures is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military or veteran status, medical condition, genetic information or disability, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state or local law. Disney champions a business environment where ideas and decisions from all people help us grow, innovate, create the best stories and be relevant in a constantly evolving world.

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The Walt Disney Company and its Affiliated Companies are Equal Employment Opportunity employers and welcome all job seekers including individuals with disabilities and veterans with disabilities. If you have a disability and believe you need a reasonable accommodation in order to search for a job opening or apply for a position, visit the Disney candidate disability accommodations FAQs. We will only respond to those requests that are related to the accessibility of the online application system due to a disability.

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Explore this Location Burbank, CA

Billed as the "Media Capital of the World," Burbank boasts more than 1,000 media and entertainment companies, including the main headquarters for The Walt Disney Company.