Technical Direction Intern, DreamWorks Animation, Fall 2026

Job Position(s): Technical Direction Intern, DreamWorks Animation, Fall 2026

DreamWorks Animation is hiring a Technical Direction Intern for its feature animation pipeline team in the Los Angeles area for Fall 2026. This role sits inside the Technical Direction department, where you will write, test, and extend production tools that artists depend on to move shots through a large-scale feature animation pipeline. It suits a student or recent graduate with a programming foundation who wants hands-on experience inside a working animation studio, not a classroom simulation of one.

About the Role

The Technical Direction team at DreamWorks serves as the bridge between software infrastructure and the artists building feature films, keeping the production pipeline functional and giving artists better tools to do their work. As an intern in this department, you will work directly alongside Technical Directors on active feature animation productions, contributing to real tools that ship to production. A typical day involves writing code, troubleshooting issues artists surface, and supporting the data and administrative tasks that keep a pipeline organized.

Key Responsibilities

• Observe and assist Technical Directors in writing pipeline tools that support feature animation production workflows from asset creation through final output.
• Develop new software tools and applications built to the scale and performance demands of a major animation studio production environment.
• Test, debug, and extend existing tools and systems within the production pipeline to address artist-facing issues and technical debt.
• Provide direct technical support to production artists working in applications such as Maya, Houdini, and Nuke.
• Track and manage tasks using project-tracking software such as Jira or an equivalent production management system.
• Support data-wrangling and administrative tasks that maintain pipeline integrity across a feature animation production.

What You Bring

• Active enrollment in or recent graduation from an Associate, Bachelor, or Graduate program, within six months of graduation at time of application.
• Programming experience in Python, C++, or JavaScript, with a Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Visualization, or Digital Media background preferred.
• Familiarity with revision control systems such as Git and an understanding of digital content creation tools used in animation production.
• Knowledge of UX and UI concepts is a plus, as tool usability directly affects artist adoption on production.
• Must be authorized to work in the United States without visa sponsorship and able to report in person to Glendale, California on Tuesdays through Thursdays.

Why This Role

DreamWorks Animation has a production track record in feature animation that very few studios can match, and an internship here puts you inside an actual VFX pipeline on real productions rather than isolated training projects. The program includes executive speaker series, career development workshops, and art practice sessions that give you exposure beyond your immediate department. This is a part-time, in-person position running September 28 through December 3, 2026, with applications closing June 29, 2026 at 11:59pm PT, paying $17.87 per hour.

Apply now for the Technical Direction Intern position at DreamWorks Animation and get your start inside one of the most recognized feature animation studios in the industry.