Sarah McGee

Entertainment Technology Leader
Los Angeles, California

Expertise in managing computer graphics application development for the entertainment industry in the areas of virtual reality, animation, and visual effects. Passionate about building and leading highly effective multi-disciplinary teams.

Experience

VR Tools Software Engineering Manager

Oculus VR

  • Managed 14 reports, consisting of 11 software engineers and 3 tech leads across 2 teams responsible for developing 3D asset review and validation tools for internal artists on the Oculus Avatars product for upcoming hardware launches.
  • Grew team for high priority effort from 4 to 14 software engineers by hiring and onboarding 3 tech leads and 7 software engineers.

April 2022 - Current

VR Animation Software Engineering Manager

Oculus VR

  • Managed 10 software engineers across 2 teams responsible for developing tools for internal artists on the Oculus Avatars product and for developing tools for external customers on the Oculus Rift and Oculus Quest for creating and viewing VR Animation.
  • Created strategy for innovation in real-time 3D animation production tools in VR.
  • Led product management initiative and roadmap for rapid prototyping of new user interfaces and workflows.
  • Coordinated initiative between engineering, product, design, art, and translation to deliver Japanese localization for VR Animation media app in 3 months as an Oculus Quest 2 launch title for Japan.

January 2020 – Apr 2022

Pipeline Software Development Manager

Zoic Studios

  • Managed team of 7 software developers and technical directors across VFX pipeline and client data visualization projects to create new revenue streams and to reduce artist costs.
  • Led project management for data visualization VR experience on HTC Vive for Capital One.
  • Spearheaded new business development initiatives.
  • Led project management for multi-million dollar, large touch screen software application project.
  • Led initiative to integrate Houdini into pipeline to improve quality of FX elements.
  • Collaborated with IT team and BC Pipeline team to deploy Google Cloud job submission management system to increase render capacity by 300% and reduce per node costs by 23%.
  • Hired and onboarded 7 new developers and technical directors over 3 years.

June 2016 – December 2019

Pipeline Tools Developer

Zoic Studios

  • Developed photogrammetry tools for virtual sets featured in the VES-nominated “Once Upon a Time” pilot and Universal Studios Virtual Stage demo.
  • Created previs tools for virtual stage sets on the iPad for “Once Upon a Time”, “Once Upon a Time in Wonderland”, “Intelligence”, and “Pan Am”.

September 2009 – June 2016

Skills

Technical

  • Python
  • C#
  • C++
  • VEX
  • MEL
  • OpenGL

  • Houdini
  • Maya
  • Nuke
  • V-Ray
  • Mantra
  • Shotgrid

  • Shotgun
  • PySide
  • PyQt
  • Unreal Engine 4
  • Unity

Foreign Language

  • Intermediate Japanese

Education

Carnegie Mellon University

Masters in Entertainment Technology

Pittsburgh, PA

May 2010

Rice University

B.S. Cum Laude in Electrical and Computer Engineering

Houston, TX

May 2008

Reel

Resume

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