Desktop Support Engineer

Flying Bark Productions is a dynamic and innovative animation studio dedicated to pushing the boundaries of character animation and storytelling. We are working on exciting projects such as Avatar: The Last Airbender feature film, Netflix's Ghostbusters animated series and Stranger Things animated series as well as upcoming feature film, Zac Power.

Flying Bark's Madrid studio is a busy, creatively driven production environment where artists and production teams depend on IT to keep them unblocked. The Desktop Support Engineer is the hands-on technical backbone of IT support in the Madrid studio.

This role is responsible for providing frontline helpdesk support and maintaining the production desktop systems, from troubleshooting hardware, OS, and VFX software issues through to workstation deployment and infrastructure support as directed by senior IT staff. You are flexible, results-focused, and empathetic to your users' needs and the deadlines and production pressures they experience. You are resilient, approachable, and you understand that in a studio making animated TV shows and films, a highly technical role serves a highly creative field.

About the role:

Studio Support

• Provide user helpdesk support, ensuring helpdesk requests are addressed in a timely fashion and escalated as appropriate
• Troubleshoot base computer hardware and OS issues as well as VFX software issues, including problem resolution for applications such as Nuke and Maya
• Troubleshoot Active Directory, FreeNAS: identify workstation issues, along with server and/or network-services issues
• Participate in troubleshooting for internally developed applications
• Ensure incidents are communicated clearly and promptly to affected stakeholders

Workstation Deployment and Show Onboarding

• WDS, WSUS: install and deploy new and/or rebuild existing workstations, configure hardware, peripherals, services, and settings in accordance with standards and project/operational requirements
• Ensure all facets of deployments are completed properly, including workstation patching, UPS allocation, and provisioning of proper peripheral equipment
• Support MDM solutions (e.g. Jamf, Kandji, Mosyle, or similar) for macOS fleet management
• Manage macOS deployment, imaging, and OS upgrades
• Coordinate planned maintenance and upgrades with production teams to minimise disruption

Onboarding, Offboarding and Access Management

• Manage the onboarding and offboarding of users to IT systems, creating and terminating user accounts according to protocol, ensuring that they have the correct access rights to data on the company system
• Ensure Active Directory objects are correctly located within OU structure and ensure that related documentation is maintained accurately
• Ensure onboarding and offboarding is performed according to procedure and continuously improve the processes and tools toward that goal

Asset Management, Documentation and Reporting

• Ensure proper record keeping and tracking of users, systems and software, regularly reconciling tracking with utilisation, inventory control, user licences, and computer access to the network
• Maintain and update both the asset management systems for hardware and software assets and the DevOps wiki and Confluence knowledge base, ensuring accuracy
• Bacula, BareOS, ZFS replication: schedule testing of backup systems to ensure confidence in the system
• Support physical security systems and ensure proper functioning, both in-house and cloud application configuration and usage
• Asset tagging and tracking data to ensure best management of computing resources
• Perform periodic performance reporting to support capacity planning

Continuous Improvement

• Participate in technical research and testing in conjunction with the IT team, with an expectation that when you identify deficiencies or opportunities for improvement you take this to the project stage to implement the improvement
• Participate in supporting other team initiatives
• Other duties and projects as assigned

About you:

Experience and Background

• Formal education and/or certification in computer systems preferred, such as A+ credentials
• Two to four years system helpdesk experience in a Media/Entertainment environment
• Experience in Media/VFX or High Throughput Computing environments preferred
• Experience supporting users in a fast-paced creative or production environment
• Comfortable supporting hybrid or remote macOS and Windows users
• RHEL and/or Windows, and/or CCNA certification preferred

Windows Administration

• Solid experience and fluency in Windows required
• WDS, WSUS: install and deploy new and/or rebuild existing workstations, configure hardware, peripherals, services, and settings in accordance with standards and project/operational requirements
• Ensure all facets of deployments are completed properly, including workstation patching, UPS allocation, and provisioning of proper peripheral equipment
• Experience administering Active Directory

macOS Administration

• Proven experience providing desktop support for macOS (OS X) in a professional or studio environment
• Strong understanding of Apple hardware (MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac Studio) and common peripherals
• Experience with macOS troubleshooting, including user accounts, permissions, networking, and performance issues
• Familiarity with Apple ecosystem tools (iCloud, Time Machine, FileVault, Keychain)
• Experience with MDM solutions (e.g. Jamf, Kandji, Mosyle, or similar)
• Knowledge of macOS deployment, imaging, and OS upgrades
• Understanding of security best practices on macOS (updates, access control, encryption)

Production and Creative Tools

• Experience supporting creative software on macOS (e.g. Adobe Creative Cloud, animation or VFX tools)
• Experience with Visual Effects applications strongly preferred; these applications include Nuke, Maya, Houdini, After Effects, and Tractor
• In-house and cloud application configuration and usage

Networking, Infrastructure and Scripting

• Working knowledge of basic TCP/IP and its standard administration (DNS, DHCP/Static, etc.) required
• Basic experience with Layer 1–3 networking required, including configuration of static IP addresses, configuration of switches, standard cabling and patching (copper/fibre) techniques and ability to make cables
• Good understanding of VLANs and basic firewall operations
• Experience with floating licence servers (FlexLM, RLM, etc.)
• Solid experience and fluency in Linux required; experience or background with Linux systems preferred
• Basic scripting experience in Bash, Windows CMD/PowerShell, or Python
  

What do we do?

Flying Bark Productions is a renowned independent producer of family-focused animation entertainment. For over 50 years, our 2D and 3D production facility has created award-winning feature films and TV series.

Why work with us? 

• We work on some pretty cool projects - check out our website: https://www.flyingbark.com.au/ 
• We love dogs and you will often see some of our regular fluffy companions in the studio. 
• We have a hybrid approach to work. For this particular position, full remote could be an option.
• Career development is important to us so we offer training and support opportunities whenever possible. 
• Our employees say our culture is the best they've ever experienced - everyone is welcome and celebrated! 

Flying Bark Productions is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.