Jack Zhao
About Jack Zhao
Jack Zhao is a Senior Software Engineer at Pixar Animation Studios, where he has worked since 2018. He has extensive experience in software development, including significant contributions to code migration and package management solutions.
Work at Pixar Animation Studios
Jack Zhao has been employed at Pixar Animation Studios since 2018, currently holding the position of Senior Software Engineer. His tenure at Pixar spans over six years, during which he has contributed significantly to various projects. Prior to his current role, he worked as a Software Engineer In Test from 2011 to 2014 and as a Software Infrastructure Engineer from 2014 to 2018. In these roles, he played a crucial part in enhancing team standards for continuous integration, testing, packaging, and release management.
Education and Expertise
Jack Zhao earned a Bachelor of Applied Science in Computer Engineering from the University of Toronto, completing his studies from 2006 to 2011. His educational background provides a strong foundation in software engineering principles and practices. This expertise has been instrumental in his career, particularly in his roles at Pixar, where he has led significant projects and advocated for devops best practices.
Background in Software Development
Before joining Pixar, Jack Zhao gained experience as a Component Quality Engineer Intern at AMD from 2009 to 2010. He also worked as a Sales Associate at 7-Eleven from 2008 to 2009. His diverse background in both technical and customer-facing roles has equipped him with a well-rounded skill set, enabling effective communication and problem-solving in complex system environments.
Key Contributions and Projects
Jack Zhao has led the development of a package management solution that allows the platform team to manage over 2000 dependency software packages. He was also instrumental in migrating a large code base of approximately 10 million lines from Python 2 to Python 3. Additionally, he developed a tool and library for transporting code changes between Perforce and Git, which improved cross-studio collaboration. His contributions have had a lasting impact on the efficiency and effectiveness of software development processes.
Involvement in Team Development
In his roles at Pixar, Jack Zhao has actively participated in the hiring process by interviewing and assessing potential candidates. He has also authored and maintained numerous tutorials and documentation for various tools and processes, demonstrating his commitment to knowledge sharing and team development. His regular technical consultations and user support have helped maintain high-quality communication within the team.