Automation Specialist / Developer for 360° Panorama Image Stitching & Post-Processing Pipeline

Hi everyone! We are looking for an experienced automation expert or developer to help us streamline and automate our panoramic image post-processing workflow. Currently, our standard process involves capturing 4 images at 90° intervals using a fisheye lens. We manually use Lightroom, PTGui, and Photoshop for the post-processing, but we want to transition to a fully automated, scalable pipeline. We are completely open to a brand-new, programmatic solution! Key Requirements & Scope: * Automated Stitching: Seamlessly stitch 4 fisheye source images into a high-quality equirectangular panorama. * Horizon Straightening: Automatic leveling and alignment of the horizon. * Nadir & Zenith Retouching: Automatic retouching / patching/removal of the tripod/nadir cap and clean blending of the zenith. * Color Grading / Pre-processing: Integration of basic batch color grading, exposure matching, or HDR blending. Technical Approaches We Are Open To: 1. Programmatic Solution: A custom pipeline built from scratch (e.g., Python, OpenCV, Panotools/Hugin libraries) that runs via script/server. 2. Tool-Based Automation: Automating our existing stack using the PTGui CLI (Command Line Interface) combined with Photoshop Scripting (ExtendScript/Python). Your Profile: * Proven experience with 360° image processing algorithms and panorama stitching. * Strong programming skills (Python, C++, or advanced scripting for creative suites). * Experience building robust, headless workflows that can handle large batches of images efficiently. If you have successfully built similar 360° pipelines before, please share a brief summary of your approach and the tools you recommend. Looking forward to your proposals!