Senior Technical Animator

Description

Join the development team as a senior technical animator to help shape advanced animation systems and runtime character performance in Unreal Engine 5.

You will work with game developers to build scalable technical solutions and animation workflows that support immersive gameplay in a AAA game with a richly imagined world.

The company makes games that move players, built through open collaboration, learning through play, and ownership of work.

Responsibilities

• Implement and configure animation assets and systems directly in Unreal Engine 5.
• Build, maintain, and optimize complex Animation Blueprints and runtime procedural systems, including cloth, IK, and secondary dynamics.
• Tune and troubleshoot Motion Matching and advanced locomotion so movement feels fluid and responsive.
• Keep animation assets, runtime systems, and editor frameworks optimized for smooth performance and efficient memory use.
• Diagnose and fix technical animation issues across Maya and the game engine.
• Work with animation and engineering leads to refine authoring pipelines, document tools and processes, and mentor team members on best practices.
• Collaborate closely with design, art, engineering, animation, and audio teams, stay current on new technology, and find solutions to development obstacles.

Requirements

• 5+ years of professional technical animation experience in video game development, including at least one shipped AAA title.
• Deep practical knowledge of UE5 animation tools, including Animation Blueprints, Control Rigs, Montages, Notifies, and the Rewind Debugger.
• Thorough understanding of procedural runtime animation technologies such as Motion Matching, Motion Warping, Control Rigs, Full-Body IK, Retargeting, Ragdoll, and Cloth.
• Solid grasp of human anatomy and kinesiology, including how skeletal mechanics drive deformation rigs and realistic performance.
• Clear understanding of traditional animation principles and how to apply them within real-time gameplay constraints.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, able to explain complex ideas to varied audiences and give difficult feedback with empathy and professionalism.
• Experience working in cross-disciplinary teams.
• A reliable, positive team member who looks for ways to integrate work across disciplines and supports a healthy team environment.
• Persistent, self-motivated, and proactive.
• Able to keep quality and effectiveness high under pressure, ambiguity, and shifting priorities.
• An active listener who builds trust across all levels of the organization, understands differing views, and handles organizational complexity with tact and emotional intelligence.
• Open to feedback, eager to learn new skills, and able to make quick, quality revisions based on new insights or constraints.
• Takes ownership of tasks, drives work forward independently, and keeps a careful eye on detail and organization.
• Committed to the company's core values and to a positive, respectful culture aimed at excellence.

Conditions

The pay range for this role in California at the start of employment is $108,900 to $161,160 USD per year. Base pay depends on market location and may vary based on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and other objective business factors.

The total compensation package may also include a bonus, equity awards, and eligibility for the 401(K) plan and Employee Stock Purchase Program, subject to the same factors.

For candidates in Quebec, the role requires professional proficiency in French and English. English is needed to work with U.S. teams and international partners and to handle specialized technical documentation, including reading, writing, and speaking.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance for full-time employees.
• 14 paid holidays per calendar year.
• Paid vacation of 15 to 25 days per calendar year, or eligibility for the company's discretionary time off program.
• Up to 10 paid sick days per calendar year.
• Paid parental and compassionate leave.
• Wellbeing programs for mental health and other wellness support.
• Family planning support through Maven.
• Commuter benefits.
• Reimbursement for fitness-related expenses.