Principal Gameplay Animator
$150,000–$175,000 year
On-siteSanta Monica, California, United States
Job Summary
Create high-quality gameplay animations establishing visual and gameplay standards for characters, creatures, and objects. Drive development of locomotion, traversal, combat, and interaction content while maintaining consistent artistic direction across features. Collaborate with Design, Engineering, and Technical Animation teams to implement systems enhancing gameplay feel and immersion. Mentor other animators, influence pipelines and workflows, and ensure animations meet performance constraints for multiple platforms. Review deliverables from outsourced and co-development partners to uphold quality standards. Stay current with industry trends in animation and realistic character performance. This role combines hands-on development with leadership to shape the player experience for our AAA open world action-adventure game.
Required Qualifications
- 7+ years of experience in animation within the video game industry
- Proficiency in Maya and other industry-standard animation tools
- Multiple shipped AAA titles in a gameplay animation role
- Strong understanding of Unreal Engine 5 animation systems, including Animation Blueprints, State Machines, Blend Spaces, Control Rig, and Motion Matching workflows
- Strong understanding of anatomy, motion, and weight in animation
- Experience with both keyframe animation and motion capture techniques
- Proven track record of leading animation teams and delivering high-quality content
- Ability to work collaboratively across departments and communicate effectively
- Strong problem-solving abilities with a balance of artistic vision and technical execution
- Self-motivated, organized, and able to drive complex initiatives with minimal oversight
- Experience developing animation systems AAA titles or games with a focus on realistic animation
- Experience with creature animation and complex character rigs
- Deep knowledge of traversal and combat animation
- Experience with motion matching, procedural animation, and physics-driven systems
- Experience building or improving animation pipelines and tools
- Experience working with external vendors and co-development partners
- Passion for open world gameplay, player expression, and immersive character performance
- Full-time job
- Role is on-site in Santa Monica, CA
- Office is located near downtown Santa Monica – near metro and freeways
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