Animation Art Intern - Summer 2027
About The Position
As an Animation Artist Intern at Riot, you will bring champions and characters to life using classic animation principles and body mechanics. You will create high-quality animations for a diverse and expanding universe, including bipeds, quadrupeds, and creatures, and help expand the content pipeline by collaborating with designers and artists to develop new features and technologies. Applicants select a preferred product. On Teamfight Tactics, the work includes animating champions, creatures, and props while balancing animation principles with strict gameplay requirements. You will hand-key and edit animations in Maya, learn League’s proprietary game engine, and implement assets in Unreal Engine. On League of Legends, you will focus on champion animation, collaborating with animators to incorporate character lore, motivations, and identity into impactful performances. Animations are hand-keyed in Maya and implemented in Riot’s proprietary game engine. Both product teams provide an onboarding partner and team or mentor support. The internship requires full-time availability for 10–12 weeks at Riot’s Los Angeles Headquarters and authorization to work in the United States for the program’s duration. The position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applications close Monday, January 4th, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
Requirements
- Currently enrolled in a college, university, or non-degree program.
- Available to work full-time hours for 10–12 weeks at the Los Angeles Headquarters.
- Legally authorized to work in the United States for the duration of the program; visa sponsorship is not available.
- Experience creating action- and combat-based animations, including locomotion cycles for characters and creatures of diverse shapes and sizes.
- Experience with Maya.
Nice To Haves
- Gaming-specific animations through professional or personal work.
- Experience with Unreal Engine and Animation Blueprints.
- A portfolio or reel that demonstrates varied body types, action-oriented game animation, and strong animation fundamentals, including weight, anticipation, and impact.
- A personal connection to games, player empathy, and care for player experiences.
Responsibilities
- Create high-quality animations for a diverse and expanding universe, including bipeds, quadrupeds, and monsters.
- Help develop new features and technologies to expand the content pipeline.
- Collaborate with designers and artists to create animation assets that fulfill project game and visual design requirements.
- Recognize opportunities and help other animators reach AAA-title standards.
- Consistently meet project deadlines without compromising artistic integrity.
- Balance craft and product feedback with empathy and a focus on player value.
- Communicate proactively by collaborating, directing next steps, and providing clear goals and outcomes to the team.
- For Teamfight Tactics, hand-key and edit animations in Maya and implement assets in Unreal Engine.
- For League of Legends, create hand-keyed champion animations in Maya and implement them in Riot’s proprietary game engine.
Benefits
- Paid internship.
- Eligibility to participate in the 401(k) plan.
- In-game perks.
- Ability to participate in the Play Fund.
- Intern-focused events to connect with fellow interns and Rioters.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Intern
Education Level
No Education Listed
