Expert Animator

2K•San Mateo, CA

4h•$123,200 - $182,360•Hybrid

About The Position

We are a diverse team of developers driven by a passion for our art, united by our core values and inspired by a culture of inclusivity to build amazing games that thrill players everywhere. We pursue growth and innovation in an environment of safety and trust. Our culture is built on the belief that the more varied voices in our collective will strengthen our team and our games. We are looking for our next teammate who will raise our bar and make us better. We’re looking for an Expert Animator who can bridge the gap between compelling character performance and responsive gameplay. In this role, you’ll partner closely with animation, design, and engineering teams to create and implement high-quality keyframe animation for both human and non-human characters, bringing them to life through expressive movement and gameplay-driven performance. We’re seeking an inspired problem-solver who is passionate about animation craft, champions high standards, pushes for continuous improvement, embraces change, and challenges the status quo. The ideal candidate is highly detail-oriented, thrives in a deadline-driven environment, and can adapt quickly within a fast-growing organization.

Requirements

6-8+ years of experience in game development, including at least one shipped AAA title in an animation role.
Expert-level proficiency in gameplay animation using industry-standard 3D software, with strong experience in Maya preferred.
Demonstrated ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced development environment, quickly prioritizing tasks and solving creative and technical challenges.
Adaptable and responsive to creative feedback and changing project needs, with the ability to pivot direction while maintaining quality and momentum.
An animation reel that demonstrates high-quality hand-key examples.
Familiar with Unreal Engine, including animation systems, asset integration, and runtime considerations.
Familiarity with Unreal Sequencer, camera language, and in-game cinematic workflows.
Experience working with Perforce and managing assets in large-scale, multi-team environments.
Excellent communication, collaboration, and organizational skills, with a proactive and solution-oriented approach to problem solving.

Nice To Haves

Experience creating cinematic sequences, character performances, and story-driven animation that enhances narrative and emotional impact.
Experience with non-linear video editing, including pacing, shot composition, cuts, transitions, and visual storytelling techniques.

Responsibilities

Create high-quality in-game animations that support responsive, polished gameplay.
Implement animations directly in Unreal using the project’s animation system and Blueprints.
Set up animation blends, overlays, events, and related systems in Unreal.
Iterate on animation and player feel through playtesting and hands-on tuning.
Develop quick animation prototypes for new gameplay features, such as combat abilities, character actions, or cinematic sequences.
Help define, maintain, and elevate the animation style and quality bar by creating clear examples, documenting standards, and sharing best practices with the team.
Prototype and validate new approaches to character movement and gameplay animation.
Partner with Technical Animation to explore and refine locomotion and overall character motion, ensuring the smoothest and most polished player experience possible.
Collaborate closely with fellow animators to elevate the overall quality of the team's work, foster knowledge sharing, and inspire creative growth while serving as a benchmark for animation excellence.
Proactively coordinate and maintain strong cross-disciplinary communication with Production, Design, Art, Audio, and VFX to ensure the successful delivery of your areas of responsibility.
Work together with character artists and riggers to establish both core and secondary functionality of our characters.