Lead Gameplay Animator

Striking Distance Studios • San Ramon, CA

10d • $120,000 - $166,000

About The Position

Welcome to Striking Distance Studios! Driven by people. Inspired by challenges. Relentless to deliver creative excellence. At the intersection of art, design and technology lies Striking Distance Studios. We are a AAA development studio within the San Ramon Hills of the San Francisco Bay Area. Here at Striking Distance Studios it is amazing people, an immersive experience and a passion for excellence that drives us each day. We are looking for people who push themselves creatively and learn with every new challenge. We give you the setting and the opportunity to do work you are proud of. We’re looking for the best to come join us and become part of a world-class team. To us excellence is not a skill, but an attitude! THE OPPORTUNITY Striking Distance Studios is looking for a Lead Gameplay Animator (Player Feel) to define and drive the responsiveness and moment-to-moment feel of our playable characters on a new, unannounced UE5 title. This is a hands-on role focused on crafting and implementing gameplay animation that makes characters feel great to control. You will collaborate closely with Gameplay Design, Engineering, Audio, and VFX to ensure movement, combat, and interactions feel responsive, readable, and satisfying. You will lead a small animation team that includes a gameplay animator and a technical animator, guiding gameplay animation quality while remaining a strong individual contributor. What You’ll Own The player feel of our playable characters , including movement, traversal, ranged and melee combat, and interactions. The quality and direction of core gameplay animation systems , including locomotion, state machines, blending, and gameplay-driven animation events. Close collaboration between animation, design, and engineering to translate gameplay systems into responsive, readable character behavior. Animation-driven feedback working in concert with audio and VFX . The moment-to-moment quality and responsiveness of character control , refined through playtesting and iteration.

Requirements

• 7+ years of gameplay animation experience in the video game industry, including at least one shipped console or PC title in a senior or lead role.
• Strong reel demonstrating gameplay animation with an emphasis on responsiveness, readability, and character performance in gameplay.
• Portfolio or demo reel required. Reel should include gameplay animation shown in context, demonstrating player-controlled movement, combat, or locomotion.
• Professional experience working in Unreal Engine . Experience with UE5 preferred.
• Deep understanding of body mechanics, locomotion, and animation principles , and how they impact player control and responsiveness.
• Experience developing gameplay animation for action-oriented character gameplay , including considerations for camera behavior and networked gameplay.
• Strong collaboration skills when working closely with designers and engineers to iterate on gameplay feel.

Responsibilities

• Create and implement gameplay animations that drive the responsiveness and feel of player movement, combat, and interactions.
• Collaborate with the animation team and engineers to implement and tune animation systems in Unreal Engine to support responsive gameplay.
• Work closely with gameplay designers, engineers, and the Creative Director to align animation with gameplay timing, mechanics, and player feedback.
• Iterate on animation and player feel through playtesting and hands-on tuning.
• Help guide gameplay animation quality across the animation team through feedback, collaboration, and example.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed