Senior Technical Animation Designer

2K•San Mateo, CA

17h•$108,000 - $152,500•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 are currently working on Project ETHOS, a new free-to-play, 3rd person rogue-like hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the genre! We are looking for a Senior Technical Animation Designer to be responsible for designing, creating, and maintaining animation systems that drive the gameplay motion of our characters. This will include features that support major gameplay mechanics, such as locomotion and abilities, UI selection animations, and procedural solutions. You will be a communication hub in addition to the technical aspect of the job. You’ll need to ensure that everyone has the information they need to be successful. This role is focused on technical animation, but will also work with design and engineering teams to translate needs across those subject areas.

Requirements

Shipped at least one AAA title with 4+ years of professional animation experience in Maya
Strong understanding of third-person shooter mechanics and in-engine animation systems (state machines, blendspaces, animation graphs)
Proficient with run-time and procedural animation tools such as IK, Control Rig, retargeting, ragdolls, and motion matching
Experienced in Unreal Engine (2+ years), including scripting with Blueprints and/or C++, and solid foundation in vector math and code concepts.
Skilled at bridging disciplines with strong problem-solving and communication abilities.
Continuously up to date with the latest in Unreal, Maya, and animation technologies; portfolio demonstrating expertise.

Responsibilities

Collaborate closely with teams across Animation, Engineering, and Design to help deliver a cohesive, high-quality animation style that supports an immersive gameplay experience.
Work with key stakeholders to define goals and implement scalable solutions that streamline animation content creation and integration.
Take initiative in building and refining animation systems, carefully balancing performance needs with desired in-game behaviors.
Provide and offer technical support and mentorship to animators, contributing to their development while promoting effective cross-disciplinary communication.
Regularly document processes and share insights to help improve team workflows and knowledge sharing.

Benefits

medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance coverage
14 paid holidays per calendar year
paid vacation time per calendar year (ranging from 15 to 25 days) or eligibility to participate in 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
reimbursements for fitness-related expenses
bonus and/or equity awards and eligibility to participate in our 401(K) plan and Employee Stock Purchase Program