Senior Animation Programmer

Gameloft; City of Brisbane; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work model

Private health insurance

Learning and development opportunities

Employee referral program with bonuses

Wellbeing support

Paid parental leave

Job summary

Gameloft Brisbane seeks a Senior Animation Programmer to design, implement, and optimize animation systems within Unreal Engine, mentoring juniors and collaborating with animators and gameplay programmers.

You will focus on character locomotion, state machines, and tools, delivering high-fidelity animation across consoles and PC while staying ahead with motion matching and ML-driven techniques.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional games programming with animation focus.
• Proven shipped UE4/UE5 experience with Animation Blueprints, Control Rig, Skeletal Mesh.
• Strong C++, and Blueprint scripting for prototyping.
• Deep understanding of animation fundamentals: blending, layering, root motion, state machines.
• Experience optimizing animation performance for multi-platform titles.
• Collaborative with animators and technical artists.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain animation systems using Unreal Engine.
• Develop and optimize character locomotion, state machines, blend spaces, IK.
• Collaborate with animators and technical artists to build tools and rigs.
• Integrate animation-driven systems with combat, traversal, physics.
• Profile and optimize animation performance across consoles and PC.
• Mentor junior and mid-level programmers; share best practices.
• Stay current with advances like motion matching and ML-driven animation.

Skills

C++

Animation systems

State machines

IK

Profiling

Blueprint scripting

Tools

Unreal Engine

Animation Blueprint

Control Rig

Skeletal Mesh pipeline

Job description

Job Description

We are looking for a Senior Animation Programmer to join our engineering team and help build the systems that bring our characters and worlds to life. You will design, implement, and optimize animation technology within Unreal Engine, working closely with animators, designers, and gameplay programmers to deliver responsive, high-fidelity character movement and combat/interaction systems. This is a senior, hands-on role with significant influence over technical direction, tooling, and mentorship of junior engineers.

What it means on a daily basis

• Design, build, and maintain animation systems using Unreal Engine's Animation Blueprint, Control Rig, and Animation Framework.
• Develop and optimize character locomotion, state machines, blend spaces, IK solvers, and procedural animation systems.
• Collaborate closely with animators and technical artists to build robust, artist-friendly tools and rigs.
• Partner with gameplay programmers to integrate animation-driven systems with combat, traversal, and physics.
• Profile and optimize animation performance across target platforms (consoles, PC).
• Debug and resolve complex animation and synchronization issues.
• Contribute to technical design documents and provide input on engine architecture decisions.
• Mentor junior and mid-level programmers, and champion best practices in animation programming.
• Stay current with advances in animation technology (e.g., motion matching, ML-driven animation) and evaluate their applicability.

What success will look like

Success in this role means delivering robust, high-quality animation systems that make characters feel responsive, believable, and engaging while meeting the performance demands of the game. You’ll take ownership of animation features from concept through to implementation and optimisation, work closely with animators, designers, technical artists, and gameplay programmers, and help establish effective tools and workflows for the wider team. As a senior member of the engineering team, you’ll also contribute to technical direction, solve complex animation challenges, share your expertise, and mentor other programmers while helping push the quality and capabilities of the studio’s animation technology.

Your Recruitment Journey

• First stage: A qualification call with the recruitment team
• Second stage: Interview with the Studio Technical Director + Lead Engineer
• Third stage: TBC

Qualifications

What you need to succeed

• 5+ years of professional experience in games programming, with a strong focus on animation systems.
• Proven, shipped experience with Unreal Engine (UE4 and/or UE5), including Animation Blueprints, Control Rig, and the Skeletal Mesh pipeline.
• Strong proficiency in C++; solid understanding of Blueprint scripting for prototyping and tools.
• Deep understanding of animation fundamentals: blending, layering, additive animation, IK, root motion, and state machines.
• Experience optimizing animation performance and memory for real-time, multi-platform titles.
• Strong collaboration skills and experience working directly with animators and technical artists.
• Solid understanding of 3D math (quaternions, matrices, vectors) as applied to skeletal animation.
• Excellent debugging, profiling, and problem-solving skills.

Desirables

• Experience with motion matching, procedural animation, or physics-based animation (e.g., ragdoll, active ragdoll).
• Experience with networked/replicated animation systems in multiplayer titles.
• Familiarity with animation compression techniques and custom animation runtime pipelines.
• Experience building custom in-engine tools or editor plugins for animation workflows.
• Background in engine-level or middleware animation system development.
• Experience with console platform certification requirements (PlayStation, Xbox, Switch).
• Prior experience mentoring or leading a small team of engineers.

Key Compentencies

• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Ability to balance visual quality and performance.
• Excellent communication and cross-disciplinary collaboration skills.
• Passion for high-quality visuals and technical innovation.
• Proactive ownership of features from concept to ship.

Additional Information

What's in it for you

Perks & benefits:

• A flexible work model that supports work-life balance
• Subsidised car parking
• Ongoing learning and development opportunities to support career growth
• An employee referral program with generous bonuses
• Private health insurance and fitness subsidies
• Access to employee mental health and wellbeing support
• Paid parental leave
• Childcare assistance
• A dedicated relaxation space, including a massage chair
• Additional paid leave, including: Birthday leave, Christmas shutdown leave, Volunteer leave, Women's health leave
• Free coffee from a commercial espresso machine, plus daily snacks and a light breakfast
• Friday social drinks with friendly game tournaments
• A stunning rooftop terrace with river views and a games room
• Exclusive Gameloft-branded merchandise

Life at Gameloft

Gameloft Brisbane, part of the global Gameloft family, opened its doors in 2014 and has since delivered hit titles such as Zombie Anarchy, Ballistic Baseball, My Little Pony: Mane Merge, the multi-award-winning The Oregon TrailTM, and Carmen Sandiego.

Today, we are the largest video game studio in Queensland, employing more than 130 talented professionals across programming, art, design, production, QA, audio, marketing, administration and management. Together, we create immersive gaming experiences enjoyed by millions of players around the world.

We are proud to be developing Bluey's Happy Snaps, bringing one of Australia's most iconic IPs to life in a brand-new interactive experience. As we continue to grow, we’re also working on a range of exciting unannounced projects that will help shape the future of our studio.

At Gameloft Brisbane, people are at the heart of everything we do. Our studio fosters a collaborative, creative and inclusive workplace where everyone has the opportunity to contribute, learn and grow. We are proud to be Great Place to Work Certified for 2025-2026, recognising our strong culture, inclusive practices and ongoing commitment to employee wellbeing.

Employee wellbeing is a top priority, supported by flexible work arrangements, wellness initiatives, career development opportunities and world-class facilities. We actively invest in our people’s growth through mentorship, training programs, industry events and speaking opportunities that encourage everyone to develop their skills and make an impact.

As pioneers in Brisbane's game development industry, we continue to push the boundaries of cross-platform game development while creating unforgettable experiences for players around the world. Whether you're an experienced professional or just starting your career, you’ll find a supportive environment where creativity, collaboration and innovation thrive.

Gameloft Brisbane is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to fostering diversity and inclusivity within our work environment.

Driven by a strong studio culture and a passion for creating meaningful experiences, we build games that resonate with players around the world.