Lead Animation Engineer (Apex Legends)

Electronic Arts; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 141,000 - 204,000; Full time

Job summary

Respawn Entertainment is seeking a Lead Animation Engineer to own the technical direction of Apex Legends' animation systems, defining architecture and priorities while guiding a small team.

You will work with animators, riggers, and engineers to translate creative goals into robust, high-performance tech in a proprietary engine, shaping future experiences.

Qualifications

• Deep C++ expertise and real-time animation experience.
• Understanding of animation architecture: playback, blending, IK.
• Experience with large game-engine codebases.
• Proven technical leadership and mentoring ability.
• Strong debugging, optimization, and cross‑disciplinary collaboration.
• Ability to develop tech in a proprietary engine.

Responsibilities

• Own the architecture, roadmap, and priorities for animation systems.
• Design, implement, optimize runtime animation in C++.
• Lead and mentor a small engineering team; staffing decisions.
• Collaborate with animators, riggers, and directors to translate goals.
• Expand capabilities for future experiences while maintaining systems.
• Improve runtime performance and animation workflows.

Skills

C++ expert

Animation systems

Engine architecture

Leadership

Performance optimization

Debugging

Collaboration

Job description

Electronic Arts creates next-level entertainment experiences that inspire players and fans around the world. Here, everyone is part of the story. Part of a community that connects across the globe. A place where creativity thrives, new perspectives are invited, and ideas matter. A team where everyone makes play happen.

Lead Animation Engineer | Apex Legends

About Respawn Entertainment

Founded in 2010 by the original creators of the Call of Duty Franchise, Respawn was created with the philosophy that when talented people have creative freedom, they'll make extraordinary games that achieve the unexpected. From our roots as an indie studio to joining the expansive roster of studios at Electronic Arts, this remains our guiding principle. We truly love what we do and want to share our passion with players worldwide. Our shipped titles include critically acclaimed multi-platform games Apex Legends, Titanfall, Titanfall 2, Star Wars™ Jedi: Fallen Order, Star Wars™ Jedi: Survivor and Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond. Join us for the opportunity to create groundbreaking games with some of the best developer talent in the industry.

Role Overview

We're looking for a Lead Animation Engineer to own the technical direction of Apex Legends' animation systems and help expand our capabilities for exciting future experiences.

This is a hands‑on leadership role where you'll define animation architecture, establish engineering priorities, and lead a small team of engineers. You'll work closely with animators, riggers, technical artists, and the animation director to develop technology that enables ambitious creative goals.

You'll have the autonomy to shape our proprietary C++ animation systems, modernize existing technology, and build new capabilities while supporting a large, evolving live‑service game.

Responsibilities

• Own the architecture, technical roadmap, and engineering priorities for animation systems and workflows.

• Design, implement, and optimize runtime character animation systems in C++.

• Lead and mentor a small engineering team, assess staffing needs, and make hiring and staffing decisions.

• Collaborate with animators, riggers, technical artists, gameplay engineers, and the animation director to translate creative goals into technical solutions.

• Expand animation capabilities for future experiences while evolving and maintaining our existing systems.

• Improve runtime performance, developer tools, content pipelines, and animation workflows.

Requirements

• Deep C++ expertise and substantial hands‑on experience developing real‑time character animation systems.

• Strong understanding of animation architecture, including playback, blending, layering, procedural animation, IK, and runtime animation control.

• Experience designing and evolving complex, performance-sensitive systems in large game‑engine codebases.

• Proven technical leadership, architectural judgment, and ability to guide and mentor engineers.

• Strong debugging, optimization, and cross-disciplinary collaboration skills.

• Comfortable developing foundational technology in a proprietary engine rather than relying exclusively on existing engine solutions.

Nice to have

• Experience managing engineers, including hiring and staffing decisions.

• AAA console development or multiplayer/live-service experience.

• Experience with animation content pipelines, Maya, rigging, or skeletal deformation.

• Familiarity with motion matching, runtime retargeting, animation compression, or physics integration.

We value deep technical expertise and strong engineering judgment over experience with every individual animation technique. If you're excited about owning animation technology and helping shape what's next for Apex Legends, we'd love to hear from you.

Pay Transparency - North America

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
The ranges listed below are what EA in good faith expects to pay applicants for this role in these locations at the time of this posting. If you reside in a different location, a recruiter will advise on the applicable range and benefits. Pay offered will be determined based on a number of relevant business and candidate factors (e.g. education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, or business needs).
PAY RANGES* British Columbia (depending on location e.g. Vancouver vs. Victoria) *$141,400 - $204,400 CAD* California (depending on location e.g. Los Angeles vs. San Francisco) *$165,000 - $256,000 USD
Pay is just one part of the overall compensation at EA.In the US, we offer a package of benefits including paid time off (3 weeks per year to start), 80 hours per year of sick time, 16 paid company holidays per year, 10 weeks paid time off to bond with baby, medical/dental/vision insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, and 401(k) to regular full-time employees. Certain roles may also be eligible for bonus and other incentive programs.
For Canada, we offer a package of benefits including vacation (3 weeks per year to start), 10 days per year of sick time, paid top-up to EI/QPIP benefits up to 100% of base salary when you welcome a new child (12 weeks for maternity, and 4 weeks for parental/adoption leave), extended health/dental/vision coverage, life insurance, disability insurance, retirement plan to regular full-time employees. Certain roles may also be eligible for bonus and other incentive programs.
About Electronic Arts We’re proud to have an extensive portfolio of games and experiences, locations around the world, and opportunities across EA. We value adaptability, resilience, creativity, and curiosity. From leadership that brings out your potential, to creating space for learning and experimenting, we empower you to do great work and pursue opportunities for growth.
We adopt a holistic approach to our benefits programs, emphasizing physical, emotional, financial, career, and community wellness to support a balanced life. Our packages are tailored to meet local needs and may include healthcare coverage, mental well‑being support, retirement savings, paid time off, family leaves, complimentary games, and more. We nurture environments where our teams can always bring their best to what they do.

Electronic Arts is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, genetic information, religion, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, marital status, family status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We will also consider employment qualified applicants with criminal records in accordance with applicable law. EA also makes workplace accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities as required by applicable law.