Absurd Ventures — Software Engineer, Animation — Santa Monica, United States

Absurd Ventures; Santa Monica (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Absurd Ventures, LLC in Santa Monica, California, is seeking a Gameplay Engineer to build and optimize animation systems for locomotion, traversal, combat, interactions and intelligent character behaviour. This full-time, in-studio role requires five days per week in the studio.

You will create workflows in C++, Blueprints and Unreal animation technologies, integrate rigs and assets, and profile performance, memory use and scalability to ensure smooth, scalable gameplay in a new AAA open-world

Qualifications

• At least three years as a gameplay engineer or similar, including animation-system work.
• Strong C++, professional Unreal Engine experience, and knowledge of skeletal animation, blending, state machines and inverse kinematics.
• Debugging skills and close collaboration with animation and technical-art teams; motion matching and animation-pipeline tools are advantages.

Responsibilities

• Develop animation systems for locomotion, traversal, combat, interactions and character behaviour.
• Create tools and workflows in C++, Blueprints and Unreal animation technologies.
• Integrate rigs and animation assets, then profile performance, memory use and scalability.

Skills

C++

Unreal Engine

Skeletal animation

State machines

Inverse kinematics

Animation tools

Debugging

Tools

Blueprints

Job description

Build the runtime systems that drive character animation in Absurd Ventures’ new AAA open-world game.

Employment: full-time. Location: Santa Monica, California; five days per week in the studio. Applicants are asked about US work authorisation. Vacancy ID: 5273860007.

What you will do

• Develop animation systems for locomotion, traversal, combat, interactions and character behaviour.
• Create tools and workflows in C++, Blueprints and Unreal animation technologies.
• Integrate rigs and animation assets, then profile performance, memory use and scalability.

What the studio is looking for

• At least three years as a gameplay engineer or similar, including animation-system work.
• Strong C++, professional Unreal Engine experience, and knowledge of skeletal animation, blending, state machines and inverse kinematics.
• Debugging skills and close collaboration with animation and technical-art teams; motion matching and animation-pipeline tools are advantages.

Source and dates

• Official source: https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/absurdventures/jobs/5273860007.
• Employer publication date: October 23, 2026.
• Added to the source spreadsheet: October 27, 2026; this is not the employer publication date.
• Availability and details verified: October 28, 2026.
• No employer application deadline is stated in the reviewed source. Any AnimaWorker listing expiry is separate from the employer application deadline.