Character Animation Lead

Epic Games; Cary (NC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision coverage

Unlimited PTO

Paid sabbatical after 7 years

Job summary

Epic Games is seeking a Character Animation Director for our Special Projects team in Cary, North Carolina. This role will lead the vision and execution of character animation in Unreal Engine, focusing on quality and responsiveness in gameplay. Ideal candidates have expert-level animation principles and experience with animation technologies.

We offer comprehensive health benefits, unlimited PTO, and a supportive, inclusive work culture. Join us in creating engaging and innovative character animations!

Qualifications

• Expert understanding of character animation principles and ability to deliver realistic and stylized motion.
• Deep experience with Unreal Engine animation tools and workflows.
• Proven ability to collaborate with engineers on system-driven features.

Responsibilities

• Lead creation and implementation of high-quality, gameplay-driven animation.
• Collaborate with engineers to design scalable animation systems.
• Mentor and support other animators, fostering a culture of excellence.

Skills

Character animation principles

Unreal Engine

Gameplay animation

Problem-solving skills

Leadership skills

Animation systems

Tools

Animation Blueprints

Control Rig

Job description

What You’ll Do

Epic Games is looking for a Character Animation Director to join our Special Projects team to help drive the vision and execution of character animation across experimental and gameplay-driven prototypes. You will combine strong animation fundamentals with technical fluency in Unreal Engine to build responsive, expressive, and scalable animation systems. You will act as a bridge between animation and engineering — helping to define workflows, shape systems, and solve complex problems at the intersection of gameplay and motion. This role requires both hands‑on creation and leadership: setting quality bars, guiding others, and helping a small team move quickly without sacrificing clarity or craft.

In this role, you will

• Lead the creation and implementation of high‑quality, gameplay‑driven animation in Unreal Engine
• Prototype and iterate on new approaches to character movement, responsiveness, and player‑driven animation
• Collaborate closely with engineers and technical designers to design scalable, flexible animation systems and inspire creative thinking
• Own animation quality and leadership across projects, ensuring a strong and consistent point of view
• Translate gameplay needs into animation behaviors that feel intuitive and responsive
• Debug and solve complex animation and integration issues in the engine
• Contribute to and help evolve animation pipelines, tools, and workflows for rapid iteration
• Mentor and support other animators, fostering a culture of curiosity, experimentation, and craft excellence

What We’re Looking For

• Expert‑level understanding of character animation principles, with the ability to deliver both realistic and stylized motion; experience with motion matching, procedural animation, or emerging animation technologies is a plus
• Deep experience working in Unreal Engine, including Animation Blueprints, state machines, blending, and runtime systems
• Strong understanding of gameplay animation—how input, timing, and responsiveness shape player experience
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with engineers and technical designers on complex, system‑driven features
• Experience building or contributing to animation systems (not just assets), including debugging and iteration in‑engine
• Animating in‑engine using Unreal Engine animation tools; familiarity with Control Rig and runtime rigging workflows in Unreal Engine
• Comfort working in ambiguous, exploratory environments with rapid iteration cycles
• Strong problem‑solving skills and the ability to balance creative goals with technical constraints
• Experienced AAA development or equivalent real‑time production environments
• Excellent communication and leadership skills

Benefits

Our intent is to cover all things that are medically necessary and improve the quality of life. We pay 100% of the premiums for both you and your dependents. Our coverage includes Medical, Dental, a Vision HRA, Long Term Disability, Life Insurance, and a 401(k) with competitive match. We also offer a robust mental well‑being program through Modern Health, which provides free therapy and coaching for employees and dependents. Throughout the year we celebrate our employees with events and company‑wide paid breaks. We offer unlimited PTO and sick time and recognize individuals for 7 years of employment with a paid sabbatical.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Epic Games deeply values diverse teams and an inclusive work culture, and we are proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. Learn more about our Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy.