Character Animation Lead

Epic Games; North Carolina; On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health premiums covered

401k match

Mental health program

Unlimited PTO

Sabbatical after 7 years

Job summary

Epic Games in North Carolina is seeking a Character Animation Director for our Special Projects team to guide the vision and execution of character animation across prototypes. You will blend strong animation fundamentals with technical fluency in Unreal Engine to build responsive, expressive systems and set clear quality bars.

You will lead hands-on creation and mentor a small team, translating gameplay needs into intuitive, reactive animation while collaborating closely with engineers and

Qualifications

• Expert-level understanding of character animation principles.
• Deep experience with Unreal Engine including Animation Blueprints and runtime systems.
• Strong understanding of gameplay animation and its impact on player experience.
• Proven ability to collaborate with engineers and technical designers on complex features.
• Experience building or contributing to animation systems in-engine.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills.
• Experience in AAA development or equivalent real-time production environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead the creation and implementation of high-quality, gameplay-driven animation in Unreal Engine.
• Prototype and iterate on new approaches to character movement and responsiveness.
• Collaborate with engineers to design scalable animation systems.
• Own animation quality and leadership across projects.
• Translate gameplay needs into animation behaviours that feel intuitive and responsive.
• Debug and solve complex animation and integration issues in the engine.
• Contribute to and evolve animation pipelines and workflows for rapid iteration.
• Mentor and support other animators to maintain craft excellence.

Skills

Unreal Engine

Character animation

Animation pipelines

Leadership

Collaboration

Gameplay animation

Blueprints

Problem-solving

Tools

Animation Blueprints

State machines

Rigging tools

Job description

WHAT MAKES US EPIC?

At the core of Epic’s success are talented, passionate people. Epic prides itself on creating a collaborative, welcoming, and creative environment. Whether it’s building award-winning games or crafting engine technology that enables others to make visually stunning interactive experiences, we’re always innovating.

Being Epic means being a part of a team that continually strives to do right by our community and users. We’re constantly innovating to raise the bar of engine and game development.

ART

What We Do

Push your artistic talent to the limit on a team of world-class environment, character, and concept artists who strive to innovate and inspire.

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. Excite those around you with creative and clear thinking
• Own animation quality and leadership across projects, ensuring a strong and consistent point of view
• Translate gameplay needs into animation behaviours 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
• 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
• Comfort working in ambiguous, exploratory environments with rapid iteration cycles
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to balance creative goals with technical constraints
• Excellent communication and leadership skills
• Experienced AAA development or equivalent real-time production environments

Bonus Points

• Experience with motion matching, procedural animation, or emerging animation technologies
• Familiarity with Control Rig and runtime rigging workflows in Unreal Engine

EPIC JOB + EPIC BENEFITS = EPIC 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 & a 401k with competitive match.
• We also offer a robust mental well-being program through Modern Health, which provides free therapy and coaching for employees & 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.

ABOUT US

Epic Games is a leading interactive entertainment company. For over 30 years we've been making award-winning games and engine technology that empowers others to make visually stunning games and 3D content that bring environments to life like never before. Epic's award-winning Unreal Engine technology not only provides game developers the ability to build high-fidelity, interactive experiences for PC, console, mobile, and VR, it is also a tool being embraced by content creators across a variety of industries such as media and entertainment, automotive, and architectural design. As we continue to build our Engine technology and develop remarkable games, we strive to build teams of world-class talent.

Like what you hear? Come be a part of something Epic!

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 here.

Note to Recruitment Agencies: Epic does not accept any unsolicited resumes or approaches from any unauthorized third party (including recruitment or placement agencies) (i.e., a third party with whom we do not have a negotiated and validly executed agreement). We will not pay any fees to any unauthorized third party. Further details on these matters can be found here.