Lead Character Tools Engineer

PlayStation; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 144,000 - 216,000; Full time

Job summary

PlayStation is seeking a Lead Character Tools Engineer to join the Central Technology team. You will develop and integrate tools for character creation, rigging, and animation, collaborating with artists, engineers, and research teams to improve run-time workflows.

The role requires extensive experience with Maya, C++, and Python, plus a passion for automation and AI-assisted pipelines. You will prototype, document, and share inside demonstrations while contributing to standardization across

Qualifications

• 10+ years in a game development studio or with artist-facing tools in production.
• Proficient in C++ and debugging.
• Extensive experience with Maya and rigging.
• Experience deploying tools for character creation and animation pipelines.
• Familiarity with AI models for tooling is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Prototype and harden tools for character creation, rigging, simulation, or animation.
• Set up environments and automate project pipelines.
• Collaborate with internal teams and studio stakeholders.
• Develop internal tools and document workflows.
• Support varying client environments and assets.
• Contribute to technical demonstrations and conferences; travel as needed.

Skills

C++

Maya

Python

AI models

Technical art

Run-time pipelines

Education

BS degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Graphic Art, or related field

Tools

Perforce

Git

Confluence

MotionBuilder

Houdini

PyQt/Python tooling

Job description

Why Sony Interactive Entertainment?

Sony Interactive Entertainment isn’t just the Best Place to Play — it’s also the Best Place to Work. Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) is the company behind the PlayStation brand. As a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation, we’re part of a proud legacy of innovation and excellence. SIE is a dynamic technology company, delivering cutting‑edge hardware and network services to more than 100 million people and an entertainment leader, home to some of the most beloved and recognizable intellectual properties (IP) in the world. Our role at SIE is to create and nurture the experiences under the PlayStation brand, a name synonymous with entertainment excellence and creativity.

Why PlayStation?

PlayStation isn’t just the Best Place to Play — it’s also the Best Place to Work. Today, we’re recognized as a global leader in entertainment producing The PlayStation family of products and services including PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, PlayStation®VR, PlayStation®Plus, acclaimed PlayStation software titles from PlayStation Studios, and more.

PlayStation also strives to create an inclusive environment that empowers employees and embraces diversity. We welcome and encourage everyone who has a passion and curiosity for innovation, technology, and play to explore our open positions and join our growing global team.

The PlayStation brand falls under Sony Interactive Entertainment, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation.

We are seeking a Lead Character Tools Engineer to join the PlayStation Central Technology team focusing on Character technology from creation, rigging, and animation. Developing and distributing tools and optimizing for making the best characters in games more efficiently and integrating emergent technology into the future of game making.

Candidateexpected to prototype,create, and collaborate to deploy andmaintaintechnicaltools andpractices from experience on traditional game development and run-time workflows with internal teamsandseek new opportunities for bringing increased usage of AI and ML to make those processes more efficient.

Thisinternalteam of artists, engineers, and technical artistspartnerwith engineering teams, studio stakeholders,research engineers,and other Central Technologygroupstoprovidecohesionand standardization across PSS activities.

Thisposition requiresa demonstratableunderstandingofgame development pipelines, extensive experience with Autodesk Maya software, and strongprogramming skills.Familiarity withleveragingagentic workflows to accelerate code creation and testing.

Responsibilities:

• Collaborate withinternal teammembersand studio stakeholderstoprototype and hardencreate toolsconsideringcontemporarydevelopmentworkflows,data management,artcreation,animation, and game engine integration
• Setting up andmaintainingproject specific environments and automationopportunities
• Learning and supporting varying client working environments, assets, and tools
• Writing,maintaining, and customizing internal tools and workflows
• Building andmaintainingtechnical documentation
• Willingness to attend andparticipatein PlayStation internal demonstrations and conferences, travelrequired
• Ability to work in a collaborative team environment as well as self-driven experimentation and research

Core Experience:

• Experienceas technical artist or engineer to develop and deploy tools to support charactercreation, rigging, simulation, oranimation pipelinesin a run-time environment
• 10+ years in agame development studio orpreviousexperiencecreating artist-facing tools ontechnical art or engineeringteam ina production environment
• BS degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Graphic Art, or a related field, or equivalent experience
• Extensive experience in working with game editors and excellent working knowledge of technical specificationsof workflow from DCC tocomplexreal-time environments
• Capable of writing and debuggingC++
• Excellent knowledge of Maya with general knowledge of Maya rigging
• Developing ormaintainingproject pipeline tools and system environments
• Excellent troubleshooting skills and the ability to creatively solve problems
• ExperienceleveragingAgentic AI models
• Strong understanding of deformationand mesh processing
• Familiarity with industry trends in character rigging, gameplay animation, cinematic animation,deformationand simulation usage in character animation pipelines
• Decent sense of humor

Extended Experience:

• Strong Python programming skills and experience withPyQt/Pyside
• Motionbuilder, Maya, Houdini,experience
• Experience with HLSL,MaterialX
• Experience with other programming languages, especially C++.
• Experience withPerforce, Git, Confluence
• Exposure to photogrammetry, motion capture/performance capture

At SIE, we consider several factors when setting each role’s base pay range, including the competitive benchmarking data for the market and geographic location. Please note that the base pay range may vary in line with our hybrid working policy and individual base pay will be determined based on job-related factors which may include knowledge, skills, experience, and location. In addition, this role is eligible for SIE’s top-tier benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, matching 401(k), paid time off, wellness program and coveted employee discounts for Sony products. This role also may be eligible for a bonus package.

• $143,700 — $215,500 USD

Please note, Sony Interactive Entertainment conducts background checks at the offer stage for all new employees (which may include criminal background checks for some roles) and will need to process personal information to support these checks.

Please refer to our Candidate Privacy Notice for more information about what personal information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and your data protection rights.

Equal Opportunity Statement:

Sony is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All persons will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender (including gender identity, gender expression and gender reassignment), race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, marital or civil partnership status, disability, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, maternity or parental status, trade union membership or membership in any other legally protected category.

We strive to create an inclusive environment, empower employees and embrace diversity. We encourage everyone to respond.

Sony Interactive Entertainment is a Fair Chance employer and qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records will be considered for employment.