Lead Technical Animator

Epic Games; United States; On-site; USD 189,000 - 278,000; Full time

Job summary

Epic Games is seeking a Lead Technical Animator to drive expressive character movement and pipeline improvements for Fortnite and related initiatives. You will work with cross-disciplinary teams to optimize workflows and tools, delivering high-quality cosmetics assets.

The role requires rigging expertise in Maya and Unreal Engine, strong collaboration, and the ability to mentor junior staff. Multiple US locations are supported, including NY, CA, and WA.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience rigging characters in Maya and/or Unreal Engine.
• Portfolio demonstrating rigging for a range of characters, bipeds, and creatures.
• Strong eye for character deformation and physics movement.
• Familiarity with the Unreal Engine 5 art pipeline.
• Strong written communication and teamwork skills.
• Problem-solving mindset with a collaborative approach.
• Control Rig experience is a plus.
• Python scripting is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Work with technical animators, Leads, Directors, and Outsource Managers to set assets up for production.
• Define and drive strategy for technical animation and cosmetics pipelines.
• Schedule, prioritize, and delegate assets internally and to vendors.
• Collaborate with animators, modelers, and designers to ensure a smooth development pipeline.
• Assist with pipeline tools and improve engine tooling with leads.
• Mentor rigging-focused team members and ensure asset quality.
• Rig characters, weapons, creatures, and vehicles in Unreal Engine 5.
• Set up assets including control rigs, cloth, physics, and blueprints.
• Maintain documentation, references, and guidelines for asset production.

Skills

Rigging characters

Unreal Engine

Maya rigging

Character deformation

Python

Pipeline tools

Mentoring

Tools

Maya

Unreal Engine

Blueprints

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 searching for a Lead Technical Animator with a passion for expressive character movement to join our team. In this talented team of veteran and emerging artists, you’ll collaborate across teams and contribute directly to Fortnite and other initiatives as part of our collaboration with Disney. Joining this team means you’re motivated to seek solutions to problems and work with other disciplines to make positive changes to workflows, tools, and technologies that directly impact cosmetic assets and gameplay.

In this role, you will

• Work closely with technical animators, Leads, Directors, and Outsource Managers on the team to ensure assets are set up for success in the different stages of production
• Communicate and drive alignment around strategy for technical animation and adjacent cosmetics teams
• Work with production to schedule, prioritize, and delegate assets for the team, both internal and vendor
• Work closely with animators, modelers, and designers to ensure a smooth development pipeline that delivers high-quality assets
• Assisting with pipeline tools and working with engine and project leads on the continuous improvement of those engine tools
• Mentor rigging-focused technical animators
• Rigging characters, weapons, creatures, and vehicles
• Setting up assets in Unreal Engine 5; including control rigs, cloth, physics, and blueprints
• Maintain detailed documentation, video reference, and examples of art asset production, procedures, and engine requirements to support internal and external artists

What we’re looking for

• Extensive experience rigging characters in Maya and/or Unreal Engine
• A portfolio demonstrating rigging for a range of characters, bipeds, and creatures, both body and faces
• Attention to aesthetic detail, especially with regard to character deformation and physics movement
• Familiarity with the Unreal Engine 5 art pipeline
• A positive individual with strong written communication and teamwork skills
• Exceptional problem-solver
• Control Rig experience a plus
• Python programming is a plus
• You’re user-focused, passionate, solutions-focused, and innovative. These traits equal success at Epic and influence everything we do

This role is open to multiple locations across the US (including CA, NYC, & WA).

Pay Transparency Information

The expected annual base pay range(s) for this position are detailed below. Each base pay range is relevant only for individuals who are residents of or will be expected to work within the specified locale. Compensation varies based on a variety of factors, which include (but aren’t limited to) things such as skills and competencies, qualifications, knowledge, and experience. In addition to base pay, most employees are eligible to participate in Epic’s generous benefit plans and discretionary incentive programs (subject to the terms of those plans or programs).

New York City Base Pay Range

$189,482 — $277,906 USD

California Base Pay Range

$166,744 — $244,558 USD

Washington Base Pay Range

$151,585 — $222,324 USD

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.