Principal Animation Artist - Unpublished R&D Product

Riot Games; United States; On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Riot Games is seeking a Principal Animation Artist to define craft standards and coach the animation team, influencing other disciplines such as VFX and rigging. You will guide player-facing animation from ideation to shipping-quality release and report to the Art Director.

With 10+ years in game animation, expert Maya skills, and Unreal Engine experience, you will elevate animation systems, collaborate across design and engineering, and mentor peers while driving quality and performance for

Qualifications

• 10+ years of professional experience in game or entertainment animation.
• Experience defining animation pipelines or standards at a team or project level.
• Expert proficiency in Maya.
• Extensive experience working with Unreal Engine.
• Deep understanding of animation systems, state machines, and runtime behaviors.
• Experience owning and delivering complex animation systems across a project lifecycle.
• Experience mentoring and elevating other animators.
• Fluency in Mandarin Chinese.

Responsibilities

• Drive the quality and direction of gameplay animation, ensuring a high bar for responsiveness, clarity, and cohesion.
• Own and evolve multiple player-facing animation systems, ensuring scalability and consistency across features.
• Define and establish animation best practices, workflows, and quality standards for the team.
• Partner with design, engineering, and technical art to shape animation systems and influence gameplay integration.
• Anticipate systemic challenges and lead solutions that improve long-term reliability and performance.
• Guide and mentor animators, elevating craft quality across the team.
• Influence cross-team collaboration and alignment on animation-related systems and pipelines.
• Identify opportunities to improve tools, pipelines, and production strategies at a broader level.

Skills

Animation leadership

Mentoring animators

Cross-team collaboration

Decision making

Tools

Maya

Unreal Engine

Job description

Riot Games was established in 2006 by entrepreneurial gamers who believe that player-focused game development can result in great games. In 2009, Riot released its debut title League of Legends to critical and player acclaim. As the most played video game in the world, over 100 million play every month. Players form the foundation of our community and it’s for them that we continue to evolve and improve the League of Legends experience.

We’re looking for humble but ambitious, razor-sharp professionals who can teach us a thing or two. We promise to return the favor. Like us, you take play seriously; you’re passionate about games. We embrace those who see things differently, aren’t afraid to experiment, and who have a healthy disregard for constraints.

That's where you come in.

As a Principal Animation Artist at Riot you will define craft standards, coach the animation team and influence other disciplines, including VFX artists, character artists, and rigging technical artists. You will help direct the animation experience and communicate that vision to team members. A great reel will showcase a diverse selection of character-driven and interactive animation, and a strong foundation in the principles of animation, including weight, anticipation, and impact. Your craft expertise will breathe life into iconic and beloved characters for players.

As a Principal Animation Artist on the Unpublished R&D Product, you will be responsible for all aspects of player-facing animation systems and character performance, from early ideation through final shipping-quality release. Your critical eye for quality and appeal will help strengthen our animation style. You will report into the Art Director of the team.

Responsibilities:

• Drive the quality and direction of gameplay animation, ensuring a high bar for responsiveness, clarity, and cohesion.
• Own and evolve multiple player-facing animation systems, ensuring scalability and consistency across features.
• Define and establish animation best practices, workflows, and quality standards for the team.
• Partner with design, engineering, and technical art to shape animation systems and influence gameplay integration.
• Anticipate systemic challenges and lead solutions that improve long-term reliability and performance.
• Guide and mentor animators, elevating craft quality across the team.
• Influence cross-team collaboration and alignment on animation-related systems and pipelines.
• Identify opportunities to improve tools, pipelines, and production strategies at a broader level.

Required Qualifications:

• 10+ years of professional experience in game or entertainment animation.
• Experience defining animation pipelines or standards at a team or project level.
• Expert proficiency in Maya.
• Extensive experience working with Unreal Engine.
• Deep understanding of animation systems, state machines, and runtime behaviors.
• Experience owning and delivering complex animation systems across a project lifecycle.
• Experience mentoring and elevating other animators.
• Fluency in Mandarin Chinese.

Desired Qualifications.

• Proficiency in English.
• Background in both gameplay and cinematic animation workflows.
• Experience collaborating on complex system design with engineering and design.
• Strong understanding of performance considerations in real-time animation.

For this role, you'll find success through craft expertise, a collaborative spirit, and decision-making that prioritizes the delight of players. We will be looking at your past studies, experience, and your personal relationship with games. If you embody player empathy and care about the experiences of players, this could be the role for you!