Senior Animation Engineer San Mateo, California, United States

Thirtyfirstunion; San Mateo (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative game development studio is seeking a Senior Animation Engineer to join their talented team. In this exciting role, you will contribute to the development of cutting-edge animation systems for a groundbreaking AAA title. Collaborating closely with designers and artists, you will create fluid and realistic character animations that enhance gameplay experiences. Your expertise in C++ and animation systems will be crucial in optimizing performance for both PC and console platforms. If you are passionate about gaming and eager to push the boundaries of animation technology, this is the perfect opportunity for you!

Qualifications

• Strong proficiency in C++ and experience with game engine internals.
• Expertise in animation systems including blend trees and IK.

Responsibilities

• Design and optimize animation systems for AAA games.
• Collaborate with teams to develop innovative character movement techniques.

Skills

C++ Programming

Animation Systems

3D Math

Collaboration Skills

Tools

Unreal Engine 4/5

Autodesk MotionBuilder

Job description

WE ARE GAMEMAKERS

Who We Are:

We are a diverse team of developers driven by a passion for our art, united by our core values and inspired by a culture of inclusivity to build amazing games that thrill players everywhere. We pursue growth and innovation in an environment of safety and trust. Our culture is built on the belief that the more varied voices in our collective will strengthen our team and our games. We are looking for our next teammate who will raise our bar and make us better.

We are currently working on Project ETHOS, a new free-to-play, 3rd person rogue-like hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the genre!

Who You Are:

As a Senior Animation Engineer, you will be a key contributor to the development of animation systems for a multiplatform & multiplayer AAA title. You will work closely with designers, artists, and engineers to create innovative and high-performance animation systems that bring characters and worlds to life. With a focus on delivering fluid, responsive, and realistic animations, you will be responsible for developing and optimizing systems for character movement, animation blending, procedural animation, and more. You’ll work across various systems including player control, AI-driven animation, and in-game tools, ensuring that animations are tightly integrated with game mechanics and provide a seamless experience for players.

Responsibilities:

• Design, develop, and optimize animation systems for a AAA game, ensuring fluid, responsive, and high-performance character animations.
• Collaborate with the animation, art, and gameplay teams to develop innovative techniques for character movement, procedural animation, and animation blending.
• Integrate animation systems with other gameplay systems (e.g., AI, player control, physics) to ensure smooth and realistic interactions.
• Continuously refine and optimize animation performance, particularly for large-scale multiplayer environments and complex gameplay scenarios.
• Lead the creation of tools and workflows to streamline the animation process, ensuring a smooth collaboration between animators, designers, and engineers.

Requirements:

• Strong proficiency in C++ and experience with game engine internals, particularly in the context of animation systems.
• Expertise in animation systems, including blend trees, procedural animation, inverse kinematics (IK), and animation state machines.
• Experience optimizing and refining animation performance to meet high standards on both PC and console platforms.
• Solid understanding of 3D math, physics, and how they apply to animation systems, including transformations, rotations, and vector math.
• Proven ability to collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams, including animators, designers, and other engineers, to deliver high-quality, polished animations.

Relevant Experience:

• Experience working with Unreal Engine 4/5, including Unreal’s animation tools (e.g., Animation Blueprint, Sequencer, and Control Rig).
• Experience working with Unreal Engine’s Gameplay Ability System (GAS) and its integration with animation systems.
• Proven track record of working on shipped AAA titles, with experience in character animation for both first-person and third-person perspectives.
• Experience with character animation on current-gen consoles (PS5, Xbox Series X, etc.).
• Familiarity with animation middleware (e.g., Autodesk MotionBuilder) and workflows for game animation integration.
• Experience with performance profiling and optimization tools for animation systems, ensuring smooth gameplay across all platforms.

The pay range for this position in California at the start of employment is expected to be between $120,000 and $160,000 per year. However, base pay offered is based on market location and may vary further depending on individualized factors for job candidates, such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and other objective business considerations.

Join our mission: Bring fun, inspiration and awe to our lives and to our community: https://thirtyfirstunion.com/values

31st Union prides itself on the diversity of its team members, partners, and communities. For this reason, we remain committed to providing equal employment opportunity in all aspects of the employment relationship, from recruitment and hiring through compensation, benefits, discipline and termination.

As an equal opportunity employer, we are also committed to ensuring that qualified individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation(s) to participate in the job application and/or interview process, to perform their essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us if you need to request a reasonable accommodation.