Senior Technical Gameplay Animator

Naughty Dog; California (MO); Hybrid; USD 126,400 - 227,500; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

401(k) matching

Employee discounts for Sony products

Job summary

Naughty Dog in California is seeking an experienced animator to bridge the gap between art and technical teams. This hybrid/onsite role involves designing and troubleshooting complex animation systems, collaborating with multiple teams, and contributing to the development of innovative technologies.

The ideal candidate will have 5+ years in gameplay animation, proficient in tools like Maya and Motionbuilder, demonstrating leadership in project ownership and innovation to enhance the animation pipeline.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of industry experience in gameplay animation for games.
• Proven track record of creating visually stunning animations for diverse game genres.
• Expertise with mocap and keyframe-based pipelines.

Responsibilities

• Create high quality animation content supporting new behaviors and systems.
• Work with animation leadership on style and quality bar.
• Collaborate with teams to resolve animation implementation issues.
• Take ownership of challenging projects and provide solutions.
• Contribute to the development of internal technologies.
• Facilitate creation of tools for complex animation systems.
• Innovate and streamline animation pipeline processes.

Skills

Gameplay animation skills

Animation tools understanding

Proficiency in Python, C#, C++

Tools

Maya

Motionbuilder

Job description

This is a hybrid / onsite position.

For nearly 40 years, Naughty Dog has been crafting best-selling, critically acclaimed games that constantly push the boundaries of narrative, gameplay, and technology. Naughty Dog recently released The Last of Us Part II Remastered as well as a current generation remake of The Last of Us Part I for the PS5. We're also proud to say that The Last of Us Part I and Part II are now available for the first time on PC. Currently, we’re busy at the kennel working on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, and we'd love to find talented individuals to join us!

Naughty Dog games have long been lauded for their evocative, character-driven stories and attention to detail. We are committed to innovation within our games and as such have curated some of the top creative and technically innovative minds in the industry. We welcome diverse candidates and believe that a broad range of cultural and life experiences contribute to the overall well‑being and success of the studio and the titles we craft together.

Please note: This is not a rigging position. We are looking for an animator that is capable of being the bridge between art and technical teams by designing, implementing, and troubleshooting complex runtime animation systems and character behaviors.

What you will do:

• Create high quality animation content supporting the newly developed behaviors and systems and implement it in engine
• Work with the animation leadership on defining and maintaining the style and quality bar of the in-game animation
• Collaborate with the Animation, Design, and Engineering teams to analyze, troubleshoot, and resolve in-game animation implementation issues and animation-related technical challenges
• Take ownership of challenging projects and provide innovative solutions, including mentoring team members and creating documentation
• Contribute to the strategic development of internal technologies and artistic processes
• Facilitate the creation and implementation of tools and techniques that allow the building of complex and high-quality animation systems
• Innovate and streamline animation pipeline processes and workflows

What skills you will use:

• 5+ years of industry experience in gameplay animation for games
• Proven track record of creating visually stunning animations for diverse game genres
• Full understanding of in-game animation tools like state machines, blend trees, IK solvers, etc.
• Expertise with mocap and keyframe based digital content creation pipelines built on Maya or Motionbuilder
• Proficiency in Python, C#, C++ or other programming languages is required
• Proactively contributes to the progress of the team and the project

As a part of the Naughty Dog application process, candidates will be expected to provide a portfolio or demo reel of their work and may be asked to complete an animation test.

Estimated base pay range: $126,400 – $227,500 USD.

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. Click here to learn more.

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.

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