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Incubation Gameplay Animator (Senior to Staff)
1 year ago
Are you on a mission to create games that bond players together into deeply invested communities? Would you like to work on something comedic with lighthearted and whimsical characters? Do you think a lot about how animation timing impacts gameplay feel, how small shape changes affect pose readability, or how character personalities can inspire fierce fandom?
As a Gameplay Animator (Senior to Staff) on an Unannounced Incubation Project, you’ll bring iconic characters to life from prototype through production for a completely new world at Bungie. Your ability to keyframe expressive, exaggerated motion with an eye for gameplay readability will delight players and contribute to the best-in-class action experience that defines all Bungie games.
As a member of our tight-knit art team, you’ll balance craft expertise with a player-first mindset and willingness to contribute beyond your role to improve prototype experience wherever necessary. Your understanding of design and technical constraints will enable you to deliver functional and playable character animation without an established pipeline during prototyping. Most importantly, you will collaborate with a fun, diverse, and passionate cross-discipline team devoted to building a new universe from scratch at Bungie.
We look for candidates who value joining a cohesive, supportive team with a diverse set of backgrounds, experiences, interests, and viewpoints.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Animate stylized gameplay locomotion and combat for a variety of characters and creatures
- Craft motion sets with personality and charm that still feel responsive to player input
- Explore fun possibilities for animation style that fit established art direction and gameplay
- Collaborate with technical animators to define and implement runtime animation systems
- Work closely with Tech Art to iterate on flexible character rigs and animation workflows
- Sync with the Art Director to align on character goals and quality bar for animation
- Collaborate with Design to achieve clear and expressive action gameplay
- Offer constructive feedback during art team content reviews
- Mentor and support other artists as the team grows
REQUIRED SKILLS
- Ability to keyframe stylized gameplay animation, as shown by examples of professional or personal work
- Proven eye for creating gameplay clarity through animation content, especially for action games
- An appreciation for appealing squash & stretch, smear frames, multiples
- Comfortable implementing animation content into existing runtime systems
- Expert knowledge of Maya character animation workflows
- Outstanding ability to problem-solve and drive creative solutions despite ambiguity
- Embrace “we” culture in addition to being an outstanding collaborator and communicator
NICE-TO-HAVE SKILLS
- Familiarity with development using Unreal Engine and/or Unity
- Familiarity with the competitive gaming landscape
- Experience with runtime procedural animation
So you don't meet every requirement listed in this job description? Do you think your experience level is not where it needs to be? Studies show that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they believe they meet every single qualification. Bungie is focused on building a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace. If you're interested in this position but your past experience doesn't line up perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we want you to apply anyway. The right role for you may be right around the corner!
Most Bungie full-time employees will adopt a digital first approach allowing remote work in Bungie approved locations (outside of positions identified as 100% onsite in Bellevue/Seattle, or individuals preferring a hybrid/flex environment). Prospective full-time employees located outside of CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, IL, MA, MD, MN, NC, NJ, NY, OR, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, or WI will need to establish residency in one of the states we are compliant in within 45 days of a start date. Contractors will follow a digital first approach adhering to the location guidelines agreed upon by our third-party employer/vendor and Bungie. Bungie’s remote policy is subject to change at the company’s discretion.