Senior Technical Animator
8 days ago
Crystal Dynamics is constantly seeking the best gaming talent worldwide to add to our 30-plus year legacy of AAAA game development creating new and iconic franchises. We are committed to making great games with great people and living the dream while doing it.
Benefits for our full-time positions include, but are not limited to, a competitive regional salary, 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance options, professional development reimbursement perk, flexible hybrid on-site/off-site work opportunities, 12 company paid holidays, plus additional paid days in December when the studio is closed for holiday break, and the ability to accrue weeks of personal paid time-off.
Join us and shape the future of an amazing studio culture committed to creating award-winning franchises like Tomb Raider, the next Perfect Dark , and more!
We are seeking a talented and driven Senior Technical Animator who shares our passion for creating groundbreaking AAA titles. You will report into the Lead Animator and work closely with technical artists and engineers. You will work with animators to develop blend graphs that produce smooth, AAA quality animation, seamlessly combining animated motion with various runtime input sources. In this role, you will play an integral part in bridging the gap between the artistic vision and the technical infrastructure of our project!
As a Senior Technical Animator, you will:
- Ensure collaboration between animation and technical teams, upholding the gold standard of our animation practices.
- Manage blueprint structures with a focus on optimization.
- Partner with cross-discipline teams for the implementation of animation features.
- Design real-time animation systems compatible with design and engineering needs.
- Address challenges related to animation and rigging to ensure game quality.
- Identify and resolve nuanced challenges in animation and rigging.
- Provide technical support to the animation team.
- Communicate with technical art and animation engineering teams to ensure tool and project alignment.
- Participate in evaluations and provide feedback on animation alignment with technical requirements.
To be considered for this role, we require the following:
- Demonstrated experience as a Senior Technical Animator or equivalent, ideally within the AAA gaming sphere.
- Advanced knowledge of Unreal Engine and Blueprints.
- Proficiency with Maya, Motion Matching, and Mocap.
- Strong grasp of rigging, skinning, and foundational animation principles.
- The ability to communicate complex ideas succinctly and effectively.
- Examples of work on a portfolio/reel that showcases your technical skills in relation to gameplay animation, ideally including a shot list detailing your contributions.
Preference will be given to candidates who have:
- A reel that showcases a shot-list that shows second-by-second breakdown of what part of the demo detailing what they own what they contributed.
- Experience with complex animation systems, such as IK setups and facial rigging.
- Shipped a AAA title.
It'll be a bonus, if you also have:
- Knowledge in Python or related scripting languages.
The pay range for this role includes the annual base salary, not including bonus and the generous benefits package that Crystal Dynamics provides all full-time employees. Individual compensation is determined by work location within our approved states, as well as additional factors, including job related skills, experience, and relevant education. Your recruiter will be able to share more information about total compensation.
Pay Range
$75,000 — $120,000 USD
Not sure if you are qualified? We hope that you will still choose to apply so we may review your application!
Crystal Dynamics is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to identifying and implementing positive and persistent measures to ensure equal opportunity in the recruitment, hiring, development, training, promotion and compensation of a diverse team employee group. This includes persons of different race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender identity or gender expression, pregnancy, breastfeeding or medical conditions related to breastfeeding, genetic characteristic, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, medical condition, political affiliation, age, veteran status, uniform service member status, marital status, physical or mental disability, or citizenship, as well as any other classifications protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.
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