Senior Technical Animation Designer

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!

What We Need:

We are looking for a Senior Technical Animation Designer to be responsible for designing, creating, and maintaining animation systems that drive the gameplay motion of our characters. This will include features that support major gameplay mechanics, such as locomotion and abilities, UI selection animations, and procedural solutions.

You will be a communication hub in addition to the technical aspect of the job. You’ll need to ensure that everyone has the information they need to be successful. This role is focused on technical animation, but will also work with design and engineering teams to translate needs across those subject areas.

What You'll Do:

• Collaborate closely with teams across Animation, Engineering, and Design to help deliver a cohesive, high-quality animation style that supports an immersive gameplay experience.
• Work with key stakeholders to define goals and implement scalable solutions that streamline animation content creation and integration.
• Take initiative in building and refining animation systems, carefully balancing performance needs with desired in-game behaviors.
• Provide and offer technical support and mentorship to animators, contributing to their development while promoting effective cross-disciplinary communication.
• Regularly document processes and share insights to help improve team workflows and knowledge sharing.

What Will Make You A Great Fit:

• Shipped at least one AAA title with 4+ years of professional animation experience in Maya
• Strong understanding of third-person shooter mechanics and in-engine animation systems (state machines, blendspaces, animation graphs)
• Proficient with run-time and procedural animation tools such as IK, Control Rig, retargeting, ragdolls, and motion matching
• Experienced in Unreal Engine (2+ years), including scripting with Blueprints and/or C++, and solid foundation in vector math and code concepts.
• Skilled at bridging disciplines with strong problem-solving and communication abilities.
• Continuously up to date with the latest in Unreal, Maya, and animation technologies; portfolio demonstrating expertise.

The pay range for this position in California at the start of employment is expected to be between $108,000 and $152,500 per year. 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.
 
Subject to those same considerations, the total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, including a bonus and/or equity awards and eligibility to participate in our 401(K) plan and Employee Stock Purchase Program.
 
Regular, full-time employees are also eligible for a range of benefits at the Company, including: medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance coverage; 14 paid holidays per calendar year; paid vacation time per calendar year (ranging from 15 to 25 days) or eligibility to participate in the Company’s discretionary time off program; up to 10 paid sick days per calendar year; paid parental and compassionate leave; wellbeing programs for mental health and other wellness support; family planning support through Maven; commuter benefits; and reimbursements for fitness-related expenses.

31st Union prides itself on the diversity of its team members, partners, and communities.  For this reason, we remain committed to providing equal employment opportunities in all aspects of the employment relationship, from recruitment and hiring through compensation, benefits, discipline and termination.  This means that employment at 31st Union depends on your substantive ability, objective qualifications and work ethic – not on your age, race (including traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles), height, weight, religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender (including gender identity and expression), alienage or citizenship status, transgender, military or veteran status, physical or mental disability (actual or perceived), medical condition, AIDS/HIV, denial of family and medical care leave, genetic information, predisposition or carrier status, pregnancy status, childbirth, breastfeeding (or related medical conditions), marital status or registered domestic partner status, political activity or affiliation, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking, arrest record, or taking or requesting statutorily protected leaves, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local laws.

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 reasonable accommodation.

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