Expert Animator (FPS)

Accountabilities:: Own the vision, quality, and execution of first-person animation systems throughout the game's development. Create high-quality first-person animations for weapons, hands, character locomotion, abilities, interactions, and other gameplay systems. Collaborate with Gameplay Design and Engineering to ensure animations enhance responsiveness, readability, and player feedback. Develop and maintain Unreal Engine 5 animation systems, including Animation Blueprints, State Machines, Blend Spaces, Control Rig solutions, and Sequencer workflows. Design and refine procedural, layered, and runtime animation solutions that improve gameplay feel and visual fidelity. Build, maintain, and optimize animation pipelines, production workflows, and implementation processes from scratch. Rig and prepare first-person assets for animation and seamless integration into the game engine. Partner with Technical Art and Engineering to implement, troubleshoot, and optimize animation systems within gameplay. Review and guide external animation vendors and contract animators, providing clear feedback and maintaining consistent quality standards. Establish animation guidelines, documentation, and best practices to support efficient collaboration across internal and external teams. Work with studio leadership to define animation priorities, production schedules, and quality benchmarks. Contribute to cinematic sequences and scripted gameplay animation requirements when needed. Requirements: At least 7 years of professional animation experience, including shipped AAA or AA first-person shooter titles in a Senior, Lead, Principal, Expert Animator, or equivalent role. Expert-level knowledge of first-person animation, including weapons, hands, locomotion, interactions, and player abilities. A strong understanding of FPS gameplay feel, responsiveness, timing, and player feedback, with the ability to translate these principles into effective in-game animation. Extensive hands-on experience with Unreal Engine 5 animation systems, including Animation Blueprints, Blend Spaces, State Machines, Control Rig, and Sequencer. Excellent animation fundamentals, including timing, weight, posing, anticipation, movement clarity, and visual readability. Proven experience rigging and preparing first-person assets for production, along with a solid understanding of animation implementation and integration in game engines. Strong collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with Design, Engineering, Technical Art, and Production teams. Experience reviewing, directing, and providing actionable feedback on work delivered by external animation partners. Active engagement with AI tools relevant to animation production, including AI-assisted rigging, animation cleanup, and reference-generation workflows, with a willingness to integrate AI into everyday production practices. The ability to work independently, make informed creative and technical decisions, establish workflows from scratch, and take ownership of animation quality in a fast-moving development environment. Preferred qualifications: Experience leading or mentoring animators, developing procedural and runtime animation systems, working on co-op or multiplayer games, and managing motion capture and cleanup pipelines. Additional advantages include experience with complex weapon states and gameplay interactions, advanced Unreal Engine runtime animation techniques or source-level systems, and contributing to original intellectual property during early-stage game development. Benefits: Competitive salary: Annual base salary of $155,000–$170,000 USD, depending on experience, skills, and qualifications. Comprehensive healthcare: Medical, dental, and vision insurance. Retirement benefits: Access to a 401(k) plan. Flexible paid time off: A flexible PTO policy that supports work-life balance. Remote-first work environment: Work remotely from anywhere in Canada or the United States. Creative and technical ownership: Shape the first-person animation vision, establish core systems, and influence foundational production decisions from the earliest stages of development. Senior-level collaboration: Work alongside a small, experienced team with direct access to leadership and cross-disciplinary partners. Long-term project opportunity: Contribute to an ambitious AAA game targeting a 2030 launch on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Inclusive workplace: Join a team committed to equal employment opportunities and a diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. Accessibility support: Reasonable accommodations are available throughout the application and interview process upon request.