Animation Director - Infinity Ward

Job Title:

Animation Director - Infinity Ward

Requisition ID:

R024369

Job Description:

Animation Director

Your Platform

Founded in 2002, Infinity Ward is the original studio behind the Call of Duty®
franchise. The titles developed by Infinity Ward have won more than 200 "Game of the Year" awards and 100 "Editor's Choice" awards, among many other industry accolades. Some of our previous titles include: Call of Duty®: Ghosts, Call of
Duty®: Infinite Warfare and most recently, Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare II.

A critically acclaimed studio, Infinity Ward is proud to have one of the most
passionate and talented development teams in the industry.  We love to have as
much fun as the games we create, and it shows in our relaxed, yet diligent,
workplace environment. We believe that making the best games relies on having the best people, so we like to look after ours. We enjoy having fun with top-notch events that everyone gets involved with. Infinity Ward is wholly owned by Activision. To learn more about our studio, please visit us at https://www.infinityward.com/, on Facebook at  https://www.facebook.com/InfinityWard/, and @InfinityWard on Twitter.

Your Mission

As an Animation Director, you will be expected to lead the Animation team by
driving, maintaining and creating high fidelity animations that align to our pursuit of ultimate player immersion. This Immersion is achieved by supporting the Narrative and Gameplay needs of our games, using Run-Time Action Cinematics, 1st and 3rd Person Gameplay and AI Animations. The ability to lead the team to identify and execute the “feel” the project dictates, is the prime directive. You will be joining our Passionate and Talented team of developers who, continue pushing our standards of quality and drive, that echoes throughout our studio. If you’re looking to contribute to the vision and direction of one of the most successful franchises in video game history, then Infinity Ward is the place for you!

Priorities can often change in a fast-paced environment like ours, so this role includes, but is not limited to, the following responsibilities:

• Work with Infinity Ward’s studio leadership to manage, maintain, and support the animation needs established for the project

• Work with all Animation Directors, Leads and Producers of the project, ensuring animation is created with the highest quality and delivered with the highest efficiency

• Use motion capture and hand-keyed techniques to create high-fidelity run-time action cinematics, 1st and 3rd person gameplay and AI animations to convey the narrative and gameplay needs of the game

• Implement and maintain animations using proprietary tools within our game engine

• Communicate with internal and external departments to ensure the highest collaborative, qualitative and efficient completion of team tasks

Player Profile
Minimum Requirements:

• 8+ years leading animation for game development

• An extreme passion for animation, video games, and the entertainment it inspires and draws from

• An exceptional ability for hand-keyed animation

• Excellent Maya animation experience

• Understand all the roles within the Animation department

• Have a good understanding of the technology used in game design and development, its capabilities and limitations

• Capable of taking animation systems from concept to completion

• Can build good working relationships with other departments

• Excellent communication skills, including tact and diplomacy 

We love hearing from anyone who is enthusiastic about changing the games industry. Not sure you meet all qualifications? Let us decide! Research shows that women and members of other under-represented groups tend to not apply to jobs when they think they may not meet every qualification, when, in fact, they often do! At Activision Blizzard, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and strongly encourage you to apply.

Our World

At Activision, we strive to create the most iconic brands in gaming and entertainment. We’re driven by our mission to deliver unrivaled gaming experiences for the world to enjoy, together. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty®, Crash Bandicoot™, Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™, and Guitar Hero®. As a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and products, our “press start” is simple: delight hundreds of millions of players around the world with innovative, fun, thrilling, and engaging entertainment experiences.

We’re not just looking back at our decades-long legacy; we’re forging ahead to keep advancing gameplay with some of the most popular titles and sophisticated technology in the world. We have bold ambitions to create the most inclusive company as we know our success comes from the passionate, creative, and diverse teams within our organization. 

We’re in the business of delivering fun and unforgettable entertainment for our player community to enjoy. And our future opportunities have never been greater — this could be your opportunity to level up. 

Ready to Activate Your Future? 

Rewards

We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for ‘Every World’ - we’ve got our employees covered!  Subject to eligibility requirements, the Company offers comprehensive benefits including:

• Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance;
• 401(k) with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching;
• Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave;
• Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other voluntary benefit programs like supplemental life & disability, legal service, ID protection, rental insurance, and others;
• If the Company requires that you move geographic locations for the job, then you may also be eligible for relocation assistance.

Eligibility to participate in these benefits may vary for part time and temporary full-time employees and interns with the Company.  You can learn more by visiting https://www.benefitsforeveryworld.com/.

In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $134,000.00 - $247,900.00 Annual. These values reflect the expected base pay range of new hires across all U.S. locations. Ultimately, your specific range and offer will be based on several factors, including relevant experience, performance, and work location. Your Talent Professional can share this role’s range details for your local geography during the hiring process. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not guaranteed. While we strive to provide competitive offers to successful candidates, new hire compensation is negotiable.