Animation Engineer

2 Months ago • All levels • Animation

Job Summary

Job Description

This Animation Engineer role involves building and maintaining native animation instances, developing systems for modular animation layering, and collaborating with Tech Animation to refine data definitions. The engineer will diagnose and correct animation flow, optimize secondary motion systems, and contribute to animation event timelines. They will also improve animation system scalability, support networked multiplayer environments, and provide technical guidance. The role requires C++ expertise, experience with real-time animation systems in Unreal or similar engines, and knowledge of skeletal animation and state machines.
Must have:
  • Expert-level C++ experience with real-time systems.
  • Experience building or maintaining real-time animation systems.
  • Deep knowledge of skeletal animation and runtime blending.
Good to have:
  • Exposure to animation tools or pipelines is beneficial.
  • Familiarity with modular character systems is highly valued.
  • Exposure to multiplayer animation systems is helpful.
Perks:
  • Generous PTO allowance
  • Summer and Winter holidays studio closure
  • Private Medical & Dental Healthcare
  • Private Mental Health scheme
  • Generous annual Health & Wellbeing allowance
  • Discretionary Studio Bonus
  • Top range tech for home setup
  • Other region-based benefits

Job Details

What we are looking for:

We’re looking for an experienced Animation Systems Engineer ready to take on complex runtime challenges and cross-discipline collaboration. You’ll work closely with our Tech Art Director and Technical Animation team to build scalable, expressive, and performant character animation systems that support gameplay, aesthetics, and runtime stability.

This role balances hands-on C++ engineering with close collaboration across animation, tech art, and design — helping the team bring modular, reactive characters to life in a live game environment.

What we will do together:

  • Build and maintain native animation instances for characters, weapons, and runtime systems — supporting both animation logic and visual behavior.
  • Develop systems for modular animation layering — enabling additive features like weapons, capes, and secondary attachments.
  • Collaborate with Tech Animation to refine and enforce data definitions, collision handling, and modular character build logic.
  • Diagnose and correct animation flow, sync behavior, and data-driven inconsistencies across runtime character systems.
  • Drive and optimize secondary motion systems, including cloth, physics-driven animation, and motion-based dynamics.
  • Contribute to animation event timelines, traversal logic, combat responsiveness, and cross-state blending in collaboration with design and animation.
  • Streamline preview systems and in-editor workflows to improve iteration speed and debuggability.
  • Improve animation system scalability across multiple platforms, balancing fidelity and performance for a wide range of hardware targets.
  • Support animation systems that operate reliably in networked multiplayer environments, with a focus on timing accuracy, prediction, and sync stability.
  • Provide technical guidance and mentorship to support scalable animation systems and cross-team alignment.

What you will bring:

  • Expert-level C++ experience, with a strong understanding of real-time, performance-sensitive systems.
  • Proven experience building or maintaining real-time animation systems in Unreal or similar AAA engines.
  • Deep knowledge of skeletal animation, runtime blending, animation layering, and state machines.
  • Strong math foundation — including linear algebra, transform hierarchies, IK, and motion/physics integration.
  • Skilled at bridging animation, design, and engineering disciplines, helping teams converge on scalable, high-fidelity animation solutions.
  • Exposure to animation tools or pipelines designed for use by animators and other non-engineers is beneficial.
  • Familiarity with modular character systems, including swappable parts, layered collisions, and scalable asset structures, is highly valued.
  • Exposure to the technical considerations of multiplayer animation systems — such as network timing and replication — is helpful but not required.

Interested… a bit about Escape Velocity:

Escape Velocity is a team of passionate, talented developers working at a studio that offers excellent benefits, on what we believe is a unique project with a committed publisher. But that doesn’t necessarily make us unique. What does make us special? We value the time, energy, and talent of our players and our colleagues. We want every hour spent developing and playing our games to be an incredibly rewarding and worthwhile use of your time.

 

To that end, we are ‘Fully Remote’ and support team members nearly anywhere in the world. We prioritize honesty, even when that means sharing bad news. We strive to give everyone autonomy so they can determine how best to work and play, and we care more about what you bring to the game and studio than how many hours you’re clocking. We’re dedicated to building a culture of play, which not only makes us better game makers, but also strengthens the bonds between us all. We believe in constant improvement across all areas – from the game itself to our production design – and are constantly re-evaluating how we spend our time to ensure that we’re not wasting yours and we’re all always working on the most important things. 

.

 A few benefits you can expect from us:

  • A generous PTO allowance
  • Summer and Winter holidays studio closure (separate to PTO allowance)
  • Private Medical & Dental Healthcare  
  • Private Mental Health scheme 
  • A generous annual Health & Wellbeing allowance
  • Discretionary Studio Bonus
  • Top range tech for your home set up
  • Other benefits based on your region

.

How to apply:

Click apply and complete an application along with a Resume / CV. If we would like to move forward with your application, a member of the Recruiting Team will reach out to you and guide you through our process.

Escape Velocity is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to hiring, promoting, and compensating employees based on their qualifications and demonstrated ability to perform job responsibilities.

Applications will be considered regardless of age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, belief, race, or any other protected category.

Similar Jobs

Game pack studio - 2D AI Artist

Game pack studio

(Remote)
2 Months ago
Zoic studios - CG Supervisor, Creature Experience (Houdini)

Zoic studios

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (Remote)
3 Days ago
omino games - Illustrator

omino games

İstanbul, Türkiye (On-Site)
1 Week ago
Gallagher - SPA - Content Developer and Visual Designer

Gallagher

Bengaluru, Karnataka, India (On-Site)
9 Months ago
Aristocrat - Sr. Lead Artist

Aristocrat

Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India (Hybrid)
3 Months ago
nDreams - Animation Programmer

nDreams

United Kingdom (Remote)
1 Month ago
Rockstar Games - Senior Technical Artist: Animation

Rockstar Games

London, England, United Kingdom (On-Site)
1 Month ago
Oculus VR - Senior Technical Animator

Oculus VR

Canada (Remote)
1 Week ago
playground - Senior Cinematic Animator

playground

Royal Leamington Spa, England, United Kingdom (Hybrid)
2 Months ago
Aristocrat - Lead Artist - Animator

Aristocrat

Gurugram, Haryana, India (Remote)
1 Day ago

Get notifed when new similar jobs are uploaded

Similar Skill Jobs

Rockstar Games - Animation R&D Programmer: Retargeting (Mid/Senior Level)

Rockstar Games

Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom (On-Site)
3 Months ago
KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS - AI Programmer

KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS

Tokyo, Japan (On-Site)
7 Months ago
Ubisoft - UX/UI Designer (Mobile Gaming)

Ubisoft

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain (On-Site)
4 Months ago
Kabam - Senior 2D Animator

Kabam

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (On-Site)
2 Months ago
TAG - Senior Designer

TAG

(Remote)
2 Months ago
Santa Monica Studios - Sr Concept Artist (Characters)

Santa Monica Studios

California, United States (On-Site)
11 Months ago
Stage - Promo Editor

Stage

Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India (On-Site)
1 Month ago
Valve corporation - 3D Character Artist

Valve corporation

Bellevue, Washington, United States (On-Site)
8 Months ago
Epic Games - Character Art Director

Epic Games

(On-Site)
3 Months ago
Sandsoft Games - Senior Marketing Artist

Sandsoft Games

Riyadh, Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia (Remote)
1 Month ago

Get notifed when new similar jobs are uploaded

Jobs in Worldwide

Looks like we're out of matches

Set up an alert and we'll send you similar jobs the moment they appear!

Animation Jobs

AGBO - Animator

AGBO

Los Angeles, California, United States (Remote)
2 Months ago
Sony Interactive Entertainment - Animation Manager

Sony Interactive Entertainment

Los Angeles, California, United States (On-Site)
3 Days ago
Game freak - R&D Programmer: Animation [Junior Class]

Game freak

Chiyoda City, Tokyo, Japan (On-Site)
1 Month ago
DNEG - FX Lead (DNEG Animation)

DNEG

Bengaluru, Karnataka, India (On-Site)
8 Months ago
Token Metrics - Crypto Video Editor and Animator

Token Metrics

Hanoi, Vietnam (Remote)
1 Year ago
CD PROJEKT RED - Senior Gameplay Animator, Combat

CD PROJEKT RED

Warsaw, Masovian Voivodeship, Poland (Remote)
1 Month ago
Ubisoft - Senior Gameplay Animator (H/F/NB) - BGE2

Ubisoft

Montpellier, Occitanie, France (On-Site)
6 Months ago
Qingci Games - Animator

Qingci Games

Xiamen, Fujian, China (On-Site)
3 Months ago
People Can Fly - Senior Gameplay Animator

People Can Fly

Montréal, Québec, Canada (Remote)
1 Month ago
Rockstar Games - Animation R&D Programmer

Rockstar Games

Carlsbad, California, United States (On-Site)
7 Months ago

Get notifed when new similar jobs are uploaded

About The Company

JOIN USEscape Velocity is a team of passionate, talented developers working at a studio that offers excellent benefits and what we believe is a fantastic project. But that doesn’t make us unique. What does make us special? We value the time, energy, and talent of our players and our colleagues. We want every hour spent developing and playing our games to be an incredibly rewarding and worthwhile use of your time. To that end, we are fully remote and support team members nearly anywhere in the world. We prioritize honesty, even when that means sharing bad news. We strive to give everyone autonomy so they can determine how best to work and play; and we care more about what you bring to the game and studio than how many hours you’re clocking. We believe in constant improvement across all areas – from the game itself to our production design – and are constantly re-evaluating how we spend our time to ensure that we’re not wasting yours and we’re all always working on the most important things. Finally (and perhaps most importantly) we’re dedicated to building a culture of play, which not only makes us better game makers, but also strengthens the bonds between us all.

Orlando, Florida, United States (On-Site)

Canada (Remote)

Canada (Remote)

Czechia (Remote)

United Kingdom (Remote)

View All Jobs

Get notified when new jobs are added by Escape Velocity Entertainment

Level Up Your Career in Game Development!

Transform Your Passion into Profession with Our Comprehensive Courses for Aspiring Game Developers.

Job Common Plug