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

3 Months ago • 3-7 Years • Animation

Job Summary

Job Description

Rockstar Games seeks an Animation R&D Programmer specializing in retargeting for their Edinburgh studio. This role involves developing and maintaining animation systems, pipelines, and tools for their open-world games. Responsibilities include developing performant technology to adapt animation to various characters and environments, collaborating on research for procedural animation and motion adaptation, and staying current with industry advancements. The ideal candidate will possess strong C++ skills, experience with animation retargeting/motion adaptation, and a passion for realistic character motion. The position requires close collaboration with animation, gameplay, and other technical teams across multiple studios.
Must have:
  • Strong C++ programming skills
  • Animation retargeting experience
  • 3D math skills
  • Knowledge of character animation technology
  • Good communication skills
Good to have:
  • AAA game experience
  • C# or Python skills
  • Motion synthesis experience
  • Experience with large codebases
  • Pipeline/UI tool development

Job Details

At Rockstar Games, we create world-class entertainment experiences. 

Become part of a team working on some of the most rewarding, large-scale creative projects to be found in any entertainment medium - all within an inclusive, highly-motivated environment where you can learn and collaborate with some of the most talented people in the industry. 

Rockstar is on the lookout for a talented engineer to join our Animation R&D team, with a background in animation retargeting or related techniques.

This position will help us develop advanced animation systems for our large open world character-based games. The successful applicant will have strong C++ programming skills, good knowledge of and interest in character animation systems, and passion for realistic, high quality character motion.

This is a full-time, permanent and in-office position based in Rockstar’s state-of-the-art game development studio in Edinburgh, Scotland. 

WHAT WE DO

  • We develop animation technology, from performance capture to a sophisticated runtime engine, for massive open world games.
  • We are a global team of programmers and researchers who collaborate on pushing the boundaries of character animation on next generation hardware.
  • We support and work closely with animation, gameplay, physics, tools, graphics, performance capture, and technical art teams across multiple Rockstar studios.

RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Help invent, develop, expand, maintain, and support an extensive runtime animation system, pipeline, and tools.
  • Develop robust and performant technology to adjust animation to different characters, situations, and environments.
  • Collaborate and contribute to the research and development of features related to procedural animation, motion adaptation, and character motion synthesis.
  • Keep up to date with the latest academic and industry breakthroughs, independently research and develop improvements to continuously push our technology forward.

QUALIFICATIONS

  • A degree in Computer Science or a related discipline, or equivalent industry experience.
  • Proven development of solutions in animation retargeting, motion adaptation, or related subjects.
  • Experience creating, extending or working directly with an animation system within a game engine.

SKILLS

  • Good communication skills, ability to clearly share complex technical information with other programmers, animators and technical artists.
  • Strong C/C++ programming skills.
  • Strong 3D math skills.
  • Knowledge of character animation technology, particularly retargeting and IK systems.
  • Familiarity with common optimization and multi-threading techniques.

PLUSES

Please note that these are desirable skills and are not required to apply for the position.

  • Industry experience working on AAA character based games, or character based VFX animation.
  • C# or python programming skills.
  • Experience developing within a large existing codebase, collaborating, or working independently within a large team.
  • Experience with motion synthesis or style transfer.
  • Practical success optimizing or debugging large/complex multithreaded C++ code.
  • Involvement with pipeline or UI based tools development or support.

HOW TO APPLY

Please apply with a CV and cover letter demonstrating how you meet the skills above. If we would like to move forward with your application, a Rockstar recruiter will reach out to you to explain next steps and guide you through the process.

Rockstar is committed to creating a work environment that promotes equal opportunity, dignity and respect. In line with this commitment, Rockstar will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified job applicants with disabilities during the recruitment process in order for such applicants to be considered for the position for which they are applying, as well as to qualified employees to enable them to perform the essential functions of their roles. If you need more information about Rockstar’s reasonable accommodation policies or process, or need to request an accommodation, please contact the Human Resources Department. 

If you’ve got the right skills for the job, we want to hear from you. We encourage applications from all suitable candidates regardless of age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, belief, race, or any other protected category.

#LI-AN1

Similar Jobs

Autodesk - Animation Researcher (Technical Animator)

Autodesk

Toronto, Ontario, Canada (On-Site)
1 Month ago
Scanline VFX - Senior Surfacing/Lookdev Artist

Scanline VFX

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (Hybrid)
6 Months ago
Scanline VFX - VFX Producer

Scanline VFX

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (On-Site)
10 Months ago
Gunzilla - Senior VFX Artist

Gunzilla

Frankfurt Am Main, Hessen, Germany (On-Site)
3 Months ago
Gearbox - Visual Effects Artist

Gearbox

Frisco, Texas, United States (On-Site)
1 Month ago
frames store - Animator - Short Term - Mid & Snr

frames store

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (Hybrid)
1 Month ago
Scopely - Principal Animator - Unannounced Project

Scopely

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain (Hybrid)
4 Months ago
Epic Games - Senior Animator

Epic Games

Montreal, Quebec, Canada (On-Site)
1 Month ago
VOID Interactive - First Person Animator

VOID Interactive

Ireland (Remote)
3 Months ago
Ubisoft - Technical Animation Director

Ubisoft

Montreal, Quebec, Canada (Hybrid)
2 Months ago

Get notifed when new similar jobs are uploaded

Similar Skill Jobs

Epic Games - Character Concept Outsource Lead (IP)

Epic Games

Cary, North Carolina, United States (On-Site)
2 Months ago
Glowmade - Senior Concept Artist

Glowmade

England, United Kingdom (On-Site)
2 Months ago
Scanline VFX - Lead Software Engineer (Production Tools)

Scanline VFX

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (Remote)
8 Months ago
Wizcorp - Technical Artist

Wizcorp

Tokyo, Japan (Remote)
3 Months ago
dream heaven - Mid-Level VFX Artist

dream heaven

Irvine, California, United States (On-Site)
1 Month ago
Weta Fx - FXTD

Weta Fx

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (On-Site)
2 Months ago
Raid Base - Senior Artist, VFX

Raid Base

Los Angeles, California, United States (Remote)
10 Months ago
Scanline VFX - Rigger

Scanline VFX

Seoul, South Korea (On-Site)
10 Months ago
Image Engine - Animator - Lead

Image Engine

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (Hybrid)
3 Months ago
imerza - Unreal Engine / C++ Engineer

imerza

United States (Remote)
1 Month ago

Get notifed when new similar jobs are uploaded

Jobs in Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom

Dog ears  - Background Artists, Scene Prep Artists and Super Animators

Dog ears

Londonderry, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom (Hybrid)
2 Weeks ago
Hawkeye Innovations - Match Operations Assistant

Hawkeye Innovations

Manchester, England, United Kingdom (On-Site)
2 Months ago
Ion - Technical Operations Engineer

Ion

Woking, England, United Kingdom (On-Site)
8 Months ago
Tesla - Sales Advisor

Tesla

Stratford-upon-Avon, England, United Kingdom (On-Site)
4 Months ago
SEGA - Senior/Principal Graphics Programmer

SEGA

England, United Kingdom (On-Site)
3 Months ago
London stock Exchange - Data Engineer Team Lead

London stock Exchange

London, England, United Kingdom (On-Site)
2 Weeks ago
Epic Games - Senior Engine Programmer

Epic Games

London, England, United Kingdom (On-Site)
2 Months ago
Hawkeye Innovations - 3rd Line Support Engineer

Hawkeye Innovations

Basingstoke, England, United Kingdom (Hybrid)
3 Months ago
Square - 7.5 Tonne Collections and Delivery Driver

Square

Portsmouth, England, United Kingdom (On-Site)
1 Week ago
Marks, part of SGS & Co - Account Director

Marks, part of SGS & Co

London, England, United Kingdom (Hybrid)
1 Day ago

Get notifed when new similar jobs are uploaded

Animation Jobs

KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS - Animator

KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS

Tokyo, Japan (On-Site)
7 Months ago
Epic Games - Technical Designer in Animation

Epic Games

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (On-Site)
3 Months ago
Side - Animation / Technical Animator - Talent Pool

Side

United States (Remote)
1 Month ago
bad robot games - Senior Animator

bad robot games

United States (Remote)
2 Days ago
Rebellion - Technical Animation Internship

Rebellion

Oxford, England, United Kingdom (On-Site)
3 Months ago
Sega (UK) - Principal Animator

Sega (UK)

Sofia, Sofia City Province, Bulgaria (Hybrid)
1 Month ago
Rockstar Games - Animation R&D Programmer (Mid / Senior Level)

Rockstar Games

Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom (On-Site)
9 Months ago
2K - Principal Gameplay Animation Engineer

2K

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (On-Site)
11 Months ago
Ubisoft - Senior Gameplay Animator

Ubisoft

Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Hybrid)
2 Months ago

Get notifed when new similar jobs are uploaded

About The Company

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (On-Site)

Leeds, England, United Kingdom (On-Site)

Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom (On-Site)

Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom (On-Site)

Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom (On-Site)

Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom (On-Site)

Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom (On-Site)

Boulogne-Billancourt, Île-de-France, France (Hybrid)

Leeds, England, United Kingdom (On-Site)

Carlsbad, California, United States (On-Site)

View All Jobs

Get notified when new jobs are added by Rockstar Games

Level Up Your Career in Game Development!

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

Job Common Plug