Business Unit

LIGHTSPEED STUDIOS is made up of passionate players who advance the art & science of game development through great stories, great gameplay, and advanced technology. We are focused on bringing next generation experiences to gamers who want to enjoy them anywhere, anytime, across multiple genres and devices.

What the Role Entails

Lightspeed is seeking a talented Principal Gameplay Animator with a
passion for pushing interactive performances to the next level. In this role,
you will be collaborating with industry veterans to craft the highest quality
animations in our AAA open world video game. The ideal candidate is a
skilled animator and leader who has the creative and technical experience
to craft move-sets and interactive animations that look and feel outstanding
in-game.

Responsibilities

• Champion the creative vision by collaborating with animation leadership, designers and programmers to craft high-quality performances that both look and feel amazing.
• Take ownership of your animations: you are responsible for previz, mocap planning, clean-up, key-framing, implementation, playtesting, and iterate until it looks & feels terrific!
• Proactively communicate with programmers, designers, artists, and writers to align your animations with mission objectives, gameplay intentions, animation direction, and story.
• Desire to explore ideas, change animations, and give/receive constructive feedback.
• Contribute to the Gameplay animation pipeline, driving quality, timeliness and craftmanship. You identify opportunities for improvement and deploy necessary measure to make it available for the team.
• Be a team player and contribute to maintaining a supportive and creative work environment.
• Mentor, Inspire and guide the animators by building a positive and inclusive team culture.

Who We Look For

• 10+ years of video game animation development experience in AAA.
• Have experience editing and animating with motion capture data in Maya.
• Have strong understanding of realistic body mechanics and performances.
• Have a natural sense for weight, timing, and style for your animations.
• Impeccable work ethic and a passion to push the game animation quality bar.
• Have good understanding of cinematography and camera animation.
• Excellent organizational, communication and interpersonal skills.
• Can learn new tools and techniques for animation implementation.
• Self-starter and innovative problem solver.
• Have a genuine love for Video Games, you understand and care about enhancing the player journey.

Preferred:

• Shipped at least three AAA titles.
• Expert knowledge of Unreal Engine.
• Expert knowledge of editing and animating with motion capture data in Maya.
• Experience with Motion Builder.
• Experience with Xsens Motion Capture Suit.
• Expert knowledge of weapon animations.
• Expert knowledge of melee combat.
• Experience with animal and creature animations.
• Experience with motion-matching / pose-matching techniques.
   

Location State(s)

California

The base pay range for this position in the state(s) above is $122,040.0 to $254,880.0 per year. Actual pay is based on market location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. A sign on payment, relocation package, and restricted stock units may be provided as part of the compensation package, as well as other medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the specific position offered.

Equal Employment Opportunity at Tencent

As an equal opportunity employer, we firmly believe that diverse voices fuel our innovation and allow us to better serve our users and the community. We foster an environment where every employee of Tencent feels supported and inspired to achieve individual and common goals.