Senior Technical Animation Designer at Cloud Chamber

Cloud Chamber is looking for a Senior Technical Animation Designer to work closely with the animation and engineering teams to push the creative vision and technical boundaries. We are seeking an individual with a deep expertise in Unreal's runtime animation systems, coupled with a strong drive to elevate animation workflows through the implementation of scalable solutions. You are that special someone with a keen artistic eye and who loves to work their technical wizardry! You work towards understanding the whys of how something works and being able to clearly communicate the findings to others. You are motivated to learn, seek new wisdom, and take pride in mentoring others. 

Job Details: 

• Partner with Animation, Engineering, and Design teams to seamlessly achieve the desired  animation style and immersive experience within the game. 
• Engage with stakeholders to align on objectives and develop scalable solutions that optimize  content authoring workflows. 
• Proactively create and enhance Animation systems, striking a balance between performance and  behavior requirements for the game. 
• Provide guidance and mentorship to the Animation team, fostering their growth and maintaining  strong collaborative relationships with other departments. 

Skills, Experience and Qualifications: 

• Previous experience in games development, preferably with at least one AAA title shipped.
• Thorough knowledge of Animation Graphs, Blend Trees, Sequencer, State Machines implementation and maintenance. 
• Understanding and knowledge of procedural runtime animation solutions such as IK, Retargeting, Ragdoll, Cloth, Motion Matching, and more. 
• Understanding how to reduce workload and improve believability of characters in-game.
• Understanding the importance of documenting workflows and sharing knowledge. 
• Knowledge of how important it is to apply animation principles to combine motions seamlessly.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong organizational and communication skills, with a critical eye for detail.
• Self-motivated, curious, and collaborative.
• Flexible and collaborative mindset and attitude.
• Ability to collaborate with peer-level Artists, Engineers, and Game Designers.
• Mature outlook on work ethics and responsibilities.
• Willingness to uphold the values of Cloud Chamber.

Nice-to-have: 

• Proficient in scripting to streamline the animation pipeline (Python, MEL or other scripting languages) to aid workflows and repetitive tasks. 
• Desire to promote and apply cutting-edge animation processes and techniques to  keep the studio competitive. 

We are Cloud Chamber: a collaborative team of inspired minds who create games together. We strive to  make unique, entertaining, and thoughtful game experiences that engage the world.  

We believe in the beauty and strength of diversity, in both the makeup of the studio and the nature of  our thinking. Our focus on open communication and overall well-being allows each of us to strive for  excellence in our work, and happiness in our lives.

We’re currently making the next BioShock. Our passion and love for this iconic franchise is what brought  us together. The thrill and responsibility of creating the next iteration of such a beloved game is what  keeps us going. 

If all of this sounds as exciting to you as it is to us we’d love to meet you! Join us in creating worlds that  move people. 

Please note that 2K Games and its studios never use instant messaging apps or personal email accounts to contact prospective employees or conduct interviews. When emailing prospective employees, we only use 2K.com email accounts.

This is a fully remote role that may be based anywhere in the United States. Below are the expected salary and wage ranges for applicants based in locations where the pay transparency law is in effect:

Colorado: $70,000 and $130,000 per year
California: $90,000 and $165,000 per year
New York State (inclusive of New York City): $90,000 and $165,000 per year
Washington: $70,000 and $130,000 per year

Base pay offered is based on market location, and may vary further depending on individualized factors for job candidates, such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and other objective business considerations. Subject to those same considerations, the total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, including a bonus and/or equity awards and eligibility to participate in our 401(K) plan, in addition to a full range of medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance. Employees will also receive 14 paid holidays per calendar year, are eligible to earn a minimum of 15 days of vacation leave per year (subject to proration based on start date during the calendar year) and will receive 10 sick days per calendar year. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment. If hired, employee will be in an "at-will position" and the company reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation or benefit program) at any time, 4 including for reasons related to individual performance, company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.

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