Senior Animation Programmer
Job Description
We are looking for a Senior Animation Programmer to join our engineering team and help build the systems that bring our characters and worlds to life. You will design, implement, and optimize animation technology within Unreal Engine, working closely with animators, designers, and gameplay programmers to deliver responsive, high-fidelity character movement and combat/interaction systems. This is a senior, hands-on role with significant influence over technical direction, tooling, and mentorship of junior engineers.
What it means on a daily basis
• Design, build, and maintain animation systems using Unreal Engine's Animation Blueprint, Control Rig, and Animation Framework.
• Develop and optimize character locomotion, state machines, blend spaces, IK solvers, and procedural animation systems.
• Collaborate closely with animators and technical artists to build robust, artist-friendly tools and rigs.
• Partner with gameplay programmers to integrate animation-driven systems with combat, traversal, and physics.
• Profile and optimize animation performance across target platforms (consoles, PC).
• Debug and resolve complex animation and synchronization issues.
• Contribute to technical design documents and provide input on engine architecture decisions.
• Mentor junior and mid-level programmers, and champion best practices in animation programming.
• Stay current with advances in animation technology (e.g., motion matching, ML-driven animation) and evaluate their applicability.
What success will look like
Success in this role means delivering robust, high-quality animation systems that make characters feel responsive, believable, and engaging while meeting the performance demands of the game. You’ll take ownership of animation features from concept through to implementation and optimisation, work closely with animators, designers, technical artists, and gameplay programmers, and help establish effective tools and workflows for the wider team. As a senior member of the engineering team, you’ll also contribute to technical direction, solve complex animation challenges, share your expertise, and mentor other programmers while helping push the quality and capabilities of the studio’s animation technology.
Your Recruitment Journey
• First stage: A qualification call with the recruitment team
• Second stage: Interview with the Studio Technical Director + Lead Engineer
• Third stage: TBC
Requirements
Department: GAME PROGRAMMING
Function: Engineering
Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level