Principal Technical Animator

2K
Prague, Brno, England
Workplace: HybridFull timeFunction: Creative Production (Video/Audio/Photo)Skills: ["Cross-discipline communication","Mentorship","Technical leadership","Problem-solving","Collaboration"]

Define the technical vision for gameplay character animation across the studio, setting long-term strategy and architecting scalable real-time animation systems. Lead R&D to evaluate and adopt cutting-edge technologies such as advanced motion matching, AI-driven animation, and next-gen physics. Partner with engineering and tech animation leadership to deliver animation roadmaps, diagnose runtime performance issues, and establish standards, pipeline workflows, and mentorship for the animation team.

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FursaFursa
2K
2K
3 months ago

Principal Technical Animator

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Source: Company careers pageValidated by: Fursa AI
Last checked: 14 hours agoStatus: Live

Job Summary

Define the technical vision for gameplay character animation across the studio, setting long-term strategy and architecting scalable real-time animation systems. Lead R&D to evaluate and adopt cutting-edge technologies such as advanced motion matching, AI-driven animation, and next-gen physics. Partner with engineering and tech animation leadership to deliver animation roadmaps, diagnose runtime performance issues, and establish standards, pipeline workflows, and mentorship for the animation team.
Location: Prague, Brno, England
Workplace: Hybrid
Employment Type: Full time · Permanent
Job Function: Creative Production (Video/Audio/Photo)
Seniority: Mid level

Key Responsibilities

  • •Architect and oversee the high-level design of gameplay animation systems for scalability, performance, and real-time integration.
  • •Drive R&D to evaluate and implement new animation technologies including advanced motion matching, machine learning/AI animation, and next-gen physics.
  • •Partner with Engineering and Tech Animation leadership to implement animation roadmaps and toolsets.
  • •Solve complex runtime bugs and lead animation optimization to meet performance and memory budgets.
  • •Define and document technical standards, best practices, and pipeline workflows; mentor senior and mid-level technical animators through reviews and hands-on guidance.

Key Requirements

  • •Extensive proven experience architecting and integrating gameplay animation systems for AAA titles using Unreal Engine.
  • •Master-level expertise in Unreal Engine animation tools including Anim Blueprints, Motion Matching, Control Rig, State Machines, and Sequencer.
  • •Deep technical understanding of low-level animation concepts such as runtime optimization, memory management, and threading.
  • •Excellent cross-discipline communication skills with a track record aligning Art, Design, and Engineering leaders on technical visions.
  • •Strong feature breakdown and scoping skills, translating creative pillars into production-ready plans.
Experience:AAA gamingUnreal EngineReal-time systemsMotion captureGame development
Skills:Cross-discipline communicationMentorshipTechnical leadershipProblem-solvingCollaboration
Languages:English
Tech Stack:Unreal EngineAnim BlueprintsMotion MatchingControl RigState MachinesSequencerC++PythonMachine learningAI animationMaya APIMotionBuilderHoudiniMotion captureReal-time systemsPhysics

Company Brief

2K
2K is a video game publisher and developer known for sports, action, and strategy franchises such as NBA 2K, WWE 2K, Borderlands, and Sid Meier’s Civilization. It operates as a major label within Take-Two Interactive.
Industry: Gaming
Company Size: Large (251 to 1,000 employees)
Growth: Established Company
Headquarters: Novato, United States
Founded: 2005
WebsiteLinkedIn