Technical Gameplay Animator
Naughty Dog
Santa Monica, CA, USA
Job type: Permanent
Job Description
Summary:
Naughty Dog has spent the last decade+ carefully curating some of the top gameplay animators and programmers in the world. This group of individuals is what allows us to create characters with the fidelity and believability that we put into games like The Last of Us and Uncharted series. We are looking for an experienced technical gameplay animator to help us continue to raise the bar of interactive animation for our future project(s). If you are comfortable in the AAA game space, technically proficient, and want to be part of the bleeding edge of visual quality and tech, you may just be the Dog we’re looking for.
Responsibilities:
- Learn how Naughty Dog gameplay systems work. This includes but it’s not limited to: player and non-playable character animations
- Be able to work with any system using the most efficient practices
- Work with the design team to prototype new useful features using Naughty Dog scripting language
- Ability to use the engine debug tools to solve gameplay problems and work with designers and programmers to find a solution
- Ability to create high quality animation content in Maya and implement them correctly in our Naughty Dog engine
- Help support other animators
- Work with design and engineering to create new awesome, mind blowing systems and solutions
- Additional responsibilities may be assigned as needed
Skills & Requirements
Requirements & Skills:
- Minimum of 5 years working in the video-games industry
- Good eye for animation is a must
- Excellent problem solver / fire fighter
- Highly motivated and proactive with a CAN DO attitude
- Excellent technical knowledge of how games work
- In engine animation layering knowledge
- Familiar with some kind of animation system: Unreal, Morpheme, Unity, etc.
- Good communicator at a technical level
- Deep knowledge of Maya: layers, trax editor, mocap tools
- Knowledge of scripting /code system: Python, C++, etc.
Bonus Skills:
- Experience developing animation tools is a plus
- Character rigging experience is a plus
- Experience setting up in-game physics assets is a plus
As a part of the Naughty Dog application process, candidates will be expected to provide a portfolio or demo reel of their work and may be asked to complete an animation test.
Additional Information
- Relocation assistance is offered
How to Apply
To apply, please visit our website: Technical Gameplay Animator
The Recruiting Process
We feel it is important to let you know how the recruiting process works here at Naughty Dog. Here is what you can expect from us:
- Upon submission, you will receive an automated message stating your resume has been received and will be reviewed thoroughly by our recruiting team
- Due to the high volume of applications received, it is not possible to respond directly to each candidate
- If you are selected, you will be contacted for an initial phone screen or test
- The next step is a second phone or Skype interview, or an invite to come out and meet us at the studio
- In the event that we choose not to move forward at any point in the recruiting process, we will let you know
- If your qualifications do not match the criteria of a current position, your resume will be kept on file for future consideration
Thank you for your interest in Naughty Dog.
About the Company
Naughty Dog is the developer of some of the most critically acclaimed and top-selling video games on PlayStation platforms, having created the classic Crash Bandicoot and Jak and Daxter series, as well as modern franchises Uncharted and The Last of Us. We have become recognized as industry leaders for our storytelling, graphics and cinematic quality in our games.
Naughty Dog is also home to Sony World Wide Studios’ ICE Team, a central technology group that focuses on creating core graphics technologies for Sony’s worldwide first-party published titles, including low-level game engine components, graphics processing pipelines, supporting tools, and graphics profiling and debugging tools.
Since Naughty Dog is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment, we also have many perks that comes from being in the Sony family – movie screenings on the Sony Pictures lots and discounts on electronics, music, movies and PlayStation hardware and software. Of course, you just can’t beat our location. Naughty Dog is based near the ocean – and beaches – in Santa Monica, California, where beautiful weather and fair temperatures grace us year-round.