Gameplay Animator

Ability to work onsite from our Santa Monica, CA studio is required.

For nearly 40 years, Naughty Dog has been crafting best-selling, critically acclaimed games that constantly push the boundaries of narrative, gameplay, and technology. Naughty Dog recently released The Last of Us Part II Remastered as well as a current generation remake of The Last of Us Part I for the PS5. We're also proud to say that The Last of Us Parts I & II are now available for the first time on PC. Currently, we’re busy at the kennel working on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, and we'd love to find talented individuals to join us.

What you will do:

• Create high-quality animation content in Maya and ensure proper implementation in our game engine
• Collaborate with the Animation, Design, and Engineering teams to create new exciting, mind blowing systemic animations
• Take ownership of projects and provide innovative solutions, including creating documentation
• Participate in motion capture shoots
• Learn Naughty Dog’s unique gameplay systems
• Work with game systems, adhering to efficient and effective practices
• Utilize engine debug tools to identify and resolve gameplay issues in collaboration with designers and programmers
• Provide constructive feedback to improve internal technologies and artistic workflows

What skills you will use:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Animation, Computer Graphic Art, or a related degree
• Two (2) years of experience in job offered, or as an Animator, Animator Intern, or in a related occupation
• Experience must include the following -
• Good understanding of human and animal skeletal structures, anatomy and biomechanics, and their application in developing computer generated animation content for video games and other products
• Good understanding of common technologies and workflows for animation sequencing, blending, time and space warping, and animation layering (such as in-engine animation technologies including state machines)
• Proficiency with high-end animation digital content creation software such as Autodesk Maya and MotionBuilder.
  
  

Job Site: Santa Monica, California.  Work from office required (M-W-F).