bulletfarm - Expert Animator (FPS)
Requirements
• When you start, you will be the only animator at BulletFarm. You will be making first-person weapon animations, locomotion, and interaction systems from scratch — no existing pipeline, no reference library, no junior animator to prep assets. The animation feel of the game is yours to establish from the first placeholder. • You need to be fast, technically self-sufficient in UE5's animation systems, and comfortable making the calls that define what great looks like, not just executing toward someone else’s standard. You have shipped first-person animation on AAA titles and you know what good feel requires at the implementation level, not just in theory. • 7+ years of animation experience, including shipped AAA or AA FPS credits in a Senior Animator, Lead Animator, Principal Animator, Expert Animator, or equivalent role. • Expert-level proficiency in first-person animation: weapons, hands, locomotion, interactions, and player abilities. • Deep understanding of first-person gameplay feel, responsiveness, and player feedback principles. • Extensive experience with Unreal Engine animation systems, including Animation Blueprints, Blend Spaces, State Machines, Control Rig, and Sequencer. • Strong animation fundamentals: timing, weight, posing, anticipation, and readability. • Experience rigging and preparing first-person assets for production use. • Strong understanding of animation implementation and integration within game engines. • Ability to collaborate effectively with Design, Engineering, Technical Art, and Production teams. • Experience reviewing and directing the work of external animation partners. • Active engagement with AI tools relevant to animation, including AI-assisted rigging, cleanup workflows, or reference tooling. Comfort with AI in the animation pipeline is a studio-wide requirement. • Strong communication skills and the ability to provide clear, actionable feedback. • Experience leading or mentoring animation teams. • Expertise in procedural animation systems and runtime animation solutions. • Experience with co-op or multiplayer gameplay animation. • Familiarity with motion capture pipelines and animation cleanup workflows. • Experience creating animation systems for weapons with multiple states, abilities, and gameplay interactions. • Knowledge of Unreal Engine source-level animation systems and advanced runtime animation techniques. • Experience working on original IP and early-stage game development.
Responsibilities
• Own the vision, quality, and execution of first-person animation systems throughout development. • Create high-quality first-person animations for weapons, abilities, locomotion, interactions, and gameplay systems. • Collaborate closely with Gameplay Design and Engineering to ensure animations support responsiveness, readability, and player feedback. • Develop and maintain animation blueprints, state machines, Control Rig solutions, and gameplay animation systems within Unreal Engine 5. • Create and refine procedural and layered animation solutions that enhance gameplay feel and visual fidelity. • Build, maintain, and optimize first-person animation pipelines and workflows. • Rig and prepare first-person assets for animation and engine implementation. • Work closely with Technical Art and Engineering teams to integrate animations efficiently into gameplay systems. • Review, direct, and provide feedback to external animation vendors and contract animators. • Establish animation standards, documentation, and best practices for internal and external teams. • Collaborate with leadership to define animation priorities, schedules, and quality benchmarks. • Support cinematic and scripted gameplay animation needs when required.
Benefits
• BulletFarm is an independent, AAA studio. We are a creative partnership backed by GreaterThan Group, a strategic co-owner with deep gaming industry experience and a long-term ownership model aligned with the studio’s success. • We are remote first: work alongside a small, senior team from anywhere in the US or Canada on a project with a clear 2030 launch target on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. • Join early enough that your decisions matter: the studio is at a stage where the people building it have direct influence over how it operates, what it values, and how it makes games. • Competitive base salary, health, dental, and vision benefits. • Own the rendering and graphics technology stack for a new AAA title: working directly with the Technical Director on foundational architecture decisions. • Solve challenging graphics and performance problems using cutting-edge UE5 technology with broad technical ownership from day one. • The salary range listed above reflects the budgeted range for this role in USD. Actual compensation will be determined based on experience, skills, and qualifications. BulletFarm offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401(k), and flexible paid time off. • Pay Transparency • In compliance with applicable state and local pay transparency laws: including those in Colorado, California, New York, Washington, and Illinois, the salary range for this position is disclosed in the compensation section above. • Applicants who require reasonable accommodations during the application or interview process are encouraged to contact us at [email protected].
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