Principal Animator

Salary Range: $160000 - $180000 per year.

Position Title: Principal Animator

Department: Art/Animation

Location: San Diego CA - Remote

Employee Type:Full Time Regular

THE OPPORTUNITY

We are seeking an exceptionalPrincipal Animatorto join our creative team and drive animation excellence across our gaming portfolio. As aPrincipal Animator you will be a key creative leader responsible forestablishingartistic standards mentoring animators and delivering industry-leading character animations that enhance gameplay experiences and bring depth and personality to our worlds.

In this senior role you will create high-quality animations for characters NPCs creatures and cinematic sequencesspanning gameplay locomotion combat systems emotional performance and cinematic directly with game designers technical artists programmers and directors to ensure every frame serves the gameplay and narrative vision. Yourexpertisewill encompass both traditional hand-keyed animation and modern motion capture workflows andyoullbe expected to push the boundaries of animation quality whilemaintainingtechnical efficiency.

As a leader on the animation team you will mentor junior and mid-level animatorsestablishbest practices define animation pipelines and serve as the authority on animation craft within the full animation development cycles make independent creative decisions aligned with project vision and drive continuous improvement in both artistic quality and technical execution.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

Animation Creation & Quality

Create high-quality production-level character animations thatshowcasetechnical excellence and artistic vision

Develop comprehensive animation sets including locomotion combat interactions and cinematic performance animations

Craft expressive character animations that communicate personality emotion and identity while supporting compelling gameplay

Work with both hand-keyed and motion capture animation pipelines ensuring seamless integration andoptimalperformance

Establish andmaintainbenchmark animations that define visual and technical standards for the project

Support physics cloth and other specialized animation systems

Collaboration & Integration

Work closely with game designers to understand gameplay mechanics 3C principles (Character Controls Camera) and player experience goals

Collaborate with technical artists and programmers tooptimizeanimation assets for real-time rendering and ensure smooth integration into game systems

Partner with character artists riggers and modelers to resolve animation-related issues and improve workflows

Communicate with directors and leads to align animation work with the projects creative vision and style guidelines

Test review and iterate on animations to ensure they deliver the intended gameplay experience and visual impact

Leadership & Mentorship

Mentor junior mid-level and senior animators providing constructive feedback and fostering professional growth

Lead animation reviews and critique sessions ensuring consistency and quality across all animation work

Define and communicate animation best practices workflows and technical standards

Collaborate with leads and other departments to develop animation pipelines and processes that improve efficiency and quality

Act as the technical and artistic authority on animation matters within the studio

Contribute to hiring and onboarding of animation team members

Technical Excellence

Debug and resolve animation-related issues including rigging problems motion capture artifacts and engine integration challenges

Optimizeanimations for performance applying advanced techniques like motion matching root motion and animation blending

Stay current with animation tools game engines and industry best practices

Implement and refine animation graphs state machines and system architectures

Master proprietary animation tools and content pipelines specific to the studios workflow

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Experience & Education

7 years of professional experience in game animation production with at least 2 years in a leadership or mentorship role

Bachelors degree in Animation Computer Science Fine Arts or equivalent professional experience demonstrating mastery of animation craft

Technical Skills

Expert-levelproficiencyin Maya (or equivalent 3D animation software) with 5 years of professional use

Strong experience with at least one major game engine (Unreal Engine 4/5 or Unity) and understanding of how animation assets integrate into gameplay systems

Demonstratedexpertisein character animation fundamentals including weight posing timing arcs anticipation and follow-through

Proficiencyin hand-keyed animation and motion capture workflows (MotionBuilderMotionvault or similar)

Advanced knowledge of animation optimization techniques and performance constraints in real-time engines

Strong understanding of gameplay animation systems including locomotion blending IK/FK and root motion

Experience with version control systems (Perforce Git) and collaborative development workflows

Artistic & Professional Skills

Master understanding of animation principles and classic character animation theory applied to interactive media

Strong senseof game design and gameplay mechanics with ability to recognize how animation serves the player experience

Excellent communication and collaboration skills with ability to work effectively across disciplines

Ability to give and receive constructive feedback with maturity and professionalism

Self-directed and proactive; able to work independently and make decisions aligned with project vision

Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to quality and craftsmanship

Ability to perform well under pressure meet deadlines and adapt to changing project requirements

Strong portfolio or demo reeldemonstratingrange and mastery across gameplay cinematic and character performance animation

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Experience with facial animation character performance capture and cinematic sequences

Experience rigging characters and creatures for games

Knowledge of animation design for multiplayer or MMO gameplay systems

Experience with real-time performance capture or VR animation systems

Background in film visual effects or game cinematics

Knowledge of emerging animation technologies such as motion matching or procedural animation

Experience mentoring or leading animation teams on large-scale projects

Passion for games anddemonstratedengagement with the gaming community

WHAT WERE LOOKING FOR

The idealPrincipal Animatoris an accomplished animator and respected leader who balances technical mastery with artistic vision. You are passionate about the craft of animation and understand how movement and performance create engaging gameplay experiences. You approach animation as both an art and a technical discipline with the ability tooptimize forperformance without sacrificing and generous with your knowledge motivated to help teammates growwhilemaintainingthe highest standards for the animationteam. Youpossessstrong game sense and can make independent creative decisions that serve theprojects in your approach capable of working across multiple animation styles and genresand activelyseekto expand your skills and knowledge.

ABOUT OUR COMPANY

Daybreak Game Company LLC is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games. Best known for blockbuster hits and franchises such as DC Universe Online PlanetSide EverQuest and Dungeons and Dragons Online Daybreak creates develops and provides compelling online entertainment for millions of gamers worldwide. We are the game publisher for Darkpaw Studios Rogue Planet Gaming Studio Dimensional Ink Games and Standing Stone Games. To top it off we are making games in three of the coolest cities in the United States: San Diego Austin and Boston. We make games that bring people together and build lasting communities and are totally devoted to delivering the ultimate gaming experience! Find out more about our company at .

We invite you to get in the game with us and help us make exciting experiences!

Be Aware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities
Daybreak Game Company will never ask applicants to provide their social security numbers date of birth bank account information or other sensitive information in job applications. Additionally our recruiters do not communicate with applicants through free e-mail accounts (Gmail Yahoo Hotmail) or through online messaging apps (WhatsApp Hangouts). We will never ask applicants to provide payment during the hiring process or extend an offer without conducting a phone live video or in-person interview. Please contact Daybreak Game Companys People & Culture team atif you encounter a recruiter or see a job opportunity that seems suspicious.