Senior AI Animator

Key Skills

3D Animation, Aartificial intelligence, Design, Effective communication skills, Planning and organization, Teamwork

Job Description

Cloud Chamber is looking for a Senior AI Animator who loves inspiring others and tackling challenging assignments head-on. Working in close collaboration with the animation teams, under the guidance of the Lead Animators, you will help us breathe life into a new and fantastical world. Your primary responsibility will be the creation of exemplary, immersive AI animations. You have an impeccable sense of timing, are highly organized, and have a solid foundation of animation principles. Most importantly, you are able to evangelize the artistic vision of the game and push the technical boundaries of what is possible.

Job Details:

• Create gameplay, AI, and scripted animation that matches the visual style of the game, using both keyframe, and augmented mocap techniques.
• Work closely with programmers and designers to support a multitude of features.
• Collaborate with Senior Animators on complicated sets of animation data to fulfill various gameplay and AI systems.
• Participate in reviews with the gameplay team, give and receive constructive feedback.
• Communicate with individuals in other disciplines from model, art to design and engineering.
• Estimate the time required to carry out your own tasks and to meet deadlines.
• Provide knowledge and solutions for everyday animation challenges.
• Work closely with programmers to establish and refine the animation pipeline.
• Act as an advocate for a positive collaborative process.
• Embrace and evangelize the Cloud Chamber values: Act with Kindness, Lead With Courage, Dare To Be Original and Creative, Stand For Unity, and Embrace Diversity.

Skills, Experience and Qualifications:

• One or more shipped AAA titles, ideally using Unreal or a comparable engine.
• Exemplary skills in keyframe stylized 3D animation.
• Exceptional knowledge of how to create and maintain gameplay and AI systems in game engines as they pertain to video game animation.
• Excellent problem solving and debugging skills.
• A very strong understanding of character performance, form, gesture, and silhouette in regard to player character and AI.
• Excellent understanding of anatomy and caricature.
• Exceptional skill in animating the human bipedal figure, organic forms, quadrupedal, and mechanical objects.
• An exemplary understanding of traditional animation principles and how they support and enhance gameplay.
• Experience working with Motion Capture data and editing it.
• Experience with hand key facial animation and tools such as FaceFx.
• Experience structuring & maintaining animation processes such as rigging, or prototyping.
• A love for research, reference, and documenting your findings to share with the team.
• Strong collaborative and flexible spirit.
• Mentorship, coaching, and training experience is a bonus.
• Highly detail-oriented, deadline-driven, and able to embrace change for a fast-growing organization.
• Ability to partner with a diverse group of personalities effectively and constructively.
• The ability to problem-solve and prioritize issues while developing a production pipeline.
• Mature outlook on work ethics and responsibilities.
• Champion of high standards, pushing for progress, embracing change, and challenging the status quo.
• Able to respond elegantly to difficult creative changes, often late in the process.
• A positive force multiplier with a great team-player attitude.
• Self-motivated, curious, and collaborative.
• Uncompromising ethics and unwavering integrity.
• Willing to uphold the values of Cloud Chamber.

We are Cloud Chamber: a collaborative team of inspired minds who create games together. We strive to make unique, entertaining, and thoughtful game experiences that engage the world.

We believe in the beauty and strength of diversity, in both the makeup of the studio and the nature of our thinking. Our focus on open communication and overall well-being allows each of us to strive for excellence in our work, and happiness in our lives. We’re currently making the next BioShock. Our passion and love for this iconic franchise is what brought us together. The thrill and responsibility of creating the next iteration of such a beloved game is what keeps us going.

If all of this sounds as exciting to you as it is to us, we’d love to meet you. Join us in creating worlds that move people.

Please note that 2K Games and its studios never use instant messaging apps or personal email accounts to contact prospective employees or conduct interviews. When emailing prospective employees, we only use 2K.com email accounts.

This is a fully remote role that may be based anywhere in the United States. Below are the expected salary and wage ranges for applicants based in locations where the pay transparency law is in effect:

Colorado: $70,000 and $130,000 per year

California: $90,000 and $140,000 per year

New York State (inclusive of New York City): $90,000 and $140,000 per year

Washington: $70,000 and $130,000 per year

Base pay offered is based on market location, and may vary further depending on individualized factors for job candidates, such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and other objective business considerations. Subject to those same considerations, the total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, including a bonus and/or equity awards and eligibility to participate in our 401(K) plan, in addition to a full range of medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance. Employees will also receive 14 paid holidays per calendar year, are eligible to earn a minimum of 15 days of vacation leave per year (subject to proration based on start date during the calendar year) and will receive 10 sick days per calendar year. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment. If hired, employee will be in an at-will position and the company reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation or benefit program) at any time, 4 including for reasons related to individual performance, company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.