Refactor Games
Senior Technical Animator – Gameplay / Character Animator Controller Design (Unr
Refactor Games, Santa Monica, California, United States, 90403
We’re looking for a
Senior Technical Animator
who can design and implement the
character animation controller systems
that drive player movement and gameplay responsiveness in a next-gen soccer game. This role sits at the intersection of
animation, gameplay engineering, and systems design , with responsibility for making sure characters feel fluid, grounded, and responsive under player control.
Any additional information you require for this job can be found in the below text Make sure to read thoroughly, then apply.
You’ll own the
animation blueprint, state machines, and blend trees
that bring dribbling, shooting, passing, tackling, and locomotion to life in Unreal Engine 5.
You’ll Work On:
Designing and implementing
animation controllers
(state machines, blend spaces, transition rules) for soccer gameplay Building
locomotion systems : walking, sprinting, turning, and foot planting across different movement contexts Integrating gameplay actions: dribbling, passing, crossing, shooting, tackling, and goalkeeping Working with gameplay engineers to synchronize
animation and physics
for collisions, tackles, and ball interaction Creating
procedural animation solutions
(IK, FK, additive layers) for foot placement, ball contact, and player balance Optimizing controllers for
responsiveness, fluidity, and low-latency input Debugging, profiling, and refining
state graphs and blend spaces
for stability and performance Collaborating with animators to ensure high-quality mocap and keyframed animations integrate cleanly into the pipeline Building reusable
animation blueprints and tools
for faster iteration and scalability
Requirements:
5+ years of animation or technical animation experience in video games At least
1 shipped 3D title
(sports, action, or simulation preferred) Expert knowledge of
Unreal Engine 5 Animation Blueprint, State Machines, Blend Spaces, IK systems Strong grasp of
character locomotion and responsive gameplay animation design Experience with mocap integration, data cleanup, and retargeting workflows Solid understanding of character rigging, skinning, and pipeline dependencies Ability to profile and optimize animation systems for performance
Bonus Points:
Experience with
sports titles or character-driven gameplay systems Knowledge of Chaos Physics integration with animation (ragdoll, partial physics, procedural blends) Familiarity with motion matching, pose space deformation, or other advanced animation techniques Passion for soccer, with an instinct for how players should feel on the field
This is a
hands-on senior role : you’ll own the
animation controller layer
that defines how the game’s characters move, react, and feel—turning motion capture data and gameplay logic into a responsive, authentic soccer experience.
Senior Technical Animator
who can design and implement the
character animation controller systems
that drive player movement and gameplay responsiveness in a next-gen soccer game. This role sits at the intersection of
animation, gameplay engineering, and systems design , with responsibility for making sure characters feel fluid, grounded, and responsive under player control.
Any additional information you require for this job can be found in the below text Make sure to read thoroughly, then apply.
You’ll own the
animation blueprint, state machines, and blend trees
that bring dribbling, shooting, passing, tackling, and locomotion to life in Unreal Engine 5.
You’ll Work On:
Designing and implementing
animation controllers
(state machines, blend spaces, transition rules) for soccer gameplay Building
locomotion systems : walking, sprinting, turning, and foot planting across different movement contexts Integrating gameplay actions: dribbling, passing, crossing, shooting, tackling, and goalkeeping Working with gameplay engineers to synchronize
animation and physics
for collisions, tackles, and ball interaction Creating
procedural animation solutions
(IK, FK, additive layers) for foot placement, ball contact, and player balance Optimizing controllers for
responsiveness, fluidity, and low-latency input Debugging, profiling, and refining
state graphs and blend spaces
for stability and performance Collaborating with animators to ensure high-quality mocap and keyframed animations integrate cleanly into the pipeline Building reusable
animation blueprints and tools
for faster iteration and scalability
Requirements:
5+ years of animation or technical animation experience in video games At least
1 shipped 3D title
(sports, action, or simulation preferred) Expert knowledge of
Unreal Engine 5 Animation Blueprint, State Machines, Blend Spaces, IK systems Strong grasp of
character locomotion and responsive gameplay animation design Experience with mocap integration, data cleanup, and retargeting workflows Solid understanding of character rigging, skinning, and pipeline dependencies Ability to profile and optimize animation systems for performance
Bonus Points:
Experience with
sports titles or character-driven gameplay systems Knowledge of Chaos Physics integration with animation (ragdoll, partial physics, procedural blends) Familiarity with motion matching, pose space deformation, or other advanced animation techniques Passion for soccer, with an instinct for how players should feel on the field
This is a
hands-on senior role : you’ll own the
animation controller layer
that defines how the game’s characters move, react, and feel—turning motion capture data and gameplay logic into a responsive, authentic soccer experience.