Senior Technical Gameplay Animator

Senior Technical Gameplay AnimatorUnited States, Santa Monica, CASony Interactive Entertainment isn't just the Best Place to Play — it's also the Best Place to Work. Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) is the company behind the PlayStation brand. As a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation, we're part of a proud legacy of innovation and excellence. SIE is a dynamic technology company, delivering cutting-edge hardware and network services to more than 100 million people and an entertainment leader, home to some of the most beloved and recognizable intellectual properties (IP) in the world. Our role at SIE is to create and nurture the experiences under the PlayStation brand, a name synonymous with entertainment excellence and creativity.This is a hybrid / onsite position.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 Part I and Part 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!Naughty Dog games have long been lauded for their evocative, character-driven stories and attention to detail. We are committed to innovation within our games and as such have curated some of the top creative and technically innovative minds in the industry. We welcome diverse candidates and believe that a broad range of cultural and life experiences contribute to the overall well-being and success of the studio and the titles we craft together.What You Will Do:Create high quality animation content supporting the newly developed behaviors and systems and implement it in engineWork with the animation leadership on defining and maintaining the style and quality bar of the in-game animationCollaborate with the Animation, Design, and Engineering teams to analyze, troubleshoot, and resolve in-game animation implementation issues and animation-related technical challengesTake ownership of challenging projects and provide innovative solutions, including mentoring team members and creating documentationContribute to the strategic development of internal technologies and artistic processesFacilitate the creation and implementation of tools and techniques that allow the building of complex and high-quality animation systemsInnovate and streamline animation pipeline processes and workflowsWhat Skills You Will Use:5+ years of industry experience in gameplay animation for gamesProven track record of creating visually stunning animations for diverse game genresFull understanding of in-game animation tools like state machines, blend trees, IK solvers, etc.Expertise with mocap and keyframe based digital content creation pipelines built on Maya or MotionbuilderProficiency in Python, C#, C++ or other programming languages is requiredProactively contributes to the progress of the team and the projectAs a part of the Naughty Dog application process, candidates will be expected to provide a portfolio or demo reel of their work and may be asked to complete an animation test.The estimated USA base pay range for this zone (Los Angeles area) is listed below. This role may be eligible for additional compensation packages that includes annual bonus and other incentive plans.$126,400 - $227,000 USDPlease note, Sony Interactive Entertainment conducts background checks at the offer stage for all new employees (which may include criminal background checks for some roles) and will need to process personal information to support these checks.Please refer to our Candidate Privacy Notice for more information about what personal information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and your data protection rights.Sony is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All persons will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender (including gender identity, gender expression and gender reassignment), race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, marital or civil partnership status, disability, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, maternity or parental status, trade union membership or membership in any other legally protected category.We strive to create an inclusive environment, empower employees and embrace diversity. We encourage everyone to respond.Sony Interactive Entertainment is a Fair Chance employer and qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records will be considered for employment.