Principal Gameplay Animator Jobs, Modma Studios | San Francisco

Principal Gameplay Animator Jobs Overview

• Company: Modma Studios
• Employment Type: Full-Time / Permanent
• Location: Remote (Global) or Hybrid (San Francisco, CA)
• Experience Required: 7–10+ Years (Senior to Lead level)
• Compensation: $135,000 – $185,000 USD (Base + Equity & Performance Bonuses)
• Core Software: Maya, Unreal Engine 5, Unity, MotionBuilder
• Work Split: 70% Gameplay Systems | 30% Narrative Cinematics

A Principal Gameplay Animator is a high-level individual contributor and strategic leader responsible for the “kinesthetic feel” of a game. Unlike standard animation roles, this position requires a deep fusion of artistic mastery and technical engine architecture.

Modma Studios are seeking a visionary Principal Gameplay Animator to serve as the creative backbone of our animation department. In this role, you won’t just move characters; you will define the “feel” of the game. You will be responsible for bridging the gap between artistic expression and technical implementation, ensuring that every frame of motion serves the player’s experience and the game’s narrative soul.

Role Overview

The Principal Gameplay Animator jobs is a high-level individual contributor who owns the animation pipeline from initial R&D to final shipping polish. You will work at the intersection of art, design, and engineering, crafting responsive systems for locomotion, high-impact combat, and immersive cinematics. Whether the project demands gritty realism or expressive stylization, your mastery of weight, timing, and appeal will set the standard for the entire studio.

Why Join Us?

• Artistic Autonomy: Modma Studios trust our Principals. You will have a significant say in the visual direction and mechanical feel of our upcoming IPs.

• Comprehensive Benefits: Including premium health insurance, 401(k) matching, and a generous “Stay Creative” stipend for personal projects or hardware.

• Modern Culture: We prioritize a crunch-free environment with flexible hours and a focus on sustainable high-performance.

Key Responsibilities for Principal Gameplay Animator Jobs

• Animation Vision & Quality: Own the end-to-end animation style, ensuring that character motion (locomotion, combat, and interaction) is “frame-perfect,” responsive, and grounded.

• System Architecture: Design and maintain complex Animation State Machines , Blend Trees , and Control Rig setups within UE5 or Unity to handle seamless transitions.

• Cross-Disciplinary Leadership: Partner with Lead Designers and Gameplay Engineers to prototype mechanics, ensuring animation supports gameplay “feel” and player agency.

• Pipeline Optimization: Establish best practices for animation workflows, including the integration of Motion Capture (Mocap) and hand-keyed data.

• Prototyping & R&D: Conduct rapid prototyping for new gameplay features, using animation to define the “weight” and “impact” of combat systems.

• Mentorship: Act as a technical and artistic North Star for the animation team, providing high-level feedback without necessarily managing people directly.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Software Mastery: Expert proficiency in Autodesk Maya and MotionBuilder .

• Engine Expertise: Deep technical knowledge of Unreal Engine 5 (Sequencer, Blueprints, Live Link) or Unity (Mecanim).

• Mechanical Expertise: Mastery of human and creature anatomy, weight distribution, and timing—moving comfortably between realism and stylization.

• Shipped Titles: Proven track record with at least 2–3 shipped AA/AAA titles in a senior or principal capacity.

• Advanced Tech Knowledge: Experience with procedural animation, physics-based secondary motion, and facial animation pipelines.

What We Offer: Culture & Benefits

We understand that a Principal-level talent is looking for more than just a paycheck. Principal Gameplay Animator Jobs at Nexus Prime Studios come with a commitment to your long-term well-being:

• Creative Autonomy: You are the owner of your domain. We value your expertise and give you the room to experiment with new technologies like AI-assisted motion or VR animation.

• Health & Wellness: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your family.

• The “Crunch-Free” Promise: We utilize agile milestones to ensure that production stays on track without sacrificing your weekends.

• Global Remote Culture: We have a “Work from Anywhere” policy, supported by home-office stipends and annual team retreats in San Francisco.

• Professional Development: A yearly budget of $2,500 for you to attend conferences like GDC, SIGGRAPH, or specialized animation workshops.

Why Apply for Principal Gameplay Animator Jobs?

1. Creative Autonomy: You aren’t just following a brief; you are helping define the physical language of a new IP.

2. High-Stakes Impact: Your work directly dictates the “Responsiveness” of the game, which is often the #1 metric for player satisfaction.

3. Modern Benefits: Most Principal roles now offer “Crunch-Free” commitments, unlimited PTO, and significant stock options in the studio.