Crystal Dynamics

Crystal Dynamics is constantly seeking the best gaming talent worldwide to add to our 30-plus year legacy of game development creating new and iconic franchises. We are committed to making great games with great people and living the dream while doing it.

Benefits for our full-time positions include, but are not limited to, a competitive regional salary, 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance options, professional development reimbursement, flexible hybrid on-site/off-site work opportunities, 12 company paid holidays, plus additional paid days in December when the studio is closed for holiday break, and the ability to accrue additional paid time-off.

Join us and shape the future of an amazing studio culture committed to creating award-winning franchises like Tomb Raider, the next Perfect Dark, and more! 

Crystal Dynamics is seeking a Lead Animator (In-Game Cinematics) with a deep understanding of cinematic storytelling and expertise in realistic character animation. Your role will be to drive the creation and enhancement of narrative cinematics in our forthcoming titles. Your skills will be pivotal in delivering lifelike animations that blend seamlessly with our cinematic sequences, elevating the overall narrative experience for players. 

As a Lead Animator (In-Game Cinematics), you will: 

• Work closely with the cinematic team to elevate critical story scenes essential to the game's narrative. 
• Apply performance capture methodologies to capture and integrate realistic character movements, facial expressions, and emotions into in-game cutscenes, ensuring a high level of authenticity and immersion in the game. 
• Integrate scenes into Unreal Engine using Maya to ensure seamless integration and functionality. 
• Partner with technical art teams to improve animation tools and production processes, optimizing workflows for efficient animation production. 
• Collaborate with the Narrative and Design teams to help deliver and visualize any and all key story moments. 
• Engage in regular feedback sessions and implement necessary revisions to achieve top-tier animation quality.

To be considered for this role, we require the following: 

• Substantial experience in cinematic animation roles, ideally working on AAA action-adventure titles. 
• Proficiency in Maya and Unreal Engine. 
• Demonstrated expertise in effectively applying performance capture techniques for character animations in in-game cutscenes. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, able to articulate complex concepts with clarity. 
• Examples of pertinent work, such as a demo reel, portfolio, or contributions to released titles, that demonstrate expertise in realistic human movements and exceptional facial animations. Please ensure the examples shared are up-to-date and clearly demonstrate your skills and areas of expertise. Inclusion of a breakdown sheet detailing your specific contributions to each piece is highly recommended. 

Preference will be given to candidates who have: 

• A strong background in motion capture. 
• Experience in leading animation teams or projects.

It'll be a bonus if you also have: 

• Shipped 1+ AAA title(s).

The pay range for this role includes the annual base salary, not including bonus and the generous benefits package that Crystal Dynamics provides all full-time employees. Individual compensation is determined by work location within our approved states or regions, as well as additional factors, including job related skills, experience, and relevant education. 

Your recruiter will be able to share more information about total compensation.

Pay Range (United States)

$100,000—$165,000 USD

Not sure if you are qualified? We hope that you will still choose to apply so we may review your application!

Crystal Dynamics is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to identifying and implementing positive and persistent measures to ensure equal opportunity in the recruitment, hiring, development, training, promotion and compensation of a diverse team employee group. This includes persons of different race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender identity or gender expression, pregnancy, breastfeeding or medical conditions related to breastfeeding, genetic characteristic, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, medical condition, political affiliation, age, veteran status, uniform service member status, marital status, physical or mental disability, or citizenship, as well as any other classifications protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

By submitting an application, you acknowledge that you have read and understand Crystal Dynamics’s Privacy Notice available at https://www.crystald.com/legal/privacy/.