Associate Technical Gameplay Animator (Contingent) Santa Monica (USA) Naughty Do

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This position is for temporary engagement through our staffing partner DZConnex. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States for this position.

This is a hybrid position and will be based in our studio in Santa Monica, CA.

For 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 Parts I and 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 contributes to the overall well-being and success of the studio and the titles we craft together.

We are looking for an associate technical gameplay animator to support our team and take on many of the simpler gameplay tasks, so they can focus more time on the more complex aspects of development. If you are detail oriented, a quick learner, and hungry to grow, this position is a great opportunity for you to be surrounded and mentored by a very special team of gameplay animators. We have a very open, inclusive, team-oriented environment and this will give you a very good taste of AAA game development. We will look forward to watching you grow alongside us.

What will you do :

With guidance from senior animators learn how Naughty Dog’s proprietary animation systems and tools work

Ability to create high quality animation content in Maya and implement them correctly in our engine

Ability to learn our engine debug tools to solve gameplay problems and work with senior animators to find a solution

Ability to learn our motion capture pipeline including operating the motion capture stage

Ability to learn how to process and retarget motion capture data

Ability to take on any assignment using efficient practices

Additional responsibilities may be assigned as needed

What skills you will use :

Good eye for animation is a must

Patient, organized, and very detail oriented

Highly motivated and proactive with a CAN-DO attitude

Understanding of Maya : layers, time / trax editor

Team oriented attitude and willing to take on a range of different types of tasks

Bonus Skills :

General technical knowledge of how games work

Familiar with an existing Animation system : Unreal, Morpheme, Unity

Scripting / programming knowledge : Python, C# or C++

As 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.

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At SIE, working with our partners, we consider several factors when setting each role’s base pay range, including the competitive benchmarking data for the market and geographic location.

Please note that the individual base pay range may vary based on job-related factors which may include knowledge, skills, experience, and location.

In addition, this role is eligible for benefit offerings that include medical, dental, and vision. Click here to learn more.

The estimated base pay range for this role is listed below, this is an hourly rate.

$44.38 - $55.48 USD

Equal Opportunity Statement :

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.

PlayStation is a Fair Chance employer and qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records will be considered for employment.

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