Senior Gameplay Animator (NPC) at CD PROJEKT RED

Boston, Massachusetts, United States -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

15 May, 26

Salary

174000.0

Posted On

14 Feb, 26

Experience

5 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Gameplay Animation, NPC Animation, Combat Animation, Locomotion Animation, Previsualization, Prototyping, Unreal Engine, Hand-keyed Animation, Motion Capture, Body Mechanics, Maya, MotionBuilder, Character Performance, Mentorship, Animation Quality Bar, Real-time Implementation

Industry

Computer Games

Description

Company Description To create revolutionary, story-driven RPGs which go straight to the hearts of gamers — this is our mission. Want to dive deeper into our company’s culture? Explore our social media and check out our YouTube channel and Beyond the Game Blog where we share behind-the-scenes insights and stories direct from our team members! Job Description CD PROJEKT RED is looking for a Senior Gameplay Animator with a focus on NPC’s to join our Boston hub and contribute to the development of Cyberpunk 2, the next mainline Cyberpunk 2077 game. In this role, you will create high-quality player and NPC combat and locomotion animation. You’ll deliver grounded, believable character performances that can escalate into heightened combat action. This is a hands-on individual contributor role, working from early previsualization and prototyping through final in-engine implementation. You will collaborate closely with Designers and other multidisciplinary partners, with a focus on NPC movement and combat behaviors that are readable, responsive, and engaging in moment-to-moment gameplay. Reporting to the Animation Lead, you will help set the quality bar and best practices for character movement and the overall combat experience. Daily Responsibilities Develop high-quality player and NPC animation across a wide range of characters, enemy behaviors, combat and locomotion states, and encounter scenarios. Partner with the Animation Lead and key stakeholders to align animation quality, style, and execution with the project’s aesthetic goals, gameplay pillars, and overall player experience. Collaborate daily within a cross-disciplinary team to define gameplay experiential goals and deliver features from concept through final implementation. Create pre-visualizations and prototypes to assist in communication and development. Create high-quality finished player and NPC animation using a mix of hand-keyed and motion capture to deliver exciting, expressive, and readable character motion. Work hands-on within Unreal Engine to implement, iterate, and validate NPC animation in real-time gameplay contexts, ensuring animations look and feel strong in play. Research, explore and advocate new techniques, systems, and workflows to improve animation quality, efficiency, and support evolving gameplay and previsualization needs. Contribute to motion capture shot lists and provide performance direction when applicable. Provide clear feedback and animation insight during reviews and other collaborations, helping raise quality across NPC gameplay animation. Provide mentorship, inspiration, and support to early-career animators through feedback, collaboration, and example. Qualifications 5+ years of professional experience in gameplay animation development with at least 1 title shipped. Professional experience developing animation in Unreal Engine (or an equivalent real-time game engine). Deep animation fundamentals, including weight, timing, posing, and clarity. Ability to author hand-keyed animation and motion capture into compelling performances. Proficient in 3D animation skills using Maya, MotionBuilder, or equivalent DCC tools. Experience with blending dynamic, hand-keyed moments with captured motion, and enhancing mo-cap for greater appeal without degrading the source. Thorough understanding of body mechanics and physics as they relate to believable character movement and combat. Capability to self-manage, estimate task scope, and make responsible decisions about time and priorities. Nice to Have Experience working on open-world or RPG titles. Experience developing NPC combat animation or enemy behavior for Shooter and Action-oriented games. Familiarity with motion matching or advanced NPC movement solutions. Candidates should include a portfolio in their application. Additional Information The application window for this position will close by 07/30/2026. This job requires working in Boston, US. Working mode: in-office in a hybrid or full-time capacity. Health & Well-being Company paid medical healthcare (dental vision & mental health included). Paid leave - 26 days of holiday for every team member per year No dress-code - we like to keep it casual. 401K with employer matching. Lifestyle Spending Account (LSA) – $100 per month to use towards fitness, wellness, internet, home office equipment, learning, streaming services, and more. Menstrual Leave. Perks & Professional Growth Flexible working hours. Trainings, lectures and courses - internal workshops, knowledge-sharing initiatives, online tutorials, and e-learning classes are all available. There’s always something to learn! Merch - regular chances to nab some cool swag! Access to the cafeteria platform. A welcome pack filled with goodies - to help you feel right at home once you join the team. Life in the Office Dog-friendly office - dog owner? Bring your pooch with you and look after them while working! There’s always a furry friend or two to meet at the studio. Truly international working environment - a chance to meet and work with a diverse selection of people from all around the world. This position is a new role. Estimated pay range for this position: $95,000 - $174,000 USD annually At CD PROJEKT RED compensation for our roles in North America are determined based on competitive market data, geographic location, and individual factors tied to business needs. The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. Final offers are dependent on job-related factors like experience, qualifications, and location. If you've observed any irregularities (i.e. legal or ethical violations) in our recruitment process, please click here to report them anonymously. #LI-Hybrid Project: Сyberpunk 2

Responsibilities

The role involves developing high-quality player and NPC animation across various states and scenarios, partnering with the Animation Lead to align quality and style with project goals. Responsibilities include creating pre-visualizations, collaborating cross-disciplinarily, and implementing/iterating animations within Unreal Engine.