Viewmodel Gameplay Animator (Contract) - Sledgehammer Games (FPS)

Location: San Mateo, California, United States; remote work is permitted.

Salary: $30.47–$56.35 per hour in the U.S.

Company

A leading video game developer creating AAA multiplayer and single-player experiences, including the Call of Duty franchise.

What you will do

• Create polished first-person weapon animations for firing, reloads, handling, inspections, melee, equipment use, and other gameplay interactions.
• Animate and refine first-person camera motion to improve gameplay clarity, impact, and presentation.
• Implement, test, and debug animation in game engines or proprietary tools.
• Collaborate with designers, engineers, tech artists, riggers, modelers, and animators to solve creative and technical problems.
• Iterate efficiently based on feedback and help improve animation workflows, standards, documentation, and reusable systems.
• Communicate progress, risks, technical issues, and creative intent to partners and leads.

Requirements

• 3+ years of professional animation experience, including 1+ years in game animation.
• Strong fundamentals in human movement, weight, timing, posing, and physicality.
• Experience creating or implementing first-person or gameplay animation.
• Advanced proficiency with Autodesk Maya and experience with animation implementation tools or game engines.
• Strong problem-solving, communication, organization, self-direction, and collaboration skills.
• Ability to work within an established production pipeline and maintain a high quality bar through rapid iteration.

Nice to have

• Experience with first-person shooters or at least one shipped game title.
• Motion capture cleanup, retargeting, or editing experience.
• Experience with proprietary game engines or animation pipelines.
• Experience mentoring junior or associate animators.
• Experience participating in previs or motion capture shoots and owning complex animation tasks through implementation and polish.

Culture & Benefits

• Temporary fixed-term contract for up to one year.
• Collaboration with studio teams across the United States, Toronto, the U.K., and Australia.
• Medical, dental, vision, health spending, life, disability, and related insurance benefits, subject to eligibility.
• 401(k) company match, tuition reimbursement, paid holidays and vacation, sick time, parental leave, and wellbeing programs.
• Relocation assistance may be available if the company requires a geographic move.