Principal Gameplay Engineer, Animation

Bad Robot Games

Principal Gameplay Engineer creating innovative gameplay systems at Bad Robot Games. Collaborating with cross-functional teams to develop best in class animation and gameplay systems.

Posted 5/21/2026full-timeRemote • 🇺🇸 United StatesLead💰 $185,000 - $195,000 per yearWebsite

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

Unreal Engine

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Architect and implement animation and gameplay systems with long-term stability and scalability in mind
Design and own core character animation pipelines including locomotion, combat, and cinematic systems in close collaboration with animators and designers
Prototype and iterate rapidly on features, embracing critical feedback and applying it constructively
Advocate for quality, stability, performance, and appropriate prioritization across the project
Coordinate efforts across products to encourage code and feature sharing
Bring technical excellence across multiple features and platforms, optimizing and fixing bugs in existing animation and gameplay systems
Collaborate across disciplines with design, art, audio, and production to problem-solve and generate new ideas
Proactively identify opportunities and challenges before they become blockers
Participate in playtesting and provide hands-on feedback as the project progresses

Requirements

What you’ll need

10+ years of game development experience with experience in animation engineering
At least one shipped title on PlayStation and PC, ideally multiple
Strong C++ skills with the ability to architect gameplay mechanics, animation systems, and tools
Proficiency with multiple tools in Unreal Engine's animation tech stack, including: Anim Blueprints, Animation Montages, Blend Spaces, State Machines, Anim Notifies and Anim Notify States, Linked Anim Graphs, Linked Anim Instances, Mirroring, Inertialization, and Control Rig
Solid understanding of skeletal mesh rigging, retargeting, and IK within Unreal Engine
Experience implementing various animation synchronization methods, including time-warping and sync markers
Deep understanding of the difference between the Update and Evaluate phases of an AnimInstance
Comfortable with local vs. component space in animation calculations and blends, with an understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of each
Deep familiarity with the pipelines, tools, and processes of creating, building, shipping, and supporting live games
Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with a track record of inspiring teams
A passion for multiplayer online gaming and a rich history of playing across a wide variety of game genres.

Benefits

Comp & perks

All roles require up to 10% air travel. Examples include Studio/Team Offsites, Team/Studio Events, etc.

ATS Keywords

✓ Tailor your resume

Applicant Tracking System Keywords

Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.

Hard Skills & Tools

C++animation engineeringgameplay mechanicsanimation systemsskeletal mesh riggingretargetingIKanimation synchronizationtime-warpingAnimInstance

Soft Skills

communicationcollaborationproblem-solvingcritical feedbackquality advocacyperformance optimizationteam inspirationproactive identification of challenges