Expert Animation Programmer – R&D

CD PROJEKT SA

Expert Animation Programmer focused on developing next-gen character animation systems at CD PROJEKT RED. Collaborating with R&D team in Vancouver to innovate realistic character motion for RPGs.

Posted 5/1/2026full-timeRemote • Vancouver • 🇨🇦 CanadaSeniorLead💰 CA$180,100 - CA$247,600 per yearWebsite

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

UnityUnreal Engine

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Design, implement, and maintain advanced animation systems and tools to complement generative models for realistic character motion
Collaborate with machine learning researchers, engineers, animators and game designers to define and achieve high-quality animation features and workflow improvements
Optimize and debug animation code and systems for usability, performance, memory and stability across multiple target platforms
Prototype new animation techniques, including procedural generation and physics-based systems
Mentor junior programmers and contribute to code reviews, ensuring high standards for code quality and documentation
Work with lead engineers to plan project milestones and deliver high-quality work on schedule

Requirements

What you’ll need

7+ years of experience in game programming, with a focus on character animation systems
Strong proficiency of C++ and experience with performance optimization
Deep understanding of real-time 3D animation principles, kinematics (IK/FK), and rigging systems
Strong math skills, particularly linear algebra and vector math
Experience working with large-scale game engines, e.g. Unreal Engine, Unity, or proprietary engines (Unreal Engine preferred)
Nice to have: Experience with Motion Matching, procedural animation techniques, and physics simulation
Familiarity with animation pipelines and DCC tools (Maya, Blender)
Prior experience shipping a AAA title
Knowledge of parallel programming and GPU optimization techniques (e.g., CUDA, compute shaders)

Benefits

Comp & perks

Company-paid medical healthcare (dental, vision, and mental)
Free mental health support, including access to counseling, psychiatric care, and a variety of well-being webinars
Paid leave — 26 days of vacation, 10 sick days, & 12 calendar holidays per year
RRSP 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 — employees who menstruate can take one extra day off when experiencing period pain
RED Parents Network — support for working parents
Flexible working hours
Trainings, lectures, and courses — internal workshops, knowledge-sharing initiatives, online tutorials, and e-learning classes are all available
A welcome pack filled with goodies — to help you feel right at home once you join the team
Dog-friendly office — bring your pooch with you and look after them while working! There’s always a furry friend or two to meet
Truly international working environment — a chance to meet and work with a diverse selection of people from all around the world
No dress-code — we like to keep it casual.

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

C++performance optimizationreal-time 3D animation principleskinematicsrigging systemslinear algebravector mathparallel programmingGPU optimizationprocedural animation techniques

Soft Skills

collaborationmentoringcode reviewsproject planningcommunication