Senior Gameplay Programmer (Animation)

Overview

Recruiting talented programmers within the gaming and interactive industries.

Senior Gameplay Engineer (Animation) – AAA Multiplayer Title – Remote (UK) / Occasional Onsite

Skillsearch is excited to be partnering with a highly respected UK games studio to recruit a Senior Gameplay Engineer specialising in animation for a major new open world survival crafting game, currently in early access and developed in Unreal Engine 5 .

This is a key role in the project, where you will take ownership of core animation systems that power movement, combat, spells, emotes, AI and more. Your work will ensure characters and creatures feel alive, responsive and seamlessly integrated with the gameplay. Working hand in hand with animators, technical artists, and fellow engineers, you will help shape the player experience through expressive animation and robust technical design.

The studio supports remote work across the UK, with only occasional on site days at their HQ in one of the UK’s leading games development hubs.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and maintain high quality animation systems covering character movement, combat, spells, emotes, AI behaviours, IK systems, and NPCs
• Build tools and pipelines to streamline animation workflows, improving team efficiency and content quality
• Partner with animators and technical animators to define best practices, automate repetitive processes, and support creative iteration
• Write clean, maintainable C++ code that aligns with gameplay requirements and technical standards
• Collaborate with gameplay engineers to create modular interfaces and contribute to architectural design
• Mentor and support junior engineers through code reviews, knowledge sharing, and technical guidance
• Proactively identify opportunities for improvements in animation quality and performance
• Occasionally contribute to broader gameplay features to support cross discipline work

What we are looking for

• Significant experience in animation programming and the ambition to act as a subject matter expert in this area
• Proven success implementing complex animation and gameplay features in multiplayer games
• Advanced C++ skills, ideally with Unreal Engine 4 or 5 experience, plus familiarity with other languages such as C# or Python
• Strong understanding of performance profiling, optimisation, and robust software architecture
• Knowledge of animation pipelines involving Maya or similar tools
• Confident with source control systems such as Perforce
• Able to mentor and guide team members, contributing to a positive and collaborative culture
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively in a remote-friendly environment
• A genuine passion for creating high quality player experiences

Seniority level

• Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Full-time

Industries

• Computer Games

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