Lead Animation Programmer

Lead Animation Programmer

We are looking for an experienced and motivated Lead Animation Programmer to become a member of the CRYENGINE team.

You would be in charge of the design and architecture of the Animation code, developing it together with your team in a cooperative, cross-disciplinary environment.

For almost 20 years, Crytek has been at the cutting-edge of computer graphics performance. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive engine solution with high performance and a modular design that is easily accessible by users.

The award-winning CRYENGINE empowers developers and creatives at our own studios and licensees worldwide – from small indies to AAA powerhouses – to deliver unique experiences, create new worlds, and ultimately make awesome games. Join us to help pushing the limits of game engine technology!

For a careful evaluation of your application, we kindly request you to send us your resume, a cover letter and additional work samples that might be relevant.

Relocation & Remote Work

For this position, you have one of the following options:

1. Come to our modern headquarters in Frankfurt and receive an attractive relocation package and have access to all of our benefits.

2. If you are already living in one of the following countries, we are able to offer you a permanent work contract and allow you to work remotely as an employee from there.

Germany

Sweden

United Kingdom

Spain

Poland

Austria

3. If you are interested in full-time remote work in any other country (max. +/- 2 hours CET), we can offer you a freelance contract arrangement.

Responsibilities

Lead the animation programming discipline and enable the team to reach their full potential.

Collaborate closely with engineers, animators, and technical animators to design and implement advanced animation features and tools.

Work with existing engine code base to architect and enhance animation systems.

Gather requirements and set goals for the animation team, lead the design and architecture of the code development, and coordinate its implementation.

Research the latest advancements and techniques in computer animation to create immersive and realistic character animations.

Proactively drive your team and improve product quality as well as group productivity.

Delegate effectively while involving team members in the decision-making process.

Coordinate with other Leads and Directors, including from other projects and studio groups, including different tech, art, design, and production, to achieve project objectives.

Mentor, guide and role-model for other animation programmers, sharing your knowledge and expertise to enhance the team's capabilities, and overseeing lower-level mentoring in the team.

Requirements

7+ years of programming experience in animation system development, as a Senior or equivalent position.

Bachelor's degree or higher in Computer Science, relevant field, or equivalent work experience.

Worked on shipped products, on console or PC.

Good communication skills and ability to work effectively on shared projects with designers, animators, artists, testers, and other developers.

Excellent understanding of animation architecture and standard technology (rigging systems, animation state machines, low-level animation systems, physics-based animation, IK systems, procedural animations, simulation, etc.).

Experience with performance measurement and optimization.

Excellent understanding of C++ in a game development environment.

Good 3D math skills.

Experience with multi-threading.

Strong software engineering and debugging skills.

Experience with any game engine.

Ability to learn and master a large existing code base.

Ability to learn about new techniques and adapt them to project requirements.

Pluses

Previous experience working as an animation programmer within a game engine development environment.

Experience with multi-threading, motion matching, machine learning, and next-gen animation tech.

Proficiency in developing game asset pipelines and tools.

Expertise in procedural animations and simulation.

Familiarity with content generation tools such as Maya, 3dsMax, etc.

Knowledge of console programming.

What you can expect from us

Career Path

Your professional development is important to us, so we have laid out a career plan to help you progress towards your goals and objectives.

Company Apartment

To help you get settled, we provide you with a fully furnished company apartment during your first three months in Frankfurt.

Relocation Support

We offer a relocation budget and full coverage of flights to Frankfurt for you and your family.

You can expect extensive assistance with visa, work permits, and communication with authorities during the relocation process, as well as help settling into Germany (e.g. setting up appointments with banks, government agencies, schools, landlords, finding apartments etc.).

Public Transport Pass

Discover Frankfurt by bus, tram and metro – free of charge.

Gym Card

A healthy body is a healthy mind. We offer a membership at the premium gym chain Fitness First in Germany. Work out, join group fitness classes, or relax in the wellness facilities.

International Environment

We truly embody diversity at Crytek. With employees from over 42 different countries, we define ourselves by our cultural diversity.

German Classes

Understanding the local culture will make your stay abroad more enjoyable, and Crytek supports that by offering German language courses for you and your family.

Events

Join us on our exciting company events, including new starter breakfasts, summer and winter parties, our annual trip to Gamescom in Cologne, and many more!

We are all gamers: stay connected and play games with your colleagues at our remote gaming parties.

Vacation Days

At our Frankfurt office you can enjoy 24 days of vacation per year, and every 2 years you get 1 more (up to a maximum of 28 days). You will also have on average 10 public holidays on top of the days you take off. If you are working from another country, local standards apply.

only applicable to employees in Frankfurt.