At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the development of innovative animation systems for immersive VR experiences.
- Company: Join nDreams, a pioneering studio known for creating cutting-edge VR games.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible hours, duvet days, birthday off, and excellent health benefits.
- Other info: Fully remote role with a focus on diversity, wellbeing, and personal development.
- Why this job: Shape the future of animation technology and mentor talented teams in a creative environment.
- Qualifications: Expert C++ skills and deep experience with animation systems in game engines required.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
We are seeking an accomplished and visionary Principal Animation Programmer to lead the development of cutting-edge animation systems that define the feel and fidelity of our immersive VR experiences. In this senior-most technical role, you will shape the future of animation technology across our projects, driving innovation and mentoring teams to deliver world-class results.
You’ll architect and evolve animation systems and tools in close collaboration with animators, designers, and gameplay engineers. Your leadership will ensure that our animation pipelines are scalable, performant, and aligned with the creative vision of our games. This is a rare opportunity to influence the direction of animation technology at a studio known for pushing the boundaries of VR.
- 12-month fixed term contract
- Full time (37.5 hours per week)
- Fully remote within the UK
- Lead the design and evolution of core animation systems for VR gameplay
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless integration of animation with gameplay and narrative
- Drive innovation in procedural animation, IK systems, and runtime rigging
- Set technical direction and long-term strategy for animation technology
- Solve complex animation challenges and guide architectural decisions
- Champion code quality, maintainability, and robust documentation
- Partner with QA and production to ensure animation features meet quality and delivery goals
- Evaluate and introduce new tools, techniques, and middleware to enhance workflows
Requirements:
- Expert-level C++ programming skills and deep experience with animation systems in game engines
- Strong understanding of animation principles and real-time implementation
- Extensive experience with Unreal Engine, including Animation Blueprints and Control Rig
- Proven track record in VR development and performance optimization
- Experience with procedural or physics-based animation systems
- Knowledge of motion matching or machine learning in animation
- Shipped multiple commercial games in a technical leadership role
- Familiarity with animation middleware
We are nDreams – we develop and publish the world’s most immersive VR games. With humble beginnings as an independent studio, we combine amazing projects with a personal, caring touch. We believe the best workplaces and games are created by diverse, happy and safe teams. We're committed to building a culture centred on respect, wellbeing and balance. It's crucial we make our games and industry more accessible to underrepresented communities. We offer great perks, including flexible hours, duvet days, your birthday off, dedicated personal development time and support, as well as regular socials. Beyond this, there’s an excellent holiday offering, pension scheme, health insurance, life cover and much more.
