Warner Bros. Discovery - Associate Animator, Layout

Animator is needed in Salt Lake City, United States.

Client: Warner Bros. Discovery

Location: Salt Lake City, UT

Contract: undefined

Job Description

Avalanche, a division of WB Games Inc., is seeking an Associate Animator with layout experience to join the cinematic team that created Hogwarts Legacy, an open world, action RPG set in the Wizarding World. As an Associate Animator, you will be responsible for creating captivating cinematic content through camera, animation, and implementation, working closely with a multidisciplinary team to deliver unforgettable experiences for players worldwide. Please note that this is a hybrid role that must be based in Salt Lake City, UT.

Key Responsibilities

• Create quality keyframe animations for characters, creatures, and environmental elements.
• Be versatile working with motion capture data, keyframe animation, and in-engine manipulation of animation content.
• Block cameras, characters, and environments on a narrative-driven RPG to shape composition, staging, and pacing for key cinematics and gameplay moments.
• Implement cinematic content into the game.
• Collaborate with designers and programmers to implement and refine animations in Unreal Engine 5.
• Participate in motion capture sessions and process mocap data for in-game use.
• Contribute to the evolution of our animation pipeline and workflow optimizations.
• Work closely with art directors to ensure animations align with the game’s visual style and narrative goals.

Qualifications

• At least 1 year of game animation experience or a combination of experience with a BA in art or related field.
• Knowledge of Maya, MotionBuilder, and Unreal Engine 5’s animation systems.
• Good understanding of human and animal anatomy, locomotion, and performance.
• Experience with procedural animation techniques and runtime animation systems.
• Skilled at visual storytelling through strong camera work, staging, and blocking to create clear, dynamic scenes that support story and gameplay.
• Proficiency in animating both realistic and stylized characters.
• Ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
• Excellent communication skills and a positive, solution-oriented attitude.
• Portfolio demonstrating a range of animation styles and technical proficiency.
• Experience with implementing cinematic content in Unreal’s Sequencer.

Nice to Have

• Knowledge of rigging and skinning techniques.
• Familiarity with Python or other scripting languages for animation tools.
• Background in traditional animation or fine arts.

Additional Information

This last bit is probably the most important! Here at WBD, our guiding principles are the core values by which we operate and are central to how we get things done. You can find them at www.wbd.com/guiding-principles/ along with some insights from the team on what they mean and how they show up in their day to day. We hope they resonate with you and look forward to discussing them during your interview.

Championing Inclusion at WBD

Warner Bros. Discovery embraces the opportunity to build a workforce that reflects a wide array of perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences. Being an equal opportunity employer means that we take seriously our responsibility to consider qualified candidates on the basis of merit, without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, mental or physical disability, and genetic information, marital status, citizenship status, military status, protected veteran status, or any other category protected by law.

If you’re a qualified candidate with a disability and you require adjustments or accommodations during the job application and/or recruitment process, please visit our accessibility page for instructions to submit your request.