Animation Artist II - Valorant, Premium Content

As a member of the Animation team, you bring champions to life through classic
animation principles and body mechanics. You will create high quality animations
for a diverse and rapidly growing universe, including bipeds, quadrupeds, and
creatures.  A great reel will showcase a strong foundation in the principles of
animation, including weight, anticipation, and impact.  Also working to expand
our current content pipeline, you will collaborate with designers and artists to
develop and iterate on new and existing pipelines. Your craft expertise will
breathe life into iconic and beloved characters for players.

As a member of the Valorant Animation team, you will bring premium content to
life through best-in-class first-person animation, partnering closely with
artists, designers, and engineers to create high-quality weapon and first-person
experiences that enhance the look, feel, and satisfaction of Valorant’s premium
skins. With a strong foundation in animation principles and a keen eye for
polish, you’ll craft responsive, impactful animations that are unmistakably
Valorant, balancing visual flair with gameplay clarity while delivering content
that delights players and meets the highest standards of quality and
performance.


RESPONSIBILITIES:

* Create high-quality first-person animations for Valorant premium content,
including weapon animations, equips, reloads, firing, inspects, and other
skin-driven features
* Collaborate closely with the Premium Content art team to deliver cohesive,
polished skin experiences
* Review animations with your team to receive and provide artistic and
technical feedback.
* Iterate on animation assets based on gameplay needs, artistic direction, and
player experience goals.
* Work with internal developers in ideating and troubleshooting animations.


REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

* 3+ years of experience creating high quality animations in gaming

* Working Knowledge of Maya or similar 3D animation software
* Understand body mechanics, acting, posing and storytelling techniques
* Solid understanding of animation principles including timing, weight, posing,
motion, and readability
* Experience collaborating in cross-disciplinary teams
* Clear communication skills and openness to feedback


DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

* Strong experience with first-person animation, preferably in a shooter or
action game
* Familiarity with stylized animation and art direction
* Formal animation training or equivalent professional experience
* Familiarity with rigging workflows and the ability to diagnose and resolve
technical animation issues in a real-time pipeline

For this role, you'll find success through craft expertise and a collaborative
spirit that prioritizes the delight of players. We will look at your past
studies and experience, but for this role, we also look for dedicated people
with a personal relationship with games. If you embody player empathy and care
about players' experiences, this is the role for you!


OUR PERKS:

Riot focuses on work/life balance, shown by our open paid time off policy and
other perks such as flexible work schedules. We offer medical, dental, and life
insurance, parental leave for you, your spouse/domestic partner, and children,
and a 401k with company match. Check out our benefits pages
[https://www.riotgames.com/en/work-with-us/overview] for more information.

At Riot Games, we put players first
[https://www.riotgames.com/en/who-we-are/values]. That mission drives every
decision in our quest to create games and experiences that make it better to be
a player. Whether you’re working directly on a new player-facing experience or
you’re supporting the company as a whole, everyone at Riot is part of our
mission. And just like in our games, we’re better when we work together. Our
goal is to create collaborative teams where you are empowered to bring your
unique perspective everyday. If that sounds like the kind of place you want to
work, we’re looking forward to your application.

 

It’s our policy to provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and
members of Riot Games, Inc. Riot Games makes reasonable accommodations for
handicapped and disabled Rioters and does not unlawfully discriminate on the
basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or
expression, national origin, age, handicap, veteran status, marital status,
criminal history, or any other category protected by applicable federal and
state law. We consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those
with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state
and local law, including the California Fair Chance Act, the City of Los Angeles
Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance
Ordinance for Employers, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the
Washington Fair Chance Act.

Per the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, the following core duties may
create a basis for disqualifying candidates with relevant criminal histories:

* Safeguarding confidential and sensitive Company data
* Communication with others, including Rioters and third parties such as
vendors, and/or players, including minors
* Accessing Company assets, secure digital systems, and networks
* Ensuring a safe interactive environment for players and other Rioters

These duties are directly related to essential operations, safety, trust, and
compliance obligations within our organization. Please note that job duties may
evolve based on business needs and additional responsibilities may be assigned
as necessary to maintain operational efficiency and security.