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Havok Jobs (NOW HIRING)

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$122K

$164K

How much do havok jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 9, 2026, the average yearly pay for havok in the United States is $122,008.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $103,000.00 and $141,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Havok physics engine developer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Havok physics engine developer, you need a strong background in computer science, mathematics, and physics, often supported by a relevant degree and experience in game development. Proficiency in C++ programming, familiarity with game engines (such as Unity or Unreal Engine), and experience using the Havok SDK are typically required. Problem-solving skills, creativity, and effective communication help developers collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to create realistic and performant game environments. These skills and qualities are crucial for building immersive, reliable, and optimized gaming experiences that leverage advanced physics simulation.

What is a Havok job?

A Havok job typically involves working with Havok’s physics, animation, and AI middleware used in video game development and other real-time simulations. Professionals in this role often include software engineers, technical artists, and physics programmers who integrate and optimize Havok’s tools within a project. Responsibilities may include implementing realistic character physics, fine-tuning collision detection, and ensuring efficient performance across gaming platforms. Developers working with Havok need strong knowledge of C++ and game development principles.

What are the typical challenges faced by a Havok Physics Engineer when integrating the engine into large-scale game projects?

As a Havok Physics Engineer, one common challenge is optimizing the physics engine's performance within complex, large-scale game environments. Balancing accurate simulations with real-time performance often requires creative problem-solving and close collaboration with gameplay, animation, and graphics teams. Engineers must also ensure seamless integration of Havok with the game's existing systems while troubleshooting issues such as collision detection and memory management. Continuous communication and adaptability are key to addressing evolving technical requirements throughout the game's development cycle.

What is a Havok developer?

A Havok developer is a software engineer or technical artist who specializes in using the Havok suite of tools, primarily the Havok physics engine, to create realistic physics simulations in video games or interactive media. They integrate Havok’s middleware into game engines to handle real-time collision detection, rigid body dynamics, character animation, and other complex simulations. Havok developers often work closely with game designers and programmers to ensure that the physics behaviors enhance gameplay and meet the project’s requirements.
What are the most commonly searched types of Havok jobs? The most popular types of Havok jobs are:
What states have the most Havok jobs? States with the most job openings for Havok jobs include:
Infographic showing various Havok job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $122,008 per year, or $58.7 per hour.
Senior Technical Artist, Animation - Unpublished R&D Product

Senior Technical Artist, Animation - Unpublished R&D Product

Riot Games

Los Angeles, CA • On-site

$136K - $163K/yr

Full-time

Posted 18 days ago


Job description

Job Summary:
Riot Games is a company dedicated to putting players first, and they are seeking a Senior Technical Artist (Technical Animation) to define and maintain animation systems for their upcoming MMO. The role involves collaborating with animators, designers, and engineers to develop scalable animation systems while ensuring high-quality integration across the game.
Responsibilities:
• Build and maintain complex animation state machines, layered animation systems, and override logic supporting split-body for player characters, NPCs, creatures, and props.
• Collaborate with animators, character tech artists, and designers to develop efficient, believable, and tech-friendly animation flows.
• Define best practices for animation setup while owning the debuggability, documentation, maintainability, and long-term health of animation blueprints and graphs within Unreal Engine.
• Partner with engineers to build and evolve animation runtime systems and debugging workflows.
• Drive optimization efforts across animation assets and graphs to meet performance and memory targets.
• Collaborate with cross-discipline partners to ensure character systems scale effectively across massive multiplayer environments.
• Develop scalable animation retargeting strategies to support characters and creatures of varying proportions while minimizing animation counts.
Qualifications:
Required:
• 5+ years of professional experience as a technical animator or technical artist in games or related industries.
• Deep expertise with Unreal Engine animation workflows, including complex Animation Blueprints, state machines, blend spaces, and layered animation systems.
• Proven experience designing scalable, reusable animation systems for large-scope character setups, including players, NPCs, and creatures.
• Strong art foundation with a deep understanding of animation principles, anatomy, and motion.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to collaborate across art, design, and engineering disciplines
Preferred:
• Experience with Unreal Control Rig and Sequencer
• Familiarity with C++ and/or Python within Unreal Engine.
• Expertise in Autodesk Maya for rigging and animation support.
• Experience working with software like Kawaii, Chaos, Havok.
• Prior experience supporting MMO or large-scale games with complex character ecosystems.
• Experience with runtime IK, or motion warping
Company:
Riot Games is a global company that develops online games. Founded in 2006, the company is headquartered in Los Angeles, USA, with a team of 1001-5000 employees. The company is currently Late Stage.

Riot Games logo

About Riot Games

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Riot Games was founded in 2006 by Brandon Beck and Marc Merrill with the intent to change the way video games are made and supported for players. In 2009, Riot released its debut title League of Legends to worldwide acclaim. The game has since gone on to become the most played PC game in the world and a key driver of the explosive growth of esports. Players are the foundation of our community and it's for them we continue to evolve and improve the League of Legends experience.

Industry

Computer and electronic product manufacturing

Company size

1,001 - 5,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Los Angeles, CA, US

Year founded

2006

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