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Unreal Engine Animator Jobs in Georgia (NOW HIRING)

Lead Gameplay Programmer

Alpharetta, GA · On-site

$125K - $139K/yr

The ideal candidate has deep Unreal Engine experience, a love of great gameplay, and a passion for ... Solid understanding of 3D math, physics, animation integration, and player systems. * Proven ...

Experience with Unreal Engine or Unity for real-time interactive environments. Key Responsibilities ... animations for regulatory, licensing, and public outreach applications across a diverse range of ...

Experience with Unreal Engine or Unity for real-time interactive environments. Key Responsibilities ... animations for regulatory, licensing, and public outreach applications across a diverse range of ...

Unreal Engine Animator information

What is an Unreal Engine animator?

An Unreal Engine Animator is a professional who creates and implements animations for characters, objects, and environments within the Unreal Engine, a popular real-time 3D creation tool. They work closely with game designers, artists, and programmers to bring interactive and lifelike movement to video games, simulations, and other digital experiences. Their responsibilities may include rigging models, creating motion cycles, facial animations, and ensuring smooth transitions between actions to enhance the overall user experience.

What are some common challenges Unreal Engine animators face when working on game development teams?

Unreal Engine Animators often encounter challenges such as optimizing animation assets for real-time performance, ensuring seamless integration with other departments like programming and design, and adapting to rapid changes in project requirements. Collaborating closely with technical artists and developers is essential to troubleshoot issues related to rigging, blend spaces, or animation blueprints. Staying updated with Unreal Engine's frequent updates and mastering new tools within the engine also helps animators maintain high-quality results and efficiency.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Unreal Engine animator, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Unreal Engine Animator, you need strong skills in 3D animation principles, character rigging, and a solid understanding of Unreal Engine, often backed by a degree in animation or related field. Mastery of tools like Unreal Engine’s Sequencer, Autodesk Maya, and motion capture systems is typically required. Creative storytelling, attention to detail, and effective teamwork are crucial soft skills for excelling in this role. These abilities ensure high-quality, immersive animations that meet project goals and enhance the user experience in interactive environments.

What is the difference between Unreal Engine Animator vs 3D Character Animator?

AspectUnreal Engine Animator3D Character Animator
CredentialsAnimation or game design degree, proficiency in Unreal EngineAnimation degree, expertise in 3D software like Maya or Blender
Work EnvironmentGame studios, virtual production, real-time environmentsFilm, TV, advertising, pre-rendered animations
Industry UsagePrimarily in game development and interactive mediaFilm, TV, commercials, pre-rendered content

Unreal Engine Animators focus on creating real-time animations within the Unreal Engine platform, often for games and interactive experiences. 3D Character Animators work on pre-rendered content for film and TV, using software like Maya or Blender. While both roles require strong animation skills, Unreal Engine Animators specialize in real-time rendering and game engine workflows, whereas 3D Character Animators focus on pre-rendered, cinematic quality animations.

What job categories do people searching Unreal Engine Animator jobs in Georgia look for?

The top searched job categories for Unreal Engine Animator jobs in Georgia are:

Infographic showing various Unreal Engine Animator job openings in Georgia as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution.

Lead Gameplay Programmer

Templar Media

Alpharetta, GA • On-site

$125K - $139K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 17 days ago


Job description

About Templar: As an independent developer and publisher, Templar develops the games that we want, on our own schedule. We are actively staffing up for both in-house game development and supporting published titles. Templar provides a professional yet non-corporate environment where every team member's input and collaboration matters. Based in Alpharetta, GA just north of Atlanta, Templar is in the perfect area for those that enjoy sunny weather and a relatively low cost of living.
About the Role: As a Lead Gameplay Programmer at Templar Media, you'll be responsible for driving the technical vision and execution of gameplay systems across our projects. You'll work closely with design and art leadership to prototype, build, and refine the systems that define how players interact with our worlds.
This role combines hands-on development with mentorship and team coordination; perfect for someone who thrives on solving complex problems, empowering others, and ensuring the gameplay codebase is robust, scalable, and high-performing. The ideal candidate has deep Unreal Engine experience, a love of great gameplay, and a passion for guiding teams toward technical and creative excellence.
Responsibilities:
  • Lead and execute the development of core gameplay systems from concept through launch and live support.
  • Collaborate with design and art teams to define and refine player experiences.
  • Establish best practices for gameplay architecture, performance, and code quality.
  • Provide technical mentorship and guidance to gameplay programmers.
  • Oversee feature implementation, ensuring consistency, scalability, and maintainability.
  • Review and optimize existing code for efficiency, performance, and clarity.
  • Work with production to plan and prioritize gameplay development tasks.
  • Identify technical risks early and propose effective solutions.
  • Contribute to the overall technical roadmap of the project.
  • Foster a collaborative and positive work environment focused on quality and innovation.

Qualifications:
  • 6+ years of professional programming experience, with at least 3 years in gameplay-focused roles.
  • Strong expertise with Unreal Engine 4 or 5, including deep understanding of gameplay frameworks.
  • Proficiency in C++ with strong debugging and optimization skills.
  • Experience shipping at least one AA or AAA title.
  • Solid understanding of 3D math, physics, animation integration, and player systems.
  • Proven ability to architect, implement, and maintain large gameplay systems.
  • Experience mentoring or leading other engineers.
  • Excellent communication and problem-solving skills.
  • Passion for collaboration and helping bring creative ideas to life through technology.

Preference to Applicants With:
  • Experience with open-world or co-op game systems.
  • Strong knowledge of Unreal's animation, AI, and input systems.
  • A deeper understanding of game AI and NPC behaviors.
  • Familiarity with mission, quest, or dialogue systems.
  • Experience with combat and stealth mechanics
  • Experience with console development and optimization.
  • Comfort working with complex, legacy, or third-party codebases.
  • A love for games; particularly open-world action-adventure and cooperative experiences.

Templar offers a highly competitive salary and benefits package and a professional but non-corporate environment. This position is full-time onsite/remote at our studio in Alpharetta, GA.