CD PROJEKT RED is looking for a Cinematic Animation Lead to guide our team on the next chapter of Cyberpunk. In this role, you will be responsible for the cinematic animation quality, coherence, and seamless connection between gameplay and narrative for this narrative-driven RPG.

What You'll Do

Maintain and evolve the cinematic animation vision and strategy with the Creative Director and Cinematic Director.
Collaborate with the Cinematic Design Lead and Gameplay Animation Lead to ensure coherence across storytelling, worldbuilding, and performance.
Elevate and uphold the cinematic animation quality bar for a cohesive, emotionally engaging player experience.
Evangelize the creative and technical direction of cinematic animation, aligning with the project's vision.
Collaborate with the Cinematic Director before and during motion/performance capture sessions.
Review animation in cinematic and world content scenes, providing clear, actionable feedback.
Lead, mentor, and inspire the Cinematic Animation team, fostering ownership and professional growth.
Collaborate with production on planning, scheduling, and prioritization.
Develop and refine the cinematic animation pipeline with Tech Art, Engineering, and Shared Tech.
Foster open cross-team collaboration to ensure cinematic moments feel grounded and true to the world.
Cultivate a collaborative culture of trust, empowerment, and shared creative purpose.

What We're Looking For

8+ years of experience across animation and game development.
Leadership experience on a shipped AAA narrative-driven title focused on cinematic storytelling.
Deep understanding of performance, storytelling, and cinematography in an interactive medium.
Strong understanding of body mechanics, facial performance, and emotional expression through animation.
Demonstrated ability to direct motion capture and performance capture sessions.
Expertise in Unreal Engine and professional experience with Motion Builder or Maya.
Experience mentoring and managing teams, fostering ownership, trust, and collaboration.
Excellent communication skills to convey creative intent across disciplines.
Ability to balance creative ambition with production realities and technical constraints.
Hands-on experience developing or refining cinematic animation workflows and pipelines.
A passion for storytelling and pushing the boundaries of character performance in games.

Nice to Have

Previous experience working with outsourced animation teams, co-development partners, or remote contributors.

Technical Stack

Unreal Engine
Motion Builder
Maya

Team & Environment

You will lead the Cinematic Animation team and collaborate closely with the Creative Director, Cinematic Director, Cinematic Design Lead, Gameplay Animation Lead, Tech Art, Engineering, and Shared Tech.

Benefits & Compensation

Compensation: $134,600 - $205,600 USD annually + equity; may be eligible for discretionary stock options.
Company-paid medical healthcare (dental, vision, and mental).
Free mental health support including counseling, psychiatric care, and well-being webinars.
Paid leave — 20 days of holiday per year (26 days after two years).
401K with employer matching.
Gym Membership Reimbursement.
Menstrual leave — one extra day off when experiencing period pain.
RED Parents Network — support for working parents, childcare benefits, family-friendly events.
Flexible working hours.
Trainings, lectures, and courses — internal workshops, knowledge-sharing, online tutorials.
A welcome pack filled with goodies.
Dog-friendly office.
Truly international working environment.
No dress-code.