Brighton : Gameplay Animator & Animation Engineer

As a Senior Gameplay & Animation Engineer at Hangar 13, you will establish a premier standard for architecture and code quality while driving the development of our core character systems. Operating deep within Unreal Engine 5, you will own, extend, and optimize the crucial C++ frameworks, tools, and pipelines that govern character locomotion, combat mechanics, and physical expression. This senior-level technical role places you at the intersection of game logic and cinematic art, requiring close collaboration with animators, designers, and fellow programmers to translate complex animation data into tactile, responsive, and visually spectacular AAA gameplay features.

Position Parameter
Specification Detail

Company Name Hangar 13 (An internal 2K development studio)

Job Title Senior Gameplay & Animation Engineer

Department Engineering

Job Type Permanent, Full-Time

Preferred Location Brighton, East Sussex, England, United Kingdom

Alternative Locations Brno or Prague, Czech Republic

Reports To Lead Engineer

Target Infrastructure Cross-Platform AAA (PC, Xbox Series X/S, Play Station
5)

Estimated Salary Range £80,000 – £105,000 GBP / CZK Equivalent (Commensurate with experience)

Core Architecture Unreal Engine 5, C++, Gameplay Ability System (GAS)

Hangar 13 is the global development powerhouse behind the critically acclaimed, award-winning Mafia franchise. Our international teams are united by a shared obsession with rich narrative storytelling, cinematic presentation, and pristine AAA craft. We believe that deep immersion is achieved when story, style, and mechanics flow together seamlessly.

As a studio collective spanning the UK and Czech Republic, we work as a single, fluid team to build the next generation of action-adventure titles. By joining our engineering department, you will collaborate with highly driven professionals who are redefining how characters move, react, and express themselves in interactive worlds.

We are seeking a highly articulate, technically rigorous Senior Gameplay & Animation Engineer to establish a high bar for architecture and code quality. In this role, you will assume structural ownership over our core gameplay subsystems and character animation pipelines.

This position sits at the intersection of game logic and physical expression. You will extend, optimize, and maintain the underlying C++ code, toolsets, and data pipelines that bridge technical art and gameplay logic. Operating as a senior technical authority, you will collaborate closely with animators, character artists, combat designers, and core programmers to turn complex animation data into responsive, spectacular, and tactile gameplay features.

• UE5 System Engineering: Work deep within the Unreal Engine 5 codebase, adapting native frameworks and engineering proprietary systems to satisfy unique creative designs and high-fidelity technical performance.
• Feature Implementation: Prototype, architect, and code robust gameplay and animation features, ensuring clean memory management, low CPU overhead, and highly modular logic.
• Math-Driven Animation: Utilize linear algebra and 3D mathematics to implement advanced procedural, kinematic, or dynamic character behaviors.
• Estimation & Scoping: Support production planning cycles by providing highly accurate time estimates, mapping out architectural dependencies, and reviewing tech designs.
• Risk Management: Proactively identify technical bottlenecks, developmental risks, and scaling limitations within the animation pipeline; engineer stable, creative solutions to eliminate these roadblocks early.
• R&D and Innovation: Research cutting‑edge real‑time coding techniques, algorithms, and emerging industry paradigms to keep the studio’s technology at the forefront of the industry.
• Team Alignment: Work constructively alongside designers, technical animators, and lighting artists to realize artistic visions without sacrificing system performance.
• Code Standards: Maintain a strong dedication to high code quality, code reviews, and pristine technical documentation, ensuring our codebases remain accessible and scalable.

• Creative Technical Tenure: D…