Sr Destruction and Simulation Animator, Breakables (Contract) at PlayStation Global

Why PlayStationPlayStation isnt just the Best Place to Play its also the Best Place to Work. Today were recognized as a global leader in entertainment producing The PlayStation family of products and services including PlayStation5 PlayStation4 PlayStationVR PlayStationPlus acclaimed PlayStation software titles from PlayStation Studios and more.PlayStation also strives to create an inclusive environment that empowers employees and embraces diversity. We welcome and encourage everyone who has a passion and curiosity for innovation technology and play to explore our open positions and join our growing global team.The PlayStation brand falls under Sony Interactive Entertainment a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation.Join the award-winning team that created God of WarSanta Monica Studio is seeking an experienced breakables animator for the development of a new unannounced title!This is an opportunity to contribute to the artistic vision and development of our products with a specialized focus on creating high-quality destruction simulations and breakable assets for both cinematics and gameplay.As a Senior Destruction and Simulation Animator you will effectively collaborate with a wide range of development team members outside of your direct discipline such as the Art Director VFX Supervisors Technical Artists Animators Programmers and Producers to achieve artistic goals and technical implementation in relation to design and technological considerations.ResponsibilitiesCreate sophisticated destruction simulations and breakable assets for in-game use spanning from small-scale environmental destruction to large-scale cinematic set pieces maintaining artistic direction and vision through all phases of developmentDevelop and execute procedural destruction workflows using Houdini creating reusable HDAs (Houdini Digital Assets) and simulation setups that can be efficiently integrated into the game engine and used across multiple projectsModel texture and animate destruction elements using Maya and Houdini ensuring seamless integration with existing art pipelines and maintaining consistency with the overall visual style and quality standardsSupport asset integration optimization LODs and collision for level designCollaborate closely with the Tech Art team to optimize destruction simulations for real-time performance balancing visual fidelity with technical constraints and frame-rate requirementsPartner with Design and Narrative teams to ensure destruction elements serve both narrative and mechanical purposes creating compelling visual storytelling moments while supporting gameplay objectivesServe as a contributor to the development of artistic techniques and processes utilized to create destruction and simulation assets within the studio drawing from comprehensive knowledge of physics simulation pipelines and all engine tools and systemsPossess strong time management and prioritization skills collaborating with the Production group to develop task lists ensuring destruction asset assignments progress in alignment with schedules milestones and overall project goalsClearly communicate updates and escalate technical or artistic concerns to appropriate team members and managers while representing the studio professionally in all communicationsTake ownership of specific destruction categories or simulation types and facilitate requests or information needs regarding any aspect of the destruction creation processRequirements5 years of professional experience in destruction simulation VFX or technical animation with demonstrated expertise in creating breakable assets for interactive mediaExpert proficiency in Houdini for simulation work including rigid body dynamics fluid simulations particle systems and HDA creationProficient in Maya for basic modeling animation and asset pipeline integrationStrong understanding of game engine integration and real-time performance optimization constraintsExcellent aesthetic sense with the ability to create physical dynamics natural phenomena and impactful destruction sequencesStrong communication and organizational skills with the ability to work independently under minimal directionSelf-motivated with the ability to adapt to various destruction types and collaborate effectively across multiple departmentsPreferred ExperienceShipped AAA game(s) or games with high-quality destruction and VFX standards with demonstrable contribution to destruction systems or breakable contentExperience with additional simulation software like Blender Pull Down It (PDI)Knowledge of scripting languages (Python MEL VEX) for pipeline automation and tool creationUnderstanding of material systems and shader creation for destruction elements including damage states debris and particle effectsExperience with motion capture cleanup rigging and/or keyframe animation for enhanced destruction storytellingBackground in traditional VFX or film industry with transferable skills in large-scale destruction simulationUnderstanding of physics principles and real-world destruction behavior to inform artistic choices and improve simulation authenticity#LI-SMS#LI-MC1Avoid Recruitment Scams/Phishing Attempts:Please be aware that any official outreach in response to your application will always be done from a @ email address. Always make sure to double check the spelling on Sony is correct and the characters have not been replaced with any numbers/symbols before replying.Anyone using an email that is not @ is not affiliated with us and should be reported either via the platform they are contacting you on or directly to your email service as a phishing attempt/scam.Please refer to our Candidate Privacy Noticefor more information about how we process your personal information and your data protection rights.At SIE working with our partners we consider several factors when setting each roles base pay range including the competitive benchmarking data for the market and geographic location.Please note that the individual base pay range may vary based on job-related factors which may include knowledge skills experience and location.In addition this role is eligible for benefit offerings that include medical dental and vision. Click hereto learn more.The estimated base pay range for this role is listed below this is an hourly rate.$57.98 - $86.92 USDEqual Opportunity Statement:Sony is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All persons will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender (including gender identity gender expression and gender reassignment) race (including colour nationality ethnic or national origin) religion or belief marital or civil partnership status disability age sexual orientation pregnancy maternity or parental status trade union membership or membership in any other legally protected category.We strive to create an inclusive environment empower employees and embrace diversity. We encourage everyone to respond.PlayStation is a Fair Chance employer and qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records will be considered for employment.Required Experience:Senior IC Key Skills Graphic Design,Game Engine,User Interface,Design Management,Logo,VFX,Adobe Creative Suite,Art Direction,Maya,Photoshop,Adobe Flash,Youtube,Animation Pipeline,Layout,Storyboard Employment Type : Contract Experience: years Vacancy: 1 Monthly Salary Salary: 57 - 86