Principal Animation Artist - Unpublished R&D Product

Shanghai, China · 10+ years experience · Posted Oct 15, 2026

At a glance

As a Principal Animation Artist at Riot, you will define craft standards, coach the animation team, and influence other disciplines such as VFX, character, and rigging technical artists.
You will be responsible for all aspects of player-facing animation systems and character performance, from early ideation through final shipping-quality release on an unpublished R&D product.
Your craft expertise will breathe life into iconic and beloved characters for players while you report to the Art Director of the team.

Drive the quality and direction of gameplay animation, ensuring a high bar for responsiveness, clarity, and cohesion.
Own and evolve multiple player-facing animation systems, ensuring scalability and consistency across features.
Define and establish animation best practices, workflows, and quality standards for the team.
Partner with design, engineering, and technical art to shape animation systems and influence gameplay integration.
Anticipate systemic challenges and lead solutions that improve long-term reliability and performance.
Guide and mentor animators, elevating craft quality across the team.
Influence cross-team collaboration and alignment on animation-related systems and pipelines.
Identify opportunities to improve tools, pipelines, and production strategies at a broader level.

10+ years of professional experience in game or entertainment animation.
Experience defining animation pipelines or standards at a team or project level.
Expert proficiency in Maya.
Extensive experience working with Unreal Engine.
Deep understanding of animation systems, state machines, and runtime behaviors.
Experience owning and delivering complex animation systems across a project lifecycle.
Experience mentoring and elevating other animators.
Fluency in Mandarin Chinese.