Cinematic Animation Lead

Company Description

To create revolutionary, story-driven RPGs which go straight to the hearts of gamers — this is our mission. Want to dive deeper into our company’s culture? Explore our social media and check out our YouTube channel and Beyond the Game Blog where we share behind-the-scenes insights and stories direct from our team members!

Job Description

CD PROJEKT RED is looking for a Cinematic Animation Lead to join our Boston office to the team working on Cyberpunk 2, the next mainline Cyberpunk 2077 game.

The Lead will drive the quality and coherence of cinematic animation, leading a team of talented animators to deliver seamless, emotionally rich scenes, animation library and world content that define the player experience in Cyberpunk 2. Through cross-team collaboration and thoughtful leadership, you will empower artists, improve and refine cinematic animation workflows, and uphold the creative and technical vision that keeps every scene authentic to the world we’re building.

This position requires relocation to Boston. Hybrid mode is available afterwards.

Daily Responsibilities

• Maintain and evolve the cinematic animation vision and strategy together with the Creative Director and Cinematic Director, while collaborating 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, pushing the seamless connection between gameplay and narrative moments toward an ever more cohesive, emotionally engaging player experience.
• Evangelize both the creative and technical direction of cinematic animation, ensuring alignment with the project’s overall vision and storytelling goals.
• Collaborate with the Cinematic Director before and during motion and performance capture sessions to ensure authentic, believable performances aligned with the creative goals of Cyberpunk 2.
• Review animation in both cinematic and world content scenes regularly, providing clear, actionable feedback to maintain quality, consistency, and emotional impact.
• Lead, mentor, and inspire the Cinematic Animation team, empowering artists and fostering creative ownership, artistic excellence, and professional growth.
• Collaborate with production on planning, scheduling, and prioritization to keep the team focused and empowered to deliver their best work.
• Develop and refine the cinematic animation pipeline in close collaboration with Tech Art, Engineering, Shared Tech, and other key stakeholders to enhance workflows, tools, and cross-discipline efficiency.
• Foster open cross-team collaboration to ensure every cinematic moment feels grounded, expressive, and true to the world of Cyberpunk 2.
• Cultivate a collaborative culture where trust, empowerment, and shared creative purpose drive the team forward.

Qualifications

• 8 years of experience across animation and game development, including leadership on a shipped AAA narrative-driven title focused on cinematic storytelling.
• Deep understanding of performance, storytelling, and cinematography in an interactive medium, with a strong reel demonstrating leadership or hands-on contribution to emotionally powerful cinematic performances.
• Strong understanding of body mechanics, facial performance, and emotional expression through animation.
• Demonstrated ability to direct motion capture and performance capture sessions, ensuring authentic, believable performances aligned with creative and technical goals and limitations.
• Expertise in Unreal Engine and professional experience with Motion Builder or Maya.
• Experience mentoring and managing teams, with a focus on empowering individuals, fostering ownership, and building an environment of trust and collaboration.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to convey creative intent clearly across disciplines and collaborate effectively with directors, designers, and engineers.
• Ability to balance creative ambition with production realities and technical constraints, maintaining quality under pressure.
• Hands-on experience developing or refining cinematic animation workflows and pipelines, improving tools and processes in collaboration with Tech Art and Engineering.
• A passion for storytelling and for pushing the boundaries of character performance in games.
• Previous experience working with outsourced animation teams, co-development partners, or remote contributors.

Additional Information

The application window for this position will close by 06/11/2026.

This job requires working in Boston, US.
Working mode: in-office in a hybrid or full-time capacity. 

Health & Well-Being

• Company-paid medical healthcare (dental, vision, and mental).
• Free mental health support, including access to counseling, psychiatric care, and a variety of well-being webinars.
• Paid leave - 26 days of vacation, 10 sick days, & 12 calendar holidays per year.
• 401K with employer matching.
• Lifestyle Spending Account (LSA) – $100 per month to use towards fitness, wellness, internet, home office equipment, learning, streaming services, and more.
• Menstrual leave — employees who menstruate can take one extra day off when experiencing period pain.
• RED Parents Network — support for working parents, including childcare benefits, and family-friendly events.

Perks & Professional Growth

• Flexible working hours.
• Trainings, lectures, and courses — internal workshops, knowledge-sharing initiatives, online tutorials, and e-learning classes are all available.
• A welcome pack filled with goodies — to help you feel right at home once you join the team.

Life in the Office

• Dog-friendly office — bring your pooch with you and look after them while working! There’s always a furry friend or two to meet.
• Truly international working environment — a chance to meet and work with a diverse selection of people from all around the world.
• No dress-code — we like to keep it casual.

This position is a backfill.

Estimated pay range for this position: $149,500 - $205,600 USD annually. This role may be eligible for a long term incentive program (option to purchase CDPR stock after the vesting period). Final offers are dependent on job-related factors like experience and qualifications.
 

At CD PROJEKT RED compensation for our roles in North America are determined based on competitive market data, geographic location, and individual factors tied to business needs. The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. Final offers are dependent on job-related factors like experience, qualifications, and location.

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