Jobs / United States / Epic Games INC
Animation Systems Programmer
Epic Games INC · 🇺🇸 Larkspur,California,United States
Sponsorship verdict
Sponsorship possible
One solid signal, not two — worth applying, and worth asking about sponsorship early.
- Employer is on a government sponsor recordThe US Department of Labor certified 17 H-1B/E-3 labor condition applications for this employer between Oct 2025 and Jun 2026 (latest Jun 2026) — the step every H-1B hire needs first. USCIS also records 4 H-1B approvals in FY2023. Source: LCA disclosure data (US Department of Labor (OFLC)).
- The posting doesn’t mention sponsorshipSilence isn’t a refusal — ask the recruiter before investing much time.
- No salary bar for this routeH-1B has no fixed salary bar: the employer must pay at least the prevailing wage for the role and area. Cap-subject employers enter a lottery weighted by wage level. Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/12/29/2025-23853/weighted-selection-process-for-registrants-and-petitioners-seeking-to-file-cap-subject-h-1b, rules effective 2026-02-27.
- What Epic Games INC paid sponsored hires in similar roles1 certified filing for “Gameplay Animation Programmer” (Web and Digital Interface Designers) in FL: $165k–$165k, median $165k. Most were filed at wage level III (100%) — 3 lottery entries, ≈46% projected selection odds for cap-subject employers. Source: US Department of Labor LCA disclosure data (Oct 2025 – Jun 2026).
- Confirmed live todayWhen a source last listed this job as open.
US H-1B: cap-subject employers enter a lottery weighted by wage level — Level I gets 1 entry, Level IV gets 4 (DHS projected selection odds ≈15% at Level I to ≈61% at Level IV). Universities and non-profit research employers are cap-exempt. The $100,000 fee for new petitions from abroad is currently blocked by a court order (appeal pending).
A verdict summarises public evidence; it is not legal advice and never a guarantee — the employer and the immigration authority decide. Sign in to factor in where you can already work.
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Sponsor Radar — Epic Games INC
The US Department of Labor certified 17 H-1B/E-3 labor condition applications for this employer between Oct 2025 and Jun 2026 (latest Jun 2026) — the step every H-1B hire needs first. USCIS also records 4 H-1B approvals in FY2023. Source: LCA disclosure data (US Department of Labor (OFLC)).
Past sponsorship or register membership never guarantees sponsorship for this vacancy or for you. Full Sponsor Radar for Epic Games INC →
About the role
WHAT MAKES US EPIC? At the core of Epic’s success are talented, passionate people. Epic prides itself on creating a collaborative, welcoming, and creative environment. Whether it’s building award-winning games or crafting engine technology that enables others to make visually stunning interactive experiences, we’re always innovating. Being Epic means being a part of a team that continually strives to do right by our community and users. We’re constantly innovating to raise the bar of engine and game development. ENGINEERING - SPECIAL PROJECTS What We Do The Special Projects team at Epic is responsible for executing high-impact projects that push the envelope to define the future of real-time graphics and gaming technology (The Matrix Awakens, Lumen in the Land of Nanite). In collaboration with the Unreal Engine team, we strive to put our technology and knowledge into the hands of users, empowering developers and content creators with the most powerful suite of real-time tools in the world. What You'll Do Epic Games is looking for an experienced Animation Systems Programmer for our Special Projects team. As a member of our team, you will play a critical role in driving future projects that push boundaries, explore new technology, and help define the future of Unreal Engine. You will be responsible for developing, enhancing, optimizing, and maintaining the core animation systems and will work closely with Animation, Design, and Engineering colleagues to ensure characterful and entertaining animation that is efficient and performant. You will also help identify potential issues and deploy correct solutions, using your technical knowledge to help bridge and facilitate communication between the animation team and other departments. In this role, you will • Architect, implement, and maintain core animation systems used across the Special Projects team • Work closely with other engineers, animators, technical animators, product designers, leads and external technology partners across multiple teams and time zones • Write technical documentation and designs • Conduct exploratory research to pioneer and develop innovative animation systems and techniques that push the boundaries of what is possible in real-time production What we're looking for • Extensive experience writing C++ applications • Excellent linear algebra skills and applications of linear algebra in software • Experience with rigging systems, animation state machines, low-level animation systems, physics-based, procedural, and/or IK animation systems • Experience with multi-threaded programming and system tasks such as graphics, audio, I/O, networking, memory handling, debuggers, etc. • Experience with application-level programming, such as script compilers and user-facing tools • Strong artistic intuition and an eye for quality animation; as technical tooling becomes more advanced, you prioritize the visual "feel" of the animation to ensure it meets the highest standards • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, self-motivated, and able to work independently • Creativity in problem-solving and the ability to think outside of the established solutions • Knowledge of ML/AI and its potential applications • Someone who is user-focused, passionate, solutions-focused, and innovative. These traits equal success at Epic and influence everything we do EPIC JOB + EPIC BENEFITS = EPIC LIFE Our intent is to cover all things that are medically necessary and improve the quality of life. We pay 100% of the premiums for both you and your dependents. Our coverage includes Medical, Dental, a Vision HRA, Long Term Disability, Life Insurance & a 401k with competitive match. We also offer a robust mental well-being program through Modern Health, which provides f