Contract Technical Cinematic Designer

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Contract Technical Cinematic Designer based in the United States.

The Technical Cinematic Designer will help bring narrative-driven game experiences to life through immersive, technically sophisticated real-time cinematics. You’ll use Unreal Engine and Sequencer to design, implement, and polish cinematic sequences that strengthen storytelling and player engagement. Working across narrative, animation, gameplay, level design, VFX, audio, and engineering, you’ll help integrate cinematics seamlessly into the broader game experience. The role combines cinematic craft with technical problem-solving, including interactive narrative systems, cinematic logic, performance optimization, and workflow development. You’ll have the opportunity to build tools and pipelines that make cinematic production more efficient while helping establish scalable team practices. This is an ideal opportunity for a technically strong cinematic designer who is passionate about storytelling and thrives in a collaborative game development environment. The position is fully remote within the United States and is offered on a contract basis.

Accountabilities: Design, implement, iterate, and polish real-time cinematic sequences using Unreal Engine and Sequencer, including camera composition, transitions, timing, and in-engine presentation.

Collaborate closely with writers, animators, gameplay and level designers, VFX artists, engineers, and audio teams to integrate cinematic content seamlessly into interactive game environments.

Build and maintain narrative systems supporting interactive storytelling, including dialogue triggers, branching sequences, character states, and other cinematic logic.

Develop and maintain cinematic tools, Blueprints, workflows, and pipelines that improve production efficiency and enable the team to create high-quality content at scale.

Create compelling cinematic experiences that balance visual storytelling, technical requirements, gameplay integration, and player immersion.

Troubleshoot cinematic issues and optimize sequences for performance, stability, and reliability across target platforms.

Integrate voice-over, sound effects, music, and other audio elements with cinematic sequences to deliver cohesive and emotionally engaging experiences.

Partner with multidisciplinary teams to identify technical challenges early and develop practical solutions throughout production.

Provide technical guidance, mentorship, and documentation covering cinematic workflows, tools, and best practices.

Contribute to continuous improvements in cinematic production processes, pipelines, and development standards.

Requirements

3+ years of professional experience in cinematic design, narrative design, or a closely related game development discipline, preferably on AAA or high-quality indie projects.

Expert-level proficiency with Unreal Engine, particularly Unreal Sequencer and Level Sequences.

Strong understanding of real-time narrative systems, including scripting, event triggers, branching logic, character states, and state machines.

Demonstrated ability to create polished, visually compelling cinematic sequences directly within a game engine.

Strong understanding of cinematic composition, camera direction, pacing, transitions, and storytelling principles.

Practical experience with Blueprints and/or scripting for cinematic logic, automation, and custom tool development.

Ability to collaborate effectively across narrative, animation, gameplay, level design, VFX, audio, engineering, and other disciplines.

Strong troubleshooting and optimization skills, with the ability to identify and resolve technical issues affecting cinematic performance or stability.

A strong portfolio or demo reel showcasing cinematic work created in Unreal Engine.

Familiarity with performance capture workflows and facial animation systems is preferred.

Experience setting up scenes and exporting animations from Maya is a plus.

Familiarity with version control systems such as Perforce or Git is preferred.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts and collaborate effectively with creative and technical teammates.

A strong passion for interactive storytelling, game narratives, and creating memorable player experiences.

Benefits

Competitive contract compensation: Hourly rates range from $29–$50 USD , depending on location, experience, qualifications, and other relevant factors.

Location-based pay: $40–$50/hour in select high-cost metropolitan areas including San Francisco, New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle, Boston, and the DC metropolitan area; $34–$42/hour in markets including Austin, Denver, Nashville, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, and Miami; and $29–$36/hour in other US locations.

Fully remote: Work remotely from within the United States.

Contract flexibility: A contract opportunity offering the chance to contribute specialized cinematic expertise to an ambitious game development environment.

Cross-functional collaboration: Work alongside talented professionals across narrative, animation, gameplay, level design, VFX, audio, and engineering.

Creative impact: Directly influence the storytelling, immersion, and emotional impact of narrative-driven interactive experiences.

Technical growth: Develop expertise across Unreal Engine, real-time cinematics, narrative systems, cinematic tooling, and production pipelines.

Mentorship and knowledge sharing: Opportunity to contribute to technical documentation and support best practices across cinematic development.

Inclusive workplace: A commitment to equal employment opportunity and a collaborative environment that welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds.

How Jobgether works: We use an AI-powered matching process to ensure your application is reviewed quickly, objectively, and fairly against the role's core requirements. Our system identifies the top-fitting candidates, and this shortlist is then shared directly with the hiring company. The final decision and next steps (interviews, assessments) are managed by their internal team. We appreciate your interest and wish you the best!  Why Apply Through Jobgether?    Data Privacy Notice: By submitting your application, you acknowledge that Jobgether will process your personal data to evaluate your candidacy and share relevant information with the hiring employer. This processing is based on legitimate interest and pre-contractual measures under applicable data protection laws (including GDPR). You may exercise your rights (access, rectification, erasure, objection) at any time.     #LI-CL1