Animation Lead - Lakshya Digital

Keywords Studios Plc; Canada; Remote; CAD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Keywords Studios is seeking an Animation Lead to guide the quality and execution of animation work, with a strong emphasis on supporting teams in India. The role combines hands-on work with building team capability to meet client expectations.

The candidate will mentor animators, translate client direction into actionable guidance, and collaborate with art directors, production, and client-facing teams to ensure high-quality delivery.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in game animation on AAA or high-quality titles.
• Deep knowledge of body mechanics, timing, acting, and style.
• Proficiency with Maya, motion capture workflows, Unreal Engine and/or Unity.
• Experience mentoring animators and providing clear creative direction.
• Strong communication across time zones and distributed teams.
• Ability to identify and resolve creative or workflow problems.

Responsibilities

• Creative leadership: review animation work and provide actionable feedback on quality and timing.
• Mentor animators in India to strengthen artistic judgment and technical execution.
• Translate client direction into clear guidance, references, and priorities for the team.
• Monitor quality, first-time approvals, rework, and schedule risks with leadership.
• Ensure animation assets integrate effectively in Unreal Engine, Unity, or other pipelines.
• Help improve reviews, workflows, and documentation for efficiency.

Skills

Game animation

Mentoring animators

Communication across time zones

Creative direction

Reviewing artwork

Tools

Maya

Unreal Engine

Unity

Motion capture workflows

Job description

Established in 2004, Lakshya Digital - a Keywords Studio - is the largest interactive entertainment and game development services studio in South Asia. Our main production studios are in India, and we maintain satellite studios in Europe, North America.

ROLE OVERVIEW

The Animation Lead is responsible for guiding the quality, execution, and day-to-day creative performance of assigned animation teams and projects, with a strong focus on supporting our teams in India.

Working closely with Art Directors, Production, and client-facing teams, the Animation Lead translates creative direction into clear, actionable guidance for animators, reviews work, mentors artists, and helps resolve quality, workflow, and delivery challenges.

The role is hands-on and close to the work, while also helping the team build the capability and independence needed to consistently meet client expectations.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Creative Leadership: Review animation work and provide clear, actionable feedback on body mechanics, timing, weight, acting, gameplay feel, and overall quality.
• India Team Mentorship: Guide and mentor animators in India, helping strengthen artistic judgment, technical execution, and independence.
• Client & Creative Alignment: Translate client direction, style guides, and feedback into clear guidance, references, and priorities for the team.
• Quality & Delivery: Monitor quality, first-time approval, rework, and schedule risk; identify issues early and work with Production and creative leadership to resolve or elevate them.
• Pipeline & Engine Support: Partner with Tech Art, Production, and other disciplines to ensure animation assets integrate effectively in Unreal Engine, Unity, or other project pipelines.
• Continuous Improvement: Help improve review practices, workflows, documentation, pose libraries, style guides, and other tools that enable teams to work more effectively.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

• Strong professional experience in game animation, including shipped AAA or high-quality game titles.
• Deep understanding of body mechanics, weight, timing, acting, and both stylized and realistic animation.
• Proficiency with Maya, keyframe and mocap workflows, and Unreal Engine and/or Unity.
• Demonstrated experience reviewing work, mentoring animators, and providing effective creative direction.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, including working across time zones and distributed teams.
• Ability to identify creative or workflow problems and help drive practical solutions.

YOU'LL BE SUCCESSFUL IF

• The animation team consistently delivers work that meets client quality and gameplay expectations.
• Client feedback is understood and translated effectively, resulting in stronger first-time approval and reduced rework.
• Animators demonstrate measurable growth in quality, technical execution, and independence.
• Quality, workflow, and schedule risks are identified and addressed early.
• The team works effectively with Production, Tech Art, and other disciplines to deliver predictable results.

Studio: Keywords Studios

Location: Canada, US

Area of Work: Art Services

Service: Create

Employment Type: Full Time Employee

Working Pattern: Full Time, Remote