Lead Animator

Digital Legends Entertainment; Barcelona; On-site; EUR 60,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private health and dental insurance

Ticket restaurant

Wellbeing voucher

25 days + Xmas holidays

Job summary

Digital Legends Entertainment in Barcelona is seeking a Lead Animator to lead animation pipelines for COD projects. You will create high-quality animations, mentor the team, set up workflows, and collaborate with riggers and technical designers.

We value strong animation fundamentals, Maya proficiency, and excellent communication. This full-time role offers a competitive salary, health benefits, and opportunities to advance within a top Activision studio.

Qualifications

• Experience in making video game animation, preferably with Maya.
• Deep understanding of movement in space.
• Aesthetic sense and attention to detail.
• Deep understanding of anatomy and motion.
• Ability to adapt to change, flexible and open-minded.
• Clear communication to receive and provide feedback.
• Good spoken and written English.

Responsibilities

• Create high-quality animations while optimizing for technical constraints and artistic direction.
• Be transparent about potential animation-related problems.
• Estimate and manage time required to carry out tasks within deadlines.
• Research and document improvements to suggestions.
• Share knowledge to advance the team.
• Provide regular, constructive feedback to foster creativity.
• Mentor and guide team members and support professional growth.
• Lead and support the team through 1:1s, performance reviews, and cross-functional communication.

Skills

Video game animation

Movement in 3D space

Attention to detail

Anatomy and motion

Adaptability

Communication

English proficiency

Tools

Maya

Job description

Lead Animator

Requisition ID: R027369

Digital Legends is an Activision studio based in Barcelona, contributing to multiple titles within the Call of Duty franchise.

Founded in 2001, we push the boundaries of AAA gaming through creativity, innovation, and cutting‑edge technology. Since we are part of the Activision and Microsoft Gaming family, our legacy includes acclaimed titles like Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.

Powered by a legendary team of diverse talent, a mix of industry veterans and rising stars we believe our people are our greatest asset, turning passion into unforgettable gaming experiences.

We are looking for a Lead Animator who will be working with artists and programmers developing animations for COD projects. The ideal candidate has a strong understanding of animation principles and can problem solve with riggers and technical designers.

The main areas of responsibility include setting up and maintaining the animation workflows and making decisions on which tools and techniques to use. One large part of the job involves keeping up to date with changes in technology and techniques, being up to date in the latest innovations and pushing the quality of the animation.

Your Responsibilities

• Create high-quality animations while optimizing them to meet technical constraints and make any changes requested based on the artistic direction.
• Be transparent about the potential problems related to animations.
• Estimate and manage the time required to carry out tasks within deadlines.
• Research and make documentation to improve suggestions.
• Job knowledge sharing in order to further advance our whole team.
• Provide regular, clear, and constructive feedback on the team’s work, while fostering creativity and encouraging active participation from all members.
• Mentor and guide team members, share knowledge, recommend best practices, and support the professional growth of the team.
• Leading and supporting the team through regular 1:1s, performance reviews, and cross‑functional communication.

Your Skills

• Experience in making video game animation; preferably via Maya.
• In‑depth understanding of movement in space.
• Aesthetic sense & Attention to detail.
• Deep understanding of anatomy and motion.
• Ability to adapt to change, flexible, open‑minded.
• Clear communication skills to receive, seek and provide constructive criticism.
• Good communication skills.
• Good level of spoken and written English

It’s Always a Plus

• Good portfolio based on personal work or non‑NDA projects.
• Knowledge of game engines is a plus.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary based on your experience.
• A wide range of perks such as private health and dental insurance, ticket restaurant, wellbeing voucher, 25 days + xmas period holidays and more.
• And a great team of super skilled individuals that can help you grow as a professional.

Not sure if you meet every single requirement? That’s okay!

At Activision, we know that great talent comes in many forms, and we believe in the potential of passionate people with diverse experiences. If this role excites you, we encourage you to apply, you might be exactly who we’re looking for.

Our World

At Activision, we strive to create the most iconic brands in gaming and entertainment. We’re driven by our mission to deliver unrivalled gaming experiences for the world to enjoy, together. We are home to one of the most beloved entertainment franchises Call of Duty®. As a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and products, our "press start" is simple: delight hundreds of millions of players around the world with innovative, fun, thrilling, and engaging entertainment experiences.

We’re not just looking back at our decades‑long legacy; we’re forging ahead to keep advancing gameplay with some of the most popular titles and sophisticated technology in the world. We have bold ambitions to create the most inclusive company as we know our success comes from the passionate, creative, and diverse teams within our organization.

We’re in the business of delivering fun and unforgettable entertainment for our player community to enjoy. And our future opportunities have never been greater, this could be your opportunity to level up.