Senior Technical Animator

Placements24; O Mente; On-site; EUR 38,000 - 51,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and bonuses

Health and wellness benefits

Generous paid time off and leave

Job summary

Placements24 in Queenstown, Eastern Cape is seeking a Senior Technical Animator to enhance realism and fluidity of character and creature movement in upcoming titles. You will bridge artistic animation and technical implementation, ensuring animations perform well in the engine and meet visual fidelity standards.

The ideal candidate has 4+ years in technical animation or rigging, strong scripting (Python/MEL/C#), and solid experience with Maya or 3ds Max and game engines (Unreal/Unity).

Qualifications

• Minimum of 4 years as a Technical Animator or Rigger in the game industry.
• Proficiency in Maya or 3ds Max and rigging techniques.
• Strong understanding of animation principles, kinematics, and physics simulation.
• Experience with game engines (Unreal Engine, Unity) and their animation systems.
• Proficiency in scripting languages such as Python, MEL, or C# for tool development.
• Experience with motion capture cleanup and editing.

Responsibilities

• Implement and optimize character and creature animations within the game engine.
• Develop and maintain character rigs, ensuring they are robust and support a wide range of motion.
• Create and refine animation tools and scripts to streamline the animation pipeline.
• Collaborate with animators to ensure delivered animations meet technical and artistic requirements.
• Work with engineers to integrate animation systems and troubleshoot technical issues.
• Ensure animations are performant and adhere to memory budgets on target platforms.
• Develop motion capture data editing and cleanup processes.
• Provide technical guidance and support to the animation team.
• Stay up-to-date with the latest advancements in animation technology and game engines.

Skills

Rigging

Animation principles

Python scripting

Engine integration

Tools

Maya

3ds Max

Unreal Engine

Unity

MEL

C#

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a highly respected game development studio located in Queenstown, Eastern Cape, is seeking a Senior Technical Animator to enhance the realism and fluidity of character and creature movement in their upcoming titles. This role is crucial for bridging the gap between artistic animation and technical implementation, ensuring that animations perform optimally within the game engine and meet visual fidelity standards. You will work closely with animators, riggers, and engineers to solve complex animation challenges, develop tools, and refine pipelines. The ideal candidate possesses a strong understanding of animation principles, expertise in rigging, and proficiency in scripting and engine integration. This is an excellent opportunity to contribute your specialized skills to visually compelling projects within a dedicated team.

Key Responsibilities

• Implement and optimize character and creature animations within the game engine.
• Develop and maintain character rigs, ensuring they are robust and support a wide range of motion.
• Create and refine animation tools and scripts to streamline the animation pipeline.
• Collaborate with animators to ensure delivered animations meet technical and artistic requirements.
• Work with engineers to integrate animation systems and troubleshoot technical issues.
• Ensure animations are performant and adhere to memory budgets on target platforms.
• Develop motion capture data editing and cleanup processes.
• Provide technical guidance and support to the animation team.
• Stay up-to-date with the latest advancements in animation technology and game engines.

Requirements

• Minimum of 4 years of experience as a Technical Animator or Rigger in the game industry.
• Proficiency in 3D animation software (e.g., Maya, 3ds Max) and rigging techniques.
• Strong understanding of animation principles, kinematics, and physics simulation.
• Experience with game engines (e.g., Unreal Engine, Unity) and their animation systems.
• Proficiency in scripting languages such as Python, MEL, or C# for tool development.
• Experience with motion capture cleanup and editing.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Good communication and collaboration skills within a team environment.
• Portfolio showcasing rigging, animation examples, and technical animation work.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance-based bonuses.
• Comprehensive health and wellness benefits.
• Generous paid time off and leave policies.
• Opportunities for professional development and skill enhancement.
• A dynamic and collaborative studio environment in Queenstown, Eastern Cape.
• Access to modern development tools and technology.
• Supportive team culture focused on quality and innovation.
• Career progression opportunities within the company.