Animator - 12 Month FTC - Old School Runescape

2K; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the gaming industry seeks an experienced Animator to contribute to one of the most iconic MMORPGs. You will play a crucial role in shaping the animation style and developing pipelines for impactful animations, working closely with a passionate team of artists and engineers.

Benefits

Private Healthcare

Minimum 6% Pension contributions

Employee Assistance Programme

Life Insurance

Discretionary annual performance bonus

Enhanced family leave policies

Flexible working hours

25 days annual leave

Qualifications

• Excellent keyframe animation skills across characters and creatures.
• Practical experience using Maya in a production environment.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Work closely with the Associate Art Director to refine project quality.
• Responsible for delivering benchmark quality in game animation.
• Support team by supervising animation production/quality standards.

Skills

Keyframe Animation

Communication

Collaboration

Problem Solving

Tools

Maya

Job description

Location: Cambridge, UK – (Remote available within the UK with monthly team onsite days in the Cambridge office)

Are you an experienced Animator with a flair for expressive motion and stylised character work?
Do you want to help shape the animation style of one of the world’s most iconic, successful and long running MMORPGs?

Old School RuneScape is looking for an Animator to bring significant contributions to the animation of several creatures and characters within the game. You’ll play a pivotal role in developing systems and and pipelines for animation productions and delivering recognisable, impactful animation that stays true to the visual identity of OSRS.

You’ll collaborate closely with Technical Art, Engineering and the wider team to evolve and elevate the feel of the game, while helping us retain the charm that our players love.

What you’ll be doing:

• Work closely with the OSRS Associate Art Director to raise quality and refine the look and feel for the project.
• Work with Technical Art, Engineering and other artists to develop the animation creation and integration pipeline.
• Responsible for the delivery of benchmark quality in game animation.
• Provide support to the team in supervising animation production/quality standards and provide feedback and critique to juniors.
• Work independently when prototyping, problem solving and carrying out R&D in animation pipelines.
• Support, promote and build good team and studio morale in an open, creative environment
• Assist the Associate Art Director with delivering feedback / correspondence to outsource partners or freelancers as required.

What we’re looking for:

• Excellent keyframe animation skills across a range of characters and creatures, with a strong sense of timing, stylisation, exaggeration and more for traversal, combat and locomotion.
• Practical experience using Maya in a production environment for games.
• A well-curated demo reel that demonstrates a mix of both character and creature animations.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills while being open to feedback and committed to supporting others.
• A proactive, organised approach to asset management and in-game implementation.
• Experience rigging and weighting characters in Maya is strongly preferred.

What we offer:

When you join Jagex you can look forward to a generous Perks & Benefits package including:

• Private Healthcare, including Dental Plan.
• Minimum 6% Pension contributions.
• Employee Assistance Programme & onsite Counselling.
• Life Insurance.
• Discretionary annual performance bonus.
• Enhanced family leave policies from day 1.
• Flexible working hours.
• 25 days annual leave + Bank holidays & the option to buy/sell holidays + so much more!

About Jagex:

Jagex is a leader in developing and publishing deep, engaging online games that connect millions of players worldwide. Best known for the RuneScape franchise, which includes two of the world’s longest running and most successful MMORPGs, in Old School RuneScape and RuneScape, and the open-world survival crafting game, RuneScape: Dragonwilds; we have proven success in delivering immersive Forever Games and fostering strong player communities.

We strive to foster an inclusive workplace built on trust, autonomy, and a shared passion for creating forever games.
Our values guide everything we do: We Embrace Fellowship by collaborating and sharing openly. We Hone our Craft by always learning and improving; we Honour our Vows by being honest and transparent; we are our Customers’ Heroes by striving to understand our team & player needs, and we Seize The Day by making the most of every opportunity.

With over two decades of experience, and over 400 people in our team, we continue to innovate in live game development, leveraging data-driven insights, and a commitment to player-first game design. We have a diverse and talented team where creativity, collaboration, and community-driven game development drives everything we do.

As part of Jagex, you’ll have the opportunity to work on a globally successful franchise, contribute to exciting new projects, and be part of a company that hugely values both our employees and our players.