Game Animator (Spine 2D)

develop; Greater London; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading game development company in Greater London is seeking a talented Game Animator to produce high-quality animations for mobile i-gaming products. This role involves creating engaging animations, preparing artwork for animation, and collaborating with various teams to enhance game quality. Candidates should have a Bachelor's degree in Animation or a related field and proficient skills with tools like After Effects and Spine 2D. Strong organizational skills and experience in gaming are essential for this fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Experience creating 2D animations.
• Solid understanding of animation fundamentals.
• Comfortable managing multiple projects.

Responsibilities

• Create high-quality 2D animations using in-house tools.
• Prepare artwork for animation and integrate into game engine.
• Collaborate with teams to understand animation requirements.
• Conceptualise and storyboard animations.

Skills

Experience in gaming or i-gaming

Strong collaboration and communication skills

Highly organised and detail-oriented

Proficiency with animation tools

Education

Bachelor's degree in Animation or related field

Tools

After Effects

Spine 2D

Game engines (Unity)

JIRA

Confluence

Job description

We’re looking for a talented and creative Game Animator to join a highly experienced and collaborative team. This role focuses on producing engaging, high-quality animations for a wide range of mobile i-gaming / online lottery products, using a combination of in-house animation tools and industry-standard software.

You’ll play a key role in enhancing the visual quality and user experience of our games. In addition to animation work, the role involves preparing and adapting artwork created by game artists—ensuring assets are animation-ready and optimised before being implemented into the game engine.

This position suits someone who is self-sufficient, process-driven, and comfortable working at pace, as the business delivers a high volume of games on a consistent schedule and relies heavily on strong internal processes.

Key Responsibilities

• Create high-quality 2D animations using our in-house animation/game engine and tools such as After Effects and Spine.
• Prepare artists’ artwork for animation (Photoshop, sprite sheets, exports) and integrate assets into the game engine for testing and final delivery.
• Collaborate with product owners, artists, developers, and external art partners to understand animation requirements and ensure smooth integration.
• Conceptualise and storyboard animations to support strong visual storytelling.
• Optimise animations for performance across multiple devices and platforms.
• Take ownership of animation tasks, manage priorities, and meet deadlines without compromising quality.
• Contribute feedback to improve in-house animation tooling and workflows.
• Work closely with the Lead Animator to raise quality standards and refine animation processes.
• Stay up to date with animation trends, tools, and techniques.
• Current team:
• 1 Animator (this hire will be the 2nd Animator)
• 12 Game Artists
• This role will sit directly under the Lead Animator (Evelyn) and provide daily support across multiple teams.
• Collaboration across 4–5 internal teams, plus external art partners.
• Typically 1–2 games per month
• Each project ranges from 3 symbols to full character animation
• Strong support focus due to recent artist attrition — this hire is critical for stabilising timelines and supporting the wider art team.
• Internal animation tool:
• Steep learning curve (~12 months to fully master)

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience) in Animation or a related field.
• Experience in gaming or i-gaming
• Proficiency with animation and creative tools, including:
• After Effects
• Spine 2D
• Game engines (Unity experience beneficial)
• Solid understanding of animation fundamentals: timing, spacing, weight, anticipation.
• Experience using JIRA, Confluence, or similar workflow tools.
• Understanding of game mechanics, UX, and performance considerations.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills.
• Highly organised, detail-oriented, and comfortable managing multiple projects.