Hiring for Lead Technical Animator at Hangar 13

Festybay; Brighton; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading game development studio is seeking a Lead Technical Animator to bridge creative animation and technical execution. This senior role is based in Brighton, UK, and focuses on character realism and gameplay responsiveness. The ideal candidate brings extensive technical animation experience, leadership skills, and expertise in Unreal Engine. Join a diverse global team to craft cinematic experiences that push boundaries in the gaming industry.

Qualifications

• Extensive professional experience in a technical animation role.
• A deep understanding of what makes a character feel responsive.
• Ability to diagnose and fix systemic animation issues under deadlines.
• Strong ability to diagnose and fix systemic animation issues under tight deadlines
• Excellent communication across design, engineering and art teams

Responsibilities

• Lead and inspire a team of technical animators.
• Design and optimize animation systems using Unreal Engine.
• Collaborate with Game Designers for specific mechanics support.
• Collaborate with Design and Engineering to ensure performance and quality across platforms.
• Set best practices, documentation, and cross-studio standards.

Skills

Expert-level knowledge of Unreal's animation suite

Strong problem-solving skills

Exceptional verbal and written communication skills

Deep understanding of character responsiveness

Animation Rigging

Tools

Unreal Engine

C++

Maya

MotionBuilder

Job description

Hangar 13, the visionary studio behind the critically acclaimed and award-winning Mafia franchise, is seeking a high-caliber Lead Technical Animator to join our world-class Technical Art department.

This is a senior leadership position designed for a professional who thrives at the intersection of creative animation and rigorous systems engineering. As we continue to push the boundaries of narrative storytelling and AAA craftsmanship, we need a leader who can bridge the gap between artistic intent and technical execution, ensuring our characters move with unparalleled realism, responsiveness, and soul.

Job Overview : Lead Technical Animator

Category Details

Company Name Hangar 13 (A 2K Games Studio)

Job Title Lead Technical Animator

Department Technical Art

Employment Type Permanent

Primary Locations Brno (Czech Republic), Prague (Czech Republic), or Brighton (UK)

Salary Range Competitive / Negotiable based on AAA Lead experience

Core Technology Unreal Engine (Animation Blueprints, Motion Matching, Control Rig)

Reporting To Associate Director of Technical Animation

Who We Are: The Hangar 13 Philosophy

At Hangar 13, we don’t just make games; we craft cinematic experiences. Our team is a collective of creative minds driven by a passion for “the craft”—the minute details that transform a digital character into a living, breathing part of a story. Whether it’s the heavy tread of a protagonist in a rain-slicked alley or the subtle shift in weight during a high-stakes shootout, we believe that motion is the key to immersion.

Joining Hangar 13 means joining a global team that values diversity, innovation, and the pursuit of excellence. If you have a love for story-driven adventures and the technical prowess to bring them to life, your next chapter starts here.

As the Lead Technical Animator, you are the architect of the character’s “feel.” You are responsible for overseeing the integration of character animations into complex gameplay systems, ensuring that every movement is responsive to player input while maintaining the highest visual fidelity.

You will act as the primary conduit between the Animation, Design, and Engineering departments. Your goal is to ensure that animation systems are not only beautiful but also performant and robust enough to support a massive AAA player experience.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Direct Management: Lead, mentor, and inspire a dedicated team of technical animators across our global studios.
• Career Growth: Conduct regular performance reviews, provide actionable feedback, and foster an environment of continuous learning and individual development.
• Strategic Delivery: Work with production to scope tasks, manage dependencies, and ensure the team hits milestones without compromising quality.

2. System Design & Implementation

• UE Mastery: Design and optimize state-of-the-art gameplay animation systems using Unreal Engine. This includes expert-level implementation of Animation Blueprints, Motion Matching, and State Machines.
• Rigging & Control: Oversee the development of Control Rig workflows to empower animators with the best possible in-engine tools.
• Fluidity & Feel: Refine character transitions and “gameplay feel” to ensure that the player feels a direct, satisfying connection to the character’s actions.

3. Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration

• Design Alignment: Work with Game Designers to ensure animation systems support specific mechanics (e.g., combat, traversal, cover systems).
• Engineering Partnership: Collaborate with Software Engineers to optimize runtime performance and stability, ensuring the animation budget is respected across all platforms.
• External Management: Oversee co-development partners and outsourcing vendors. You will provide technical specifications and quality feedback to ensure external work matches internal standards.
• Problem Solving: Act as the final point of escalation for complex runtime animation bugs or performance bottlenecks.
• Standard Setting: Champion best practices and documentation to ensure knowledge sharing and consistency across the entire Technical Art department.

Candidate Requirements

• AAA Pedigree: Extensive professional experience in a technical animation role, specifically integrating character movement into gameplay within the Unreal Engine ecosystem.
• Technical Proficiency: Expert-level knowledge of Unreal’s animation suite (Blueprints, State Machines, Sequencer).
• Player-Centric Mindset: A deep understanding of what makes a character feel “good” to play—responsiveness, weight, and timing.
• Analytical Rigor: Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to diagnose and fix systemic animation issues under tight deadlines.
• Communication: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to explain technical constraints to artists and artistic goals to engineers.

Highly Desirable Qualifications

• Coding/Scripting: Proficiency in C++ for engine-level adjustments or Python for automating studio workflows and tools.
• DCC Expertise: Familiarity with Maya or MotionBuilder, particularly in the context of motion capture processing and keyframe animation.
• Project Scale: Experience working on large-scale open-world titles where systemic animation (proceduralism, environmental interaction) is a priority.
• Future-Proofing: A keen interest in emerging technologies like machine learning animation, advanced procedural systems, and physics-based motion.

Location and Culture

While Brighton is our preferred hub for this role, we are highly flexible and encourage applications for our Brno and Prague locations. Each of our studios offers a unique cultural experience:

• Brno/Prague: Dive into the heart of European game development in cities famous for their history, architecture, and thriving tech scenes.
• Brighton: Work by the sea in the UK’s most creative and diverse coastal city.

Equal Opportunity & Diversity

Hangar 13 is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities to ensure everyone can perform their essential job functions and participate fully in the application process.

Security Warning for Applicants

Be advised that “bad actors” occasionally pose as HR personnel to solicit personal information. Hangar 13 and 2K Games will never:

• Contact you via WhatsApp, Telegram, or other instant messaging apps.
• Conduct interviews via text-only platforms.
• Ask for financial information or payments during the recruitment process. All official correspondence will come from an @hangar13games.com or @2k.com email address.

How to Apply

Are you ready to lead the technical evolution of Mafia franchise? Please submit your application, including:

• A comprehensive CV detailing your shipped titles and technical contributions.
• A portfolio or reel showcasing implemented animation systems (ideally with “behind-the-scenes” looks at Blueprints or rigs).

Hiring for Lead Technical Animator at Hangar 13