Lead Technical Animator

Sega Europe; Horsham; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading gaming company in Horsham is searching for a Lead Technical Animator to enhance character animation quality for a new project. This role offers hybrid or fully remote options within the UK, requiring collaboration with artists and engineers to deliver immersive animations. Candidates should have a strong background in animation with experience in AAA titles and DCC tools. Enjoy benefits like health insurance, additional holidays, and personal development opportunities.

Benefits

Medical and dental health insurance

Additional holiday allowance

Annual discretionary bonus

Career development pathways

Wellbeing support

Free games and merchandise

Free breakfast

Office massages

Studio parties

Qualifications

• Experience with AAA titles in an equivalent role.
• Excellent understanding of in-engine character and animation systems.
• Solid understanding of 3D math (linear algebra, vector and matrix math).

Responsibilities

• Lead the character and animation pipeline development.
• Implement character and animation systems, rigs, tools, and pipelines.
• Collaborate with animators and technical artists on character delivery.

Skills

Passion for games and animation

Strong communication skills

Experience with DCCs (Maya, MoBu)

Knowledge of Python

Knowledge of complex rigging systems

Understanding of character systems

Tools

Unreal Engine

C++ / Maya API

3DS Max

Blender

Job description

Creative Assembly is looking for a Lead Technical Animator to join our talented team to work on our new project, a sequel to Alien: Isolation.

This role will be based at our studio in Horsham, UK and can be offered as hybrid / in-studio / fully remote within country of employment. Further details can be discussed during the recruitment process.

Note: Applications for this role will ideally include a portfolio (or link to a portfolio).

The Role

As the Lead Technical Animator, you will spearhead efforts to enhance the quality and efficiency of our character, animation, and supporting pipelines. This pivotal role bridges the gap between art, animation, and technology, ensuring the development, integration, and delivery of high-quality character, animation, and technical solutions across the project. Your work will ensure that animations and characters are not only visually stunning but also seamlessly functional within the engine, providing players with an engaging and immersive experience.

This is a new project, being built in UE5, this role offers an exciting opportunity to have a significant influence on the foundational technology and evolving look and feel of the game.

What you’ll be doing

On a day-to-day basis, you will:

• Apply your technical expertise directly in creating, developing, and managing our character and animation pipeline – from DCC to engine.
• Devise, assist and implement character and animation systems, rigs, tools, and pipelines.
• Collaborate and work closely with animators, motion capture technicians, artists, technical artists, and engineers, in helping deliver engaging and immersive characters.
• Review existing workflows, tools, and systems, identifying and solving technical challenges within the animation pipeline.
• Research emerging technologies; improving efficiency and quality of our character and animation assets and pipeline.
• Adapt to learn new skills that will help elevate and offer new solutions to meet the design, gameplay, and project requirements.
• Tackle day-to-day requests for improvements and bug fixes.

What we are looking for

Essential

• A passion for games and games animation
• Strong ability to communicate clear direction, break down tasks and feedback to help mentor, guide and educate fellow teammates.
• Experience with commonly used DCCs such as Maya & MoBu
• Excellent knowledge of Python and coding standards
• Excellent knowledge of complex rigging systems
• Excellent understanding of in-engine character and animation systems – locomotion, modular character setups, runtime deformation and physics
• Previously worked on AAA titles in an equivalent role.

Desirable

• Solid understanding of 3D math (linear algebra, vector and matrix math)
• Experience with Unreal Engine
• Experience with complex face rig setup - FACs based.
• Experience with C++ /Maya API & Plugin writing
• Experience with 3DS Max & Blender
• Experience with motion capture pipelines and shoots

About Creative Assembly

Creative Assembly crafts deep and detailed games that last, entertaining millions of players across the globe for decades.

We are all game makers and we care deeply about the experiences we create. We empower our teams to make significant contributions to our games, supported by skills development and growth opportunities.

We are located in Horsham, UK and Sofia, Bulgaria.

Most roles at Creative Assembly are hybrid; what this looks like will be discussed during the interview process. For many teams this is 3 days a week in the studio. CA has the right to change requirements based on the needs of the business.

We offer many benefits to support you and your family including:

• Additional medical and dental health insurance for you, your partner and kids, life in-surance, and free health care screening
• Additional holiday allowance plus full studio closure over the Christmas and New Year period, as all Bulgarian Bank holidays
• Annual discretionary studio bonus
• Defined career development pathways and personalised training support including; SEGA Dev Day, internal masterclasses, prestigious creative workshops, on-site training with renowned specialists and global conference attendance
• Wellbeing support with an employee assistance programme
• Free games and merchandise plus access to our extensive games library
• Free breakfast every day - toast, cereals, yoghurts, fresh fruit, soft drinks and more in our fully stocked kitchen
• Office massages
• Studio parties for you and your family; such as our Summer and Christmas parties, Children’s day party, wrap parties for game releases

We are an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief.

Note to Recruitment Agencies: SEGA Europe Limited and our studios do not accept unsolicited candidate introductions from unauthorised third parties. For the avoidance of doubt, SEGA Europe is not liable for any fees, compensation or any other costs associated with the introduction of a candidate or recruitment services unless and until an agreement has been duly executed. Further details can be found here.