Lead Technical Animator at Rocksteady Studios

Festybay; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid flexibility

Career growth opportunities

Inclusive environment

Job summary

A prominent game development studio in London seeks a Lead Technical Animator to ensure characters move with emotion and grace. The role involves leading a team, creating intuitive rigs, and collaborating with departments to solve complex animation challenges. Ideal candidates will exhibit a strong understanding of human anatomy, extensive experience in AAA rigging, and proficiency in Python. The position offers a hybrid work model and career growth opportunities in a supportive environment.

Qualifications

• Deep technical knowledge of animation systems and strong artistic eye for anatomy.
• Extensive professional experience in technical animation and rigging for AAA titles.
• Strong working knowledge of Python in Maya.
• Direct experience with animation systems in major game engines (Unreal/Unity).
• Proven ability to lead and develop a team, with clear communication.

Responsibilities

• Supervise and create character, body, and facial rigs.
• Research and integrate new technologies and tools.
• Lead the technical animation department through active hiring and mentorship.
• Strategic planning: create roadmaps and schedules with production teams.
• Cross-disciplinary support: advise Art/Animation and develop Python tools to automate tasks.
• Documentation: maintain clear docs for tools and processes.

Skills

Anatomy & Mechanics

Rigging Pedigree

Scripting Mastery

Engine Proficiency

Leadership Skills

Tools

Maya

Python

Unreal Engine

Unity

Jira

Motionbuilder

Job description

Rocksteady Studios, a proud member of the Warner Bros. Discovery family and the visionary developer behind the genre-defining Batman: Arkham series, is looking for a Lead Technical Animator. Based in the vibrant heart of London, Rocksteady has built a global reputation for combining high-octane AAA production values with deeply personal, character-driven narratives.

At Rocksteady, our philosophy is simple: we treat people well to create entertainment that stands the test of time. As we continue to push the boundaries of cinematic gameplay, we need a technical leader who can bridge the gap between artistic vision and engine performance. This is a role for a “dreamer who does”—someone who can mentor a passionate team while remaining hands‑on with the latest rigging and pipeline technologies.

Salary Range Competitive / Commensurate with Leadership Experience

Primary Tech Maya, Python, Unreal Engine / Unity

Focus Areas Rigging, Pipeline Dev, Mentorship, Facial Deformation

The Role: Architect of Movement

The Lead Technical Animator is a pivotal role that sits at the intersection of Art, Animation, and Engineering. You are responsible for ensuring that our characters move with the weight, emotion, and fluidic grace that Rocksteady fans expect. You will not only lead a team of friendly, high-performing technical animators but also act as a key collaborator with Directors and Leads across the studio to solve the industry’s most complex animation challenges.

Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities for Technical Animator

• Rigging Excellence: Supervise and directly create world-class character, body, and facial rigs. You will ensure that deformation is flawless and that rigs are intuitive for the animation team.
• Pipeline Innovation: Research and integrate new technologies and tools. Your goal is to constantly advance the quality, efficiency, and adaptability of our rigging and art pipelines.
• Team Leadership: Lead the technical animation department through active hiring, mentorship, and career development. You will run 1-to-1s and appraisals, fostering an environment where every artist can thrive.
• Strategic Planning: Collaborate with the production team to create realistic roadmaps and schedules, ensuring that technical milestones are met without compromising the team’s well-being.
• Cross-Disciplinary Support: Act as a technical consultant for the Art and Animation teams, identifying bottlenecks in workflows and developing Python-based tools to automate repetitive tasks.
• Documentation: Create and maintain clear, accessible documentation for all tools and processes to ensure knowledge is shared and preserved across the studio.

Qualifications & Professional Experience

We are seeking a candidate who possesses a deep technical “under the hood” knowledge of animation systems combined with a strong artistic eye for human and creature anatomy.

Core Requirements as Technical Animator

• Anatomy & Mechanics: A sophisticated understanding of human anatomy, muscle deformation, and body mechanics to ensure realistic and expressive movement.
• Rigging Pedigree: Extensive professional experience in technical animation and rigging for AAA titles.
• Scripting Mastery: Strong working knowledge of Python in Maya. You should be comfortable with professional coding standards and practices.
• Engine Proficiency: Direct experience with animation systems in major game engines (Unreal Engine preferred, or Unity).
• Leadership Skills: Proven ability to support and develop a team, with the communication skills necessary to interact with diverse studio departments.

Bonus Points for Standout Candidates

• Gameplay Tech: Experience with state machines, cloth simulation, physics, and ragdoll setups (specifically in Unreal).
• Production Tools: Familiarity with Jira or Shotgrid for task tracking and asset management.
• Motion Capture: Experience with Motionbuilder, its API, and high-fidelity mocap pipelines.
• Advanced Mathematics: Knowledge of vector maths, linear algebra, and matrices as they apply to 3D space.
• Future Tech: An interest in Machine Learning applications for animation or C++/Maya API plugin writing.

Why Join Rocksteady & Warner Bros. Discovery?

Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is home to the world’s most iconic content, from superheroes to dragons. Rocksteady, specifically, offers a unique multicultural environment in one of the world’s most diverse cities.

• Hybrid Flexibility: We embrace a modern work model that combines the focus of remote work with the collaborative energy of our London office.
• People-First Culture: Rocksteady is famous for its “one-project” focus, allowing the team to pour their hearts into a single masterpiece without the burnout often associated with multi-project churn.
• Career Growth: Access to curated benefits, global career-defining opportunities, and the tools to explore your “best self” within the WBD ecosystem.
• Inclusive Environment: We are an equal‑opportunity employer. We champion inclusion and welcome perspectives from all backgrounds, regardless of identity or experience.

How to Apply

If you are ready to bring the next generation of iconic characters to life and lead a team of trailblazers, we want to hear from you.

Application Requirements

1. A comprehensive CV/Resume highlighting your technical animation lead experience.
2. A Portfolio or Showreel demonstrating your rigging work, tool development, and deformation quality.
3. A brief cover letter outlining your leadership philosophy.

Submit Applications via: [Rocksteady Studios / WB Games Careers Portal]

Rocksteady Studios is a member of the Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment family.

Lead Technical Animator at Rocksteady Studios