Lead Technical Animator - Character Motion Systems

Placements24; Southampton; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 67,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Professional development

Bonuses and rewards

Relocation assistance

Team events

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Technical Animator in Randburg, Gauteng to guide a team, bridge artistry and engine workflows, and build motion systems for real-time games.

The role focuses on blend trees, IK/FK, rig stability, tooling, and performance. Requires 6+ years in technical animation, expertise with Unreal/Unity, Maya, and Python/MEL. Relocation support may be available; strong portfolio essential.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 6 years of experience in technical animation or a related field within the game industry.
• Proven experience in a lead or senior technical animation role.
• Strong understanding of animation principles, character rigging, and skinning.
• Proficiency with real-time engines such as Unreal Engine (Blueprints, Control Rig) or Unity.
• Expertise in Maya, and experience with animation-related scripting languages (e.g., Python, MEL).
• Experience creating and implementing complex animation systems (e.g., inverse kinematics, blend trees, state machines).
• Solid understanding of performance optimization for animation data.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to diagnose and fix complex technical issues.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills for effective team collaboration.
• A portfolio demonstrating technical animation skills, pipeline contributions, and system design is required.
• Bachelor's degree in Animation, Computer Graphics, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of technical animators, overseeing their workflow and development.
• Develop and maintain sophisticated character animation systems and pipelines for real-time engines (e.g., Unreal Engine, Unity).
• Create and optimize animation blend trees, state machines, and IK/FK systems.
• Collaborate with character artists and riggers to ensure deform-stable rigs suitable for complex animations.
• Work closely with animators to implement and polish character performances, ensuring they meet technical and artistic requirements.
• Develop tools and scripts to enhance animator efficiency and automate repetitive tasks.
• Profile and optimize animation performance to ensure smooth frame rates and responsiveness.
• Troubleshoot and resolve technical issues related to character animation and engine integration.
• Stay current with the latest advancements in animation technology, rigging, and real-time engines.
• Conduct technical reviews of animation assets and provide constructive feedback.

Skills

Technical animation

Team leadership

Unreal Engine

Unity

Maya

Python scripting

Rigging

Blend trees

Education

Bachelor's degree in Animation

Equivalent professional experience

Job description

About the Role Our client, a leading studio recognized for its visually stunning interactive experiences, is seeking an experienced Lead Technical Animator to join their team in **Randburg, Gauteng**. This critical role bridges the gap between character artistry and animation implementation, focusing on building robust motion systems and ensuring high-quality character performance within the game engine. You will lead a team of technical animators, collaborate closely with character artists and animators, and develop innovative solutions for character locomotion, facial animation, and blend-tree creation. The ideal candidate possesses a deep understanding of animation principles, rigging, scripting, and real-time engine workflows. This is an exciting opportunity to influence the animation pipeline and enhance the believability of characters in our ambitious projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of technical animators, overseeing their workflow and development.
• Develop and maintain sophisticated character animation systems and pipelines for real-time engines (e.g., Unreal Engine, Unity).
• Create and optimize animation blend trees, state machines, and IK/FK systems.
• Collaborate with character artists and riggers to ensure deform-stable rigs suitable for complex animations.
• Work closely with animators to implement and polish character performances, ensuring they meet technical and artistic requirements.
• Develop tools and scripts to enhance animator efficiency and automate repetitive tasks.
• Profile and optimize animation performance to ensure smooth frame rates and responsiveness.
• Troubleshoot and resolve technical issues related to character animation and engine integration.
• Stay current with the latest advancements in animation technology, rigging, and real-time engines.
• Conduct technical reviews of animation assets and provide constructive feedback.

Requirements

• Minimum of 6 years of experience in technical animation or a related field within the game industry.
• Proven experience in a lead or senior technical animation role.
• Strong understanding of animation principles, character rigging, and skinning.
• Proficiency with real-time engines such as Unreal Engine (Blueprints, Control Rig) or Unity.
• Expertise in Maya, and experience with animation-related scripting languages (e.g., Python, MEL).
• Experience creating and implementing complex animation systems (e.g., inverse kinematics, blend trees, state machines).
• Solid understanding of performance optimization for animation data.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to diagnose and fix complex technical issues.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills for effective team collaboration.
• A portfolio demonstrating technical animation skills, pipeline contributions, and system design is required.
• Bachelor's degree in Animation, Computer Graphics, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

Benefits

• Competitive annual salary of ZAR.
• Hybrid work model offering excellent flexibility.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.
• Company-sponsored retirement plan.
• Generous paid time off and holiday schedule.
• Opportunities for professional development, conferences, and training.
• Work on critically acclaimed and exciting game titles.
• Performance-based bonuses and rewards.
• Relocation assistance available for exceptional candidates.
• Vibrant studio culture with regular team events.