Principal Animation Technical Artist

Build a Rocket Boy; United Kingdom; Remote; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in game development is seeking a Principal Animation Technical Artist. This role involves creating tools and pipelines for high-quality video games, mentoring team members, and collaborating across disciplines to enhance animation workflows. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in animation technical art, particularly with MotionBuilder and Maya, and a strong foundation in Python scripting.

Benefits

Unlimited coaching & therapy

Stock Options

Pension scheme

Social events

25 days of annual leave + 8 bank holidays

Private Medical Insurance

Healthcare Cash Plan

Cycle2Work Scheme

Electric Car Charging

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in a similar role with at least one AAA title shipped.
• Strong knowledge of MotionBuilder and Maya.

Responsibilities

• Develop tools and provide technical support for the animation teams.
• Mentor and assist other members of the Animation Technical Art team.

Skills

Python

3D Math Functions

Openness to Change

Tools

MotionBuilder

Maya

nCloth

Job description

Principal Animation Technical Artist

Department: Animation & Cinematics

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Remote

Reporting To: Wini Wang

Description

As our Principal Animation Technical Artist at Build A Rocket Boy, you will understand the needs of the Gameplay animation and Cinematic teams within game development. You should have a genuine interest in creating tools and pipelines to develop top-quality video games.

You will work alongside the gameplay animation and cinematic teams to enable high-end content production. Your responsibilities include providing technical guidance, defining animation workflows and pipelines, and collaborating with leads and directors across disciplines to ensure scalable technical development for animation pipelines.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop tools and provide technical support for the animation teams.
• Mentor and assist other members of the Animation Technical Art team.
• Identify inefficiencies or pipeline issues and propose solutions.
• Develop tools and scripts for third-party software like MotionBuilder and Maya, as well as proprietary tools.
• Create and maintain technical documentation and process guidelines.
• Collaborate closely with Leads, Directors, and Code teams to align needs and requirements.
• Share good practices and mentor team members.
• Own the development of new workflows for animation and cinematic pipelines and tools.

Requirements

• 7+ years of experience in a similar role, with at least one AAA title shipped.
• Strong knowledge of MotionBuilder and Maya.
• Proficiency in Python scripting.
• Experience with other scripting or programming languages is highly desirable.
• Knowledge of rigging for humans, faces, vehicles, and props.
• Familiarity with cloth simulation software such as nCloth.
• Understanding of 3D math functions, including linear algebra and vector mathematics.
• Experience working with animation and cinematic pipelines in game development scenarios.
• Openness to change and improvement of existing tools, with willingness to design custom tools from scratch.

Benefits

Our Global Benefits & Perks

• Unlimited coaching & therapy — with Oliva, supporting your mental health
• Stock Options — everyone owns a piece of our success
• Pension scheme — up to 5% employer matching contribution for your future
• Social events — office & remote events, play sessions, and company parties
• Additional benefits based on your location

If you’re based in the UK

• 25 days of annual leave + 8 bank holidays — flexible with most bank holidays to suit your preferences
• Private Medical Insurance — full coverage with AXA
• Healthcare Cash Plan — Level 3 cover with Medicash
• Cycle2Work Scheme — lease a bike and save on taxes
• Electric Car Charging — available at our Edinburgh office