Senior Technical Animator

Placements24; Mansfield Woodhouse; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Comprehensive benefits

Career growth opportunities

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Technical Animator for a Randburg-based studio. The role bridges artists, riggers, and engineers to create performant, high-quality character animation.

You will build tools, scripts, and workflows to support the animation team, troubleshoot complex issues, and help polish character performances across the pipeline. Strong problem-solving and collaboration are essential.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience as a Technical Animator or similar role in games.
• Proven experience developing tools and scripts for animation pipelines (Python or MEL).
• Strong rigging, skinning, and deformation knowledge.
• Proficiency with Maya and game engines (Unreal/Unity).

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain animation tools, scripts, and pipelines to streamline the workflow.
• Collaborate with animators and riggers to resolve technical issues in movement and deformation.
• Optimize assets for real-time performance with efficient memory usage and smooth playback.
• Integrate animation systems into the game engine with engineers.
• Troubleshoot physics, IK/FK setups, and custom solver issues.
• Create and maintain documentation for tools and workflows.
• Test and implement new animation technologies and techniques.
• Provide technical guidance to the animation team.
• Ensure consistency and quality of character animations across the project.
• Assist with motion capture data cleanup and integration when necessary.

Skills

Python scripting

MEL scripting

Rigging

Animation pipelines

Unreal/Unity integration

Tools

Maya

Unreal Engine

Unity

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a leading game development studio based in Randburg, Gauteng , is seeking a highly skilled Senior Technical Animator to enhance the quality and efficiency of their character animation pipeline. This vital role involves bridging the gap between animators, riggers, and engineers, ensuring that character movements are not only artistically compelling but also technically sound and performant within the game engine. You will develop tools, scripts, and workflows to support the animation team, troubleshoot complex technical issues, and contribute to the overall polish of character performances. This is an exceptional opportunity to work on cutting-edge projects, collaborate with a talented team, and significantly impact the final quality of game characters. We are committed to delivering top-tier player experiences and seek a candidate who excels at technical problem-solving and artistic collaboration. The ideal professional will have a strong understanding of animation principles, rigging, and game development pipelines.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain animation tools, scripts, and pipelines to streamline the animation workflow.
• Collaborate with animators and riggers to identify and resolve technical issues related to character movement and deformation.
• Optimize animation assets for real-time performance, ensuring efficient memory usage and smooth playback.
• Work with engineers to integrate animation systems and features into the game engine.
• Troubleshoot complex animation problems, including physics, IK/FK setups, and custom solver issues.
• Create and maintain documentation for animation tools and workflows.
• Test and implement new animation technologies and techniques.
• Provide technical guidance and support to the animation team.
• Ensure consistency and quality of character animations across the project.
• Assist with motion capture data cleanup and integration when necessary.

Requirements

• Minimum of 5 years of experience as a Technical Animator or in a related technical role within the game industry.
• Proven experience developing tools and scripts for animation pipelines using languages like Python or MEL.
• Strong understanding of character rigging, skinning, and deformation techniques.
• Proficiency with industry-standard animation software such as Maya.
• Experience with game engines (e.g., Unreal Engine, Unity) and their animation systems.
• Familiarity with animation principles and the ability to identify animation-related technical issues.
• Excellent problem-solving and debugging skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively in a team.
• Experience with C++ is a significant advantage.
• A portfolio showcasing technical animation work, tools, or pipeline contributions.

Benefits

• Our client offers a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and excellent opportunities for career growth within a dynamic and innovative studio environment in Randburg, Gauteng . You will work on exciting, high-impact projects with a talented and passionate team, enjoying access to cutting-edge technology and a supportive work culture. We believe in nurturing talent and providing the best environment for our employees to succeed. This is a fantastic opportunity to advance your technical animation career.