Senior Technical Animator - Freelance

CI Games SA; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 67,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote work

Flexible core hours CET

5-month freelance contract

Cutting-edge technology

Diverse, inclusive team

Job summary

CI Games is seeking a Senior Technical Animator to lead Unreal animation pipelines, focusing on Animation Blueprints, State Machines, and Control Rig. You will build rigging and physics workflows in Maya, collaborate with engineers, and mentor junior animators.

The role includes remote, flexible hours (core 10:00–16:00 CET) and a 5-month freelance engagement, offering the chance to work with cutting-edge tech on major releases planned for 2026–2028.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in technical animation.
• Shipped at least one AA+ title in a technical animation capacity.

Responsibilities

• Act as a key contributor to Unreal animation technology and define the technical vision for character pipelines and runtime systems.
• Design and maintain complex animation systems in Unreal Engine focusing on Animation Blueprints and Control Rig.
• Integrate new characters by implementing Physics and Cloth assets and tuning their LODs.
• Research and prototype new techniques to improve animation quality and workflow efficiency.
• Create high-quality character and weapon rigs in Maya using internal rigging tools.
• Skinning high-density characters with optimal deformation.
• Modify Python-based rig definitions to meet character requirements while keeping codebase consistent.
• Collaborate with engineers to ensure performance and stability of animation systems.
• Provide technical guidance to junior and mid-level animators; translate art needs into technical solutions.
• Document best practices for the technical animation pipeline and track daily progress.

Skills

Unreal Engine

Animation Blueprints

State Machines

Control Rig

Physics assets

Cloth assets

Maya rigging

Skinning

Python scripting

Communication

Tools

Python tooling

Job description

Join CI Games and be part of shaping the future of gaming. As we embark on an ambitious strategic roadmap with major releases planned for 2026-2028, we're seeking a talented and dedicated Senior Technical Animator to help us create ground-breaking experiences that captivate players worldwide.

Key Responsibilities:

Technical Implementation & Animation Systems (Unreal)

• Act as a key contributor to Unreal animation technology, helping to implement and

  maintain the technical vision for character pipelines and runtime systems.

• Design and maintain complex animation systems within Unreal Engine, with a heavy

  focus on Animation Blueprints and Control Rig.

• Contribute to the integration of new characters by implementing their Physics and

  Cloth assets, and fine-tuning their LODs.

• Research and prototype new techniques to enhance animation quality and workflow

  efficiency for the wider team.

Characters & Pipeline Support (Maya)

• Participate in the creation of high-quality character and weapon rigs that meet the demands of our artistic and gameplay vision, using our internal Maya rigging tools.

  • Skinning high density characters with optimal deformation

  • Modifying and adapting Python-based rig definitions so as to address unique character requirements, all the while keeping the codebase consistent

• Collaborate with engineers to solve complex technical challenges and ensure the performance and stability of all animation systems.

Collaboration & Mentorship

• Provide technical guidance and feedback to junior and mid-level technical

  animators, fostering their skills and growth.

• Collaborate closely with the Technical Animation Lead and Director to translate

  artistic needs into robust technical solutions.

• Document best practices for the technical animation pipeline to ensure consistency

  and quality across all projects.

• Track your progress on a daily basis and help evaluating and scheduling upcoming

  tasks

Key Requirements:

• 5+ years of experience in technical animation, with a proven track record in a senior capacity.

• Shipped at least one AA+ title in a technical animation capacity.

• Expert-level expertise with Unreal Engine, specifically with Animation Blueprints, State Machines, and Control Rigs.

• Solid knowledge of dynamic asset types, in particular Physics and Cloth Assets.

• Proven skills in Maya character rigging and skinning for realistic characters.

• Strong proficiency with python tools programming.

• Outstanding communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with artists and engineers.

Desirable:

• Proficiency in C++

• Experience with procedural animation techniques

• A deep passion for and expertise in the Action-RPG or Soulslike genre

What we offer:

• 5 months freelance contract with immediate start

• Remote work with flexible schedules (core working hours 10am-4pm CET), allowing you to work alongside talented individuals from around the world.

• An opportunity to work with cutting-edge technologies and stay at the forefront of the gaming industry.

• A diverse and inclusive workplace that celebrates all backgrounds, regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or social status.