Senior Animator

Abstraction; Eindhoven; On-site; EUR 55,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Abstraction, a Dutch game co-development studio, seeks a Senior Animator to bring life and emotion to characters, creatures, and environments on PC and console co-development projects. You’ll work with a cross-functional team to create animations that captivate players and elevate gameplay.

We value candidates with a strong reel, 5+ years of experience, and expertise in Maya and Unreal Engine. This 2-month contract may extend up to two years, with a collaborative and innovative work environment.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional experience as an animator in the video game industry.
• At least one shipped AAA title with a strong portfolio.
• Expert proficiency in Maya and understanding of Unreal Engine.
• Solid understanding of animation principles and body mechanics.
• Familiarity with rigging and skinning processes and collaboration with technical artists.

Responsibilities

• Create high-quality animations for hand-keyed creatures, props, and environments that enhance gameplay and storytelling.
• Collaborate with designers, artists, and programmers to ensure animations are well-integrated with the game's vision.
• Translate gameplay and narrative requirements into expressive animations.
• Maintain consistency with the game’s visual style and animation direction, incorporating feedback from the Animation Lead.
• Participate in animation reviews and continuously improve animation quality.

Skills

AAA game experience

Maya

Unreal Engine

Animation principles

Designer collaboration

Tools

Maya

Unreal Engine

Job description

Abstraction is a Dutch game co-development studio aiming to deliver cutting-edge game experiences. Specializing in technically demanding projects, we have collaborated on renowned IPs like Halo, Dune, Mass Effect, and Baldur’s Gate . Our portfolio contains over 60 titles, reflecting our commitment to quality and technical prowess. We're not just partners with industry giants such as BioWare/EA, 343/Microsoft, Funcom, Sega , and others; we're innovators in our field.

Are you a storyteller at heart with a passion for motion and emotion? As a Senior Animator at abstraction, you'll infuse life, personality, and energy into characters, creatures, and environments. Working on exciting co-development projects for PC and console, you'll collaborate with a talented, cross-functional team to create animations that captivate players and elevate gameplay. If you're ready to make every frame count — we’d love to see your moves!

We're hiring a senior animator to join an exciting opportunity where you get to think outside the box and experiment with creative problem-solving on a AAA project.

This is an initial 2-month contract with the potential to extend for up to two years.

We value diverse perspectives and welcome candidates from all backgrounds to help us push the boundaries of our amazing game projects.

Responsibilities

• Create high-quality animations for hand-keyed creatures, props, and environmental elements that enhance gameplay and storytelling.

• Collaborate closely with designers, artists, and programmers to ensure animations are well-integrated and support the overall vision of the game.

• Translate gameplay and narrative requirements into expressive and responsive animations.

• Maintain consistency with the game’s visual style and animation direction, following feedback from the Animation Lead.

• Participate in animation reviews, proactively giving and receiving feedback to continuously improve animation quality.

Knowledge & Experience

• 5+ years of professional experience as an animator in the video game industry, with at least one shipped AAA title, with a strong portfolio or demo reel showcasing gameplay work.

• Expert proficiency in Maya and understanding of Unreal Engine.

• Solid understanding of animation principles and body mechanics (timing, weight, anticipation, etc.) and how they apply to character and object motion in games.

• Familiarity with rigging and skinning processes, and ability to collaborate effectively with technical artists and riggers.

• Must be comfortable in ambiguity, able to iterate quickly and collaboratively, and keep up with a fast-paced game dev environment.

• Cinematic work and boss fight experience would be a bonus.

We are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and equitable work environment where all individuals, regardless of their background, are encouraged to thrive, and we empower all team members to bring their unique perspectives to the table.