Character Animator — Motion Capture & Gameplay

Blind Squirrel Entertainment, Inc.; Auckland; Hybrid; NZD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Blind Squirrel Entertainment, Inc. seeks an Animator for its Auckland, New Zealand studio to bring characters to life through keyframe animation, motion capture, and performance-driven storytelling.

Work with a multidisciplinary team on upcoming game projects in a fully onsite environment. You will refine animations for gameplay and narrative, participate in reviews, and contribute to animation pipelines and asset management using Maya, Blender, and MotionBuilder.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Animation, Fine Arts, or related field.
• Minimum two years of industry experience in game animation.
• At least one shipped title as an animator.
• A portfolio or demo reel demonstrating strong animation fundamentals, character performance, visual judgment, and technical understanding.
• Proficiency in at least one major 3D animation application, such as Maya, Blender, or 3ds Max.
• A strong understanding of keyframe animation principles and techniques.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across disciplines.
• Attention to detail and the ability to manage assignments, meet deadlines, and respond constructively to feedback.

Responsibilities

• Create high-quality character animations using Maya, Blender, or 3ds Max that meet artistic and technical requirements.
• Apply animation principles to deliver believable performances that support gameplay and storytelling.
• Integrate, clean up, and refine motion capture data using MotionBuilder.
• Support motion capture planning and sessions with direction and supervision.
• Collaborate with artists, designers, and programmers to align animations with design and engine needs.
• Work with programmers to integrate animation features into the game engine.
• Identify and resolve animation issues with rigs and performance constraints.
• Follow production pipelines and deliver assets on schedule.
• Maintain organized animation assets using Perforce.
• Communicate progress and dependencies to leads and stakeholders.
• Contribute ideas to enhance character movement and expression.
• Participate in team meetings and reviews; incorporate feedback effectively.
• Adjust priorities and techniques as projects evolve.
• Document workflows and best practices for knowledge sharing.
• Continue developing skills with new tools and practices.

Skills

Communication

Collaboration

Attention to detail

Deadline management

Creative problem solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Animation, Fine Arts, or related field

2+ years industry experience in game animation

One shipped title as an animator

Portfolio/demo reel showing animation fundamentals

Tools

Maya

Blender

3ds Max

MotionBuilder

Perforce

Job description

Blind Squirrel Entertainment, Inc. seeks an Animator for its Auckland, New Zealand studio to bring characters to life through keyframe animation, motion capture, and performance-driven storytelling.

Work with a multidisciplinary team on upcoming game projects in a fully onsite environment. You will refine animations for gameplay and narrative, participate in reviews, and contribute to animation pipelines and asset management using Maya, Blender, and MotionBuilder.