Animation Lead — Remote Team Mentor & Quality Driver

Keywords Studios Plc; United States; Remote; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Keywords Studios is seeking an Animation Lead to guide the quality and execution of animation teams, with a focus on supporting India-based artists. The role combines hands-on work with mentoring, translating creative direction into actionable guidance and ensuring assets meet client expectations.

You will collaborate with Art Directors and Production, review work, provide feedback on body mechanics, timing and acting, and ensure seamless integration in Unreal Engine or Unity across time zones.

Qualifications

• Shipped AAA or high-quality titles experience.
• Strong understanding of body mechanics, timing, and acting.
• Proficiency with Maya, mocap workflows, and Unreal/Unity.

Responsibilities

• Creative Leadership: review animation work and provide actionable feedback on body mechanics, timing, weight, acting, and quality.
• India Team Mentorship: guide and mentor animators in India, improving artistic judgment and execution.
• Client & Creative Alignment: translate client direction and feedback into guidance for the team.
• Quality & Delivery: monitor quality, approvals, rework, and schedule risk; address issues with production and leadership.
• Pipeline & Engine Support: ensure animation assets integrate in Unreal Engine, Unity, or other pipelines.
• Continuous Improvement: improve review practices, workflows, and toolchains.

Skills

AAA game experience

Body mechanics

Maya

Unreal/Unity

Mentoring

Cross-timezone collaboration

Animation feedback

Tools

Maya

Unreal Engine

Unity

Mocap workflows

Job description

Keywords Studios is seeking an Animation Lead to guide the quality and execution of animation teams, with a focus on supporting India-based artists. The role combines hands-on work with mentoring, translating creative direction into actionable guidance and ensuring assets meet client expectations.

You will collaborate with Art Directors and Production, review work, provide feedback on body mechanics, timing and acting, and ensure seamless integration in Unreal Engine or Unity across time zones.