Senior Technical Animator - Tools & Pipeline Lead

Placements24; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 54,000 - 66,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and benefits

Career growth opportunities

Dynamic studio environment

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Technical Animator to elevate the character animation pipeline in Randburg, Gauteng. You will bridge the gap between artists, riggers, and engineers, building tools and workflows to support real-time performance in the game engine.

The ideal candidate has a deep understanding of rigging, skinning, and deformation, with a strong portfolio of technical animation work. Proficiency in Maya, Python, MEL, and experience with Unreal Engine/Unity are required, along with

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience as a Technical Animator or in a related technical role within the game industry.
• 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 Maya.
• Experience with game engines (Unreal Engine, Unity) and their animation systems.
• Familiarity with animation principles and 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.

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.

Skills

Strong problem solving

Team collaboration

Excellent communication

Tools

Maya

Unreal Engine

Unity

Python

MEL scripting

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Technical Animator to elevate the character animation pipeline in Randburg, Gauteng. You will bridge the gap between artists, riggers, and engineers, building tools and workflows to support real-time performance in the game engine.

The ideal candidate has a deep understanding of rigging, skinning, and deformation, with a strong portfolio of technical animation work. Proficiency in Maya, Python, MEL, and experience with Unreal Engine/Unity are required, along with