Lead Technical Animator

Placements24; Pretoria; Hybrid; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Comprehensive health benefits

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Placements24 partners with a highly respected game development studio in Pretoria to fill a Lead Technical Animator role for a fully remote position. You will guide a remote team, develop and optimize animation systems, rigs, and pipelines to deliver lifelike and stylistically consistent character motion across platforms.

The ideal candidate has 7+ years in technical animation, leads teams, and is proficient with Unreal Engine or Unity, Maya, and scripting (Python/MEL/C#).

Qualifications

• 7+ years in technical animation for video games, with 2+ years in lead roles.
• Experience developing and optimizing animation systems and pipelines in major game engines (Unreal/Unity).
• Expertise in character rigging, skinning and animation principles.
• Proficiency in Maya and scripting languages Python, MEL, or C#.
• Strong collaboration across art and engineering teams.
• Portfolio demonstrating complex rigs, animation systems, and game examples.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and manage a team of technical animators.
• Develop, implement, and maintain animation systems, tools, and pipelines.
• Collaborate with animation, art, and engineering teams for asset integration.
• Create and refine character rigs with performance and usability in mind.
• Develop locomotion, facial animation, and dynamic simulations.
• Troubleshoot technical animation issues and optimize for multiple platforms.
• Stay up-to-date with advancements in animation tech and workflows.
• Contribute to establishing best practices and workflows for the department.

Skills

Technical animation leadership

Unreal Engine

Unity

Maya

Python

MEL

C#

Rigging and skinning

Animation pipelines

Team mentoring

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Animation / Game Design / CS

Tools

Unreal Engine

Unity

Maya

Python

MEL

C#

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a highly respected game development studio based in Pretoria, is seeking a Lead Technical Animator for a fully remote position. This role is crucial for bridging the gap between artistic vision and technical implementation, ensuring characters and creatures move with lifelike realism and stylistic flair. You will lead a team of talented technical animators, developing and optimizing animation systems, tools, and pipelines. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of animation principles, character rigging, scripting, and game engine integration. This is an exceptional opportunity to shape the animation quality and technical foundation of our next generation of interactive entertainment, working within a collaborative and innovative remote setting.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and manage a team of technical animators, providing artistic and technical direction.
• Develop, implement, and maintain robust animation systems, tools, and pipelines using industry-standard software and game engines.
• Collaborate closely with animation, art, and engineering teams to ensure seamless integration of animation assets and systems into the game.
• Create and refine character rigs, ensuring flexibility, performance, and ease of use for animators.
• Develop and implement character locomotion, facial animation systems, and dynamic simulations.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex technical issues related to animation, rigging, and game engine integration.
• Optimize animation performance for various platforms, ensuring smooth frame rates and efficient memory usage.
• Stay up-to-date with the latest advancements in animation technology, tools and techniques.
• Contribute to establishing best practices and workflows for the animation department.

Requirements

• A minimum of 7 years of experience in technical animation for video games, with at least 2 years in a lead or supervisory role.
• Proven experience in developing and optimizing animation systems and pipelines within major game engines (e.g., Unreal Engine, Unity).
• Expertise in character rigging, skinning, and animation principles.
• Proficiency in 3D animation software such as Maya, and scripting languages like Python, MEL, or C#.
• Strong understanding of game development processes and cross-departmental collaboration.
• Excellent problem-solving, debugging, and analytical skills.
• Strong leadership, communication, and mentoring abilities, capable of managing a remote team effectively.
• A portfolio showcasing outstanding technical animation work, including complex rigs, animation systems, and game examples.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Animation, Game Design, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent industry experience.

Benefits

• This fully remote role offers significant flexibility and the ability to work from Pretoria or any location. Our client provides a competitive salary, comprehensive health benefits, and opportunities for professional development.
• Be part of a groundbreaking studio known for its creative vision and technical prowess.
• Contribute to high-impact projects and enjoy a collaborative, supportive remote work environment.