Remote Lead Game Animator

Placements24; Centurion; Hybrid; ZAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully remote work

Competitive salary

Health, dental & vision insurance

Generous paid time off

Professional growth opportunities

Job summary

Placements24 seeks a visionary Lead Game Animator to head the animation team in a fully remote capacity. You will guide the pipeline, set quality standards, and mentor a talented group of animators to deliver life-like character and UI motion with artistic integrity.

You will collaborate with art directors and technical artists to implement animation systems, review assets, and drive the overall animation vision within a distributed team, fostering excellence and innovation.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in 3D character animation for games, with 2+ years in a leadership role.
• Expert in Maya, 3ds Max or Blender.
• Strong grasp of animation principles and character performance.
• Experience with state machines, blending, and in-engine animation (Unreal/Unity).
• Proven leadership and remote team management capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of game animators, setting clear goals and performance expectations.
• Develop and refine animation style guides and technical standards for the project.
• Oversee high-quality character, environment, and UI animations meeting project requirements.
• Collaborate with art directors, character artists, and technical artists to define animation systems.
• Review and provide feedback on animation assets for technical correctness and artistic quality.
• Troubleshoot and resolve animation pipeline challenges in a remote environment.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Mentoring

Animation principles

Character animation

Remote teamwork

Creative direction

Tools

Maya

3ds Max

Blender

Unreal Engine

Unity

Job description

About the Role

Our client is searching for a visionary and highly skilled Lead Game Animator to spearhead their animation team in a fully remote capacity. This is a crucial role responsible for setting the visual quality bar and guiding the animation pipeline for our flagship titles. You will oversee a talented group of animators, providing direction, feedback, and technical expertise to ensure that characters and objects move with life, impact, and artistic integrity. We are looking for a leader who can inspire creativity, solve complex animation challenges, and drive the overall animation vision, all while working effectively within a distributed team structure, fostering a culture of excellence and innovation.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of game animators , setting clear goals and performance expectations.
• Develop and refine animation style guides and technical standards for the project.
• Oversee the creation of high-quality character, environment, and UI animations, ensuring they meet project requirements and artistic vision.
• Collaborate closely with art directors, character artists, and technical artists to define and implement animation systems.
• Review and provide constructive feedback on animation assets, ensuring technical correctness and artistic quality.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex animation challenges and pipeline issues in a remote environment.

Requirements

• Minimum of 7 years of experience in 3D character animation for video games, with at least 2 years in a leadership role.
• Expert proficiency in industry-standard animation software (e.g., Maya, 3ds Max, Blender).
• Strong understanding of animation principles, cinematography, and character performance.
• Experience with animation state machines, animation blending , and in-engine animation implementation (e.g., Unreal Engine, Unity).
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, crucial for managing a remote team .
• A compelling portfolio demonstrating exceptional animation quality and leadership capabilities.

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary and performance-based incentives.
• Fully remote work opportunity, providing maximum flexibility.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance coverage.
• Generous paid time off and company holidays.
• Opportunities for professional growth and skill development.