Remote Senior Technical Animator

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

Benefits offered by this job

Fully remote work

Health insurance

Professional development opportunities

Generous paid time off

Remote work setup support

Industry-standard software licenses

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Remote Senior Technical Animator to join a globally distributed team. You will bridge art and tech, building rigs, tools, and pipelines to empower animators and improve performance in real-time engines and renders.

You will collaborate with artists, riggers, and engineers, optimize assets, and develop animation systems while staying current with new tech. This fully remote role offers flexible work and a chance to impact large-scale projects.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of professional experience as a Technical Animator or similar role.
• Expertise in Maya with advanced rigging and scripting.
• Strong understanding of character animation principles.
• Experience with Unreal Engine or Unity preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in CG/Animation.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain character rigs for animators.
• Create tools and scripts to automate animation tasks.
• Collaborate with artists, riggers, and animators to solve technical challenges.
• Optimize assets and pipelines for real-time or offline rendering.
• Develop and refine animation systems and controllers.
• Provide technical support and training to the team.
• Stay updated with new tech in technical animation and game dev.
• Document best practices for the animation pipeline.
• Test software updates and plugins for animation workflows.
• Work effectively in a remote team with clear communication.

Skills

Technical animation

Rigging

Tool development

Scripting (Python, MEL)

Problem solving

Remote collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Graphics, Animation, or related field

Tools

Maya

Unreal Engine

Unity

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a renowned innovator in the Arts & Entertainment sector, is seeking an exceptional Remote Senior Technical Animator to join their globally distributed team. This is a fully remote position, allowing you to leverage your expertise from anywhere. You will play a critical role in bridging the gap between art and technology, developing tools, scripts, and workflows that empower animators and enhance the quality and efficiency of character performance and animation pipelines. We are looking for a highly skilled individual with a strong understanding of animation principles, rigging, and scripting, coupled with a passion for problem-solving and innovation. This is a unique opportunity to influence the technical direction of animation production and contribute to groundbreaking projects in a flexible, remote setting. Join a forward-thinking company committed to excellence in digital entertainment.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain character rigs, ensuring flexibility, performance, and ease of use for animators.
• Create and implement tools and scripts to automate animation tasks and streamline workflows.
• Collaborate closely with character artists, riggers, and animators to troubleshoot and solve technical challenges.
• Optimize animation assets and pipelines for performance in real-time engines or offline renderers.
• Develop and refine animation systems and controllers.
• Provide technical support and training to the animation team.
• Stay abreast of new technologies and techniques in technical animation and game development.
• Contribute to the development of best practices and documentation for the animation pipeline.
• Test and implement new software updates and plugins relevant to animation workflows.
• Work within a remote team structure, ensuring clear communication and collaboration.

Requirements

• A strong portfolio showcasing technical animation work, tool development, and rigging expertise.
• Minimum of 6 years of professional experience as a Technical Animator, Rigger, or similar role.
• Expert proficiency in Maya, including advanced rigging, scripting (Python, MEL), and tool development.
• Deep understanding of character animation principles and workflows.
• Experience with game engines (e.g., Unreal Engine, Unity) and their animation systems is highly desirable.
• Familiarity with character modeling and anatomy principles.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and a proactive approach to identifying and resolving technical issues.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, crucial for remote collaboration.
• Ability to work independently, manage time effectively, and meet project deadlines.
• A passion for technology, animation, and the Arts & Entertainment industry.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Graphics, Animation, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

Benefits

• Our client offers a highly competitive salary of up to R per annum, reflecting your expertise.
• Benefit from the ultimate flexibility of a fully remote work position.
• Comprehensive health insurance coverage, including medical and dental benefits, is provided.
• Opportunities for continuous professional development through online courses, webinars, and virtual conferences.
• Generous paid time off and flexible working hours ensure an excellent work-life balance.
• Be part of a cutting-edge, remote-first team creating innovative content within the global Arts & Entertainment sector.
• Access to industry-standard software licenses and support for your remote work setup.
• Contribute to exciting and visually advanced projects from Northern Cape (or your ideal location).