Senior 3D Animator

Placements24; Durban; Hybrid; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote work

Health and dental coverage

Professional development budget

Job summary

Placements24 is recruiting a Senior 3D Animator for our client, a renowned game development studio operating remotely near Durban. You will bring characters and environments to life with fluid, believable motion, and help shape animation pipelines and quality standards.

You will mentor junior animators, collaborate with distributed teams, and contribute to cutting-edge projects across our global studio network. A strong portfolio and expert knowledge of industry tools are essential.

Qualifications

• Significant professional experience as a 3D Animator in gaming with a strong portfolio.
• Expertise in Maya, Blender, or 3ds Max and animation principles.
• Experience with motion capture editing and cleanup is highly desirable.
• Excellent communication and remote collaboration skills; able to meet deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Animate high-quality character performances for games.
• Collaborate with art and design to meet aesthetics and gameplay.
• Develop and refine animation pipelines, tools, workflows.
• Provide mentorship to junior animators.
• Troubleshoot animation challenges within the game engine.

Skills

3D Animation

Maya

Blender

3ds Max

Animation principles

Motion capture editing

Remote collaboration

Mentoring juniors

Tools

Maya

Blender

3ds Max

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a renowned game development studio operating remotely, is seeking an exceptionally skilled Senior 3D Animator to join their creative force based in the vicinity of Durban . You will be responsible for bringing characters and environments to life with fluid, compelling, and believable motion. This role demands a masterful understanding of animation principles, exceptional artistic talent, and the ability to collaborate seamlessly with a distributed team of artists, designers, and engineers. As a senior member, you'll also contribute to establishing animation pipelines, setting quality standards, and mentoring emerging talent, driving the visual excellence of our ambitious projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Animate high-quality character performances, creatures, and environmental elements for our games.
• Collaborate with the art and design teams to ensure animations meet aesthetic and gameplay requirements.
• Develop and refine animation pipelines , tools, and workflows to enhance efficiency and quality.
• Provide constructive feedback and mentorship to junior animators, fostering skill development.
• Troubleshoot and solve complex animation challenges within the game engine environment.

Requirements

• Significant professional experience as a 3D Animator in the gaming industry, with a strong portfolio showcasing character animation and motion.
• Expertise in industry-standard animation software such as Maya, Blender, or 3ds Max.
• Deep understanding of animation principles, including timing, spacing, weight, and appeal.
• Experience with motion capture editing and cleanup is highly desirable.
• Excellent communication and remote collaboration skills , with the ability to work independently and meet deadlines consistently.

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary and performance-based incentives.
• Fully remote work setup, enabling a flexible lifestyle.
• Comprehensive health and dental coverage.
• Generous budget for professional development, training, and conferences.
• The opportunity to work on cutting-edge projects with a globally distributed, talented team.