Senior 3D Animator - Character Specialization

Placements24; Rustenburg; Hybrid; ZAR 520,000 - 880,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work arrangement

Health insurance

Learning & development

AAA titles projects

Team social events

Job summary

Placements24 in Rustenburg is seeking a Senior 3D Animator specialized in character animation to bring game characters to life with believable movement and evocative performances.

You will collaborate with the art and design teams, mentor junior animators, and help establish best practices for character animation while contributing to our pipeline improvements for AAA titles.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a 3D Character Animator in the video game industry, with a strong portfolio demonstrating skill.
• Proficiency in industry-standard 3D animation software (Maya, Blender, 3ds Max).
• Solid understanding of animation principles, kinematics, and anatomy.
• Experience with motion capture data cleanup and implementation.
• Familiarity with game engines such as Unreal Engine or Unity.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills.
• Experience mentoring junior animators is a significant plus.
• A keen eye for detail and a passion for believable character performances.

Responsibilities

• Create high-quality character animations, including locomotion, combat, facial animation, and cinematics.
• Collaborate with character artists, riggers, and game designers to achieve desired character performance.
• Implement animations into the game engine, ensuring smooth integration and performance optimization.
• Provide clear and constructive feedback to other animators and team members.
• Contribute to the development of animation pipelines, tools, and workflows.
• Research and apply new animation techniques to enhance character realism and expressiveness.
• Maintain consistency in animation style and quality across all characters and projects.
• Troubleshoot animation-related issues and propose effective solutions.
• Participate in animation reviews and provide artistic direction.

Skills

Character animation

Mentoring

Pipeline development

Team collaboration

Artistic direction

Tools

Maya

Blender

3ds Max

Unreal Engine

Unity

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a prominent game development studio based in Rustenburg , is seeking a highly skilled Senior 3D Animator with a specialization in character animation. This role is central to bringing our game characters to life with believable movement, emotional depth, and compelling performances. You will be responsible for creating high-quality animations for key characters, working closely with the art and design teams to ensure consistency and artistic integrity across all projects. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of animation principles, anatomy, and the technical pipelines involved in integrating animations into a game engine. We are looking for an artist who can not only execute complex animations but also mentor junior animators and contribute to establishing best practices for character animation within the studio.

Key Responsibilities

• Create high-quality character animations, including locomotion, combat, facial animation, and cinematics.
• Collaborate with character artists, riggers, and game designers to achieve desired character performance.
• Implement animations into the game engine, ensuring smooth integration and performance optimization.
• Provide clear and constructive feedback to other animators and team members.
• Contribute to the development of animation pipelines, tools, and workflows.
• Research and apply new animation techniques and technologies to enhance character realism and expressiveness.
• Maintain consistency in animation style and quality across all characters and projects.
• Troubleshoot animation-related issues and propose effective solutions.
• Participate in animation reviews and provide artistic direction.

Requirements

• Proven experience as a 3D Character Animator in the video game industry, with a strong portfolio demonstrating exceptional skill.
• Proficiency in industry-standard 3D animation software (e.g., Maya, Blender, 3ds Max).
• Solid understanding of animation principles, kinematics, and anatomy.
• Experience with motion capture data cleanup and implementation.
• Familiarity with game engines such as Unreal Engine or Unity.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills.
• Experience mentoring junior animators is a significant plus.
• A keen eye for detail and a passion for creating believable character performances.

Benefits

• Join a creative and innovative studio in Rustenburg that offers a challenging and rewarding career.
• Our client provides a competitive salary, comprehensive health insurance, and opportunities for continuous learning and skill development.
• You will have the chance to work on exciting AAA titles and collaborate with a talented and passionate team.
• We offer a dynamic work environment with regular social events and a commitment to employee well-being.
• This role includes a hybrid work arrangement, offering flexibility while maintaining team collaboration.