Senior 3D Animator - Game Development

Placements24; Durban; Hybrid; ZAR 1,143,000 - 1,959,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully remote work environment

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior 3D Animator to join a remote game development studio. You will bring characters and environments to life with production-grade animations for our flagship titles, contributing to an immersive player experience.

With 5+ years of professional animation experience, you will collaborate across design, art, and animation teams, delivering high-quality motion capture cleanup, facial animation, and gameplay animations while optimizing performance across platforms.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional experience in 3D animation for games or interactive media.
• Portfolio showcasing high-quality character animation across styles.
• Strong understanding of animation principles, timing, weight, and storytelling.

Responsibilities

• Create high-quality, production-ready 3D character animations, including keyframe animation, motion capture cleanup, and facial animation.
• Collaborate with game designers, art directors, and other animators to define animation requirements and styles.
• Develop animations for gameplay mechanics, cinematics, and in-game events.
• Optimize animations for performance across platforms, focusing on frame rates and memory usage.
• Provide input and guidance to junior animators, ensuring pipeline standards are met.
• Review and iterate on animations based on feedback from leads and playtests.

Skills

3D animation

Character animation

Motion capture cleanup

Storytelling through movement

Remote collaboration

Tools

Maya

Blender

3ds Max

Unity

Unreal Engine

Job description

About the Role

Our client is looking for a highly skilled and experienced Senior 3D Animator to join their innovative game development studio. This fully remote position requires a passion for bringing characters and environments to life through dynamic and believable motion. You will be instrumental in developing high-quality animations for characters, creatures, and objects within our client's flagship gaming titles, contributing to the immersive experience for players worldwide. This role is ideal for a creative professional who thrives in a collaborative, remote setting and possesses a strong understanding of game animation pipelines and storytelling through movement.

Key Responsibilities

• Create high-quality, production-ready 3D character animations , including keyframe animation, motion capture cleanup, and facial animation.
• Collaborate closely with game designers, art directors, and other animators to define and implement animation requirements and styles.
• Develop animations for gameplay mechanics, cinematics, and in-game events, ensuring they meet the game's artistic vision and technical specifications.
• Optimize animations for performance on various gaming platforms, paying close attention to frame rates and memory usage.
• Provide creative input and technical guidance to junior animators, fostering skill development and adherence to pipeline standards.
• Regularly review and iterate on animations based on feedback from team leads and playtesting sessions.

Requirements

• 5+ years of professional experience in 3D animation for video games or similar interactive media.
• Proficiency in industry-standard animation software such as Maya, Blender, or 3ds Max.
• Strong understanding of animation principles , body mechanics, weight, timing, and storytelling.
• Experience with game engines like Unity or Unreal Engine is highly desirable.
• Ability to work effectively in a remote team environment, with strong communication and collaboration skills.
• A compelling portfolio showcasing exceptional character animation skills and a diverse range of styles.

Benefits

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience.
• The flexibility and comfort of a fully remote work environment .
• Opportunity to work on exciting and cutting-edge game titles.
• Contribution to a collaborative and passionate game development team.
• Budget for professional development, including online courses and software.