Senior Animator

Placements24; Randburg; Hybrid; ZAR 480,000 - 840,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Hybrid work model

Health insurance

Paid time off

Studio atmosphere Randburg

Job summary

Our client in Randburg is seeking a highly skilled Senior Animator to bring characters and objects to life with fluid, believable motion across interactive projects. You will mentor junior animators and collaborate with designers, artists, and directors in a hybrid environment.

Responsibilities include creating cinematic keyframe animations for gameplay, optimizing assets for real-time engines, and ensuring expressive body mechanics, facial animation, and lip-sync.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience as an Animator in games or animation.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating character animation, body mechanics, facial animation, and lip-sync.
• Proficiency with Maya and/or 3ds Max; understanding of real-time animation constraints.

Responsibilities

• Animate characters, creatures, and props with a focus on realism, expressiveness, and cinematic quality.
• Create keyframe animations for gameplay, cutscenes, and UI elements.
• Collaborate with the rigging team to ensure animations are implemented correctly and efficiently.
• Work closely with directors and designers to understand and execute animation requirements and stylistic goals.
• Provide constructive feedback and mentorship to junior animators.
• Ensure animations are optimized for performance within the game engine.

Skills

Animation principles

Teamwork and communication

Mentorship

Tools

Maya

3ds Max

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking a highly skilled and creative Senior Animator to join their talented team in Randburg . You will be responsible for bringing characters and objects to life with fluid, believable, and engaging motion across a range of interactive projects. Working in a hybrid model, you will collaborate closely with designers, artists, and directors to achieve the highest standards of animation quality. This role demands a deep understanding of animation principles, exceptional artistic talent, and the ability to mentor junior animators.

Key Responsibilities

• Animate characters, creatures, and props with a focus on realism, expressiveness, and cinematic quality.
• Create keyframe animations for gameplay, cutscenes, and UI elements.
• Collaborate with the rigging team to ensure animations are implemented correctly and efficiently.
• Work closely with directors and designers to understand and execute animation requirements and stylistic goals.
• Provide constructive feedback and mentorship to junior animators.
• Ensure animations are optimized for performance within the game engine.

Requirements

• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience as an Animator in the game or animation industry.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating exceptional character animation skills, including body mechanics, facial animation, and lip-sync.
• Proficiency in industry-standard animation software such as Maya, 3ds Max, or equivalent.
• Solid understanding of animation principles , timing, spacing, and weight.
• Experience working with game engines and understanding real-time animation constraints.
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills, with the ability to receive and implement feedback effectively.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance-based incentives.
• Hybrid work environment offering flexibility and collaborative opportunities.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Generous paid time off and professional development opportunities.
• A vibrant and creative studio atmosphere in Randburg .