Senior Character Animator

Placements24; Soweto; Hybrid; ZAR 420,000 - 640,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Health benefits

Performance bonuses

Paid time off

Career growth

Hybrid work in Soweto

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Character Animator for our game studio in Soweto, Gauteng. You will bring characters to life with believable movement, emotion, and personality, collaborating with the animation director and riggers to deliver top-tier visuals.

You should have at least 5 years in game animation, a strong portfolio, and proficiency in Maya, Blender, 3ds Max, and engines like Unreal or Unity. This hybrid role offers studio collaboration with remote work on designated days.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional experience as a Character Animator in the game industry.
• Strong portfolio with body mechanics, facial animation, and acting.
• Proficiency in Maya, Blender, or 3ds Max.
• Experience implementing animations in Unreal Engine or Unity.
• Understanding of timing, spacing, weight, and appeal.
• Experience with facial animation and lip-sync is a plus.
• Excellent communication and teamwork; hybrid work setting.
• Bachelor’s degree in Animation, Fine Arts, or related field, or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

• Create high-quality character animations for locomotion, combat, facial expressions, and cinematics.
• Collaborate with the animation director and stakeholders to understand requirements.
• Ensure animations have correct weight, timing, and emotional impact.
• Work with riggers to ensure rigs fit animation tasks.
• Implement animations within the game engine (Unreal Engine, Unity) and integrate them.
• Optimize animations for performance and visual quality.
• Provide constructive feedback to junior animators and contribute to team development.
• Stay current with animation techniques, software advancements, and industry best practices.
• Participate in animation reviews and contribute to problem-solving.
• Maintain high artistic quality and consistency across all characters.

Skills

Character animation

Portfolio

Teamwork

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Animation

Tools

Maya

Blender

3ds Max

Unreal Engine

Unity

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a dynamic game studio known for its character-driven titles and compelling narratives, is seeking a talented Senior Character Animator to join their team in Soweto, Gauteng, ZA. This role is crucial for bringing game characters to life with believable movement, emotion, and personality. You will be responsible for creating high-quality character animations, working closely with the animation director and other team members to achieve the desired artistic vision. The ideal candidate possesses a strong understanding of animation principles, exceptional artistic skill, and experience with modern game engines. This hybrid position allows for both in-studio collaboration and remote flexibility, offering a balanced work environment. Your work will directly impact the player's connection with our characters.

Key Responsibilities

• Create high-quality character animations for all aspects of gameplay, including locomotion, combat, facial expressions, and cinematics.
• Collaborate with the animation director and other stakeholders to understand and execute animation requirements.
• Ensure animations are performed with the correct weight, timing, and emotional impact.
• Work with riggers to ensure character rigs are suitable for the animation tasks.
• Implement animations within the game engine (e.g., Unreal Engine, Unity), ensuring proper setup and integration.
• Optimize animations for performance and visual quality.
• Provide constructive feedback to junior animators and contribute to team development.
• Stay current with animation techniques, software advancements, and industry best practices.
• Participate in animation reviews and contribute to problem-solving.
• Maintain a high level of artistic quality and consistency across all animated characters.

Requirements

• A minimum of 5 years of professional experience as a Character Animator in the game industry.
• A strong portfolio showcasing exceptional character animation work, including body mechanics, facial animation, and acting.
• Proficiency in industry-standard 3D animation software such as Maya, Blender, or 3ds Max.
• Experience implementing animations within a game engine like Unreal Engine or Unity.
• Solid understanding of animation principles, including timing, spacing, weight, and appeal.
• Experience with facial animation and lip-sync is a plus.
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills, adaptable to a hybrid work setting.
• Ability to receive and incorporate feedback effectively.
• Bachelor’s degree in Animation, Fine Arts, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

Benefits

• Our client offers a competitive salary, comprehensive health benefits, performance bonuses, generous paid time off, and opportunities for career growth.
• This hybrid role provides a dynamic and collaborative work environment in Soweto, Gauteng, ZA, with the flexibility of remote work on designated days.